Missoula County Government: Missoula County Invites Public To Participate In Pathways And Trails Master Plan

Press release from the Missoula County Government:

07/20/2021 3:44 PM

Missoula County’s Parks, Trails and Open Lands is seeking public input to help lead the creation of a Pathways and Trails Master Plan that will focus on improving trail connections between and within communities outside the City of Missoula’s urban area. 

The master plan is the first of its kind to focus on areas outside of the urban area and will be a long-range planning document to guide Missoula County in the development and prioritization of regional and local shared-use pathways and trails. The plan’s overarching goal is to understand the extent of pathway and trail needs, from development through maintenance, and the resources required to meet these needs. This will lead to strategic development of new facilities as well as implementation of a maintenance regimen upon completion. 

“This is about creating connections and filling gaps,” PTOL Manager Juniper Davis said.  “Community engagement is an important aspect of developing this plan to understand needs and values and to anticipate future demands of Missoula County residents and trail system users. We are excited to bring this opportunity to our county and look forward to connecting with people and understanding their values.” 

Staff will host a series of community meetings and an online survey to understand how the existing pathways and trails system outside of Missoula’s urban area is working and where critical gaps can be addressed. To engage in person, people can attend any of five community meetings: 

• Monday, July 26, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
  • Lolo Community Center, 12345 U.S. Highway 93, Lolo
• Tuesday, July 27, 4 to 5:30 p.m.
  • West Riverside Park Barn, 1305 Haaglund Drive, Milltown
• Tuesday, July 27, 6:30 to 8 p.m.:
  • Frenchtown High School Common Area, 17620 Frenchtown Frontage Road, Frenchtown
• Wednesday, July 28, 12 to 1:30 p.m.
  • Missoula County Courthouse Annex, Sophie Moiese Room, 200 West Broadway, Missoula
• Wednesday, July 28, 5 to 6:30 p.m.
  • Seeley Lake Community Foundation, 3150 Highway 83 N., Seeley Lake 

Online survey:

• Beginning Monday, July 26, residents who are unable to attend a community meeting are invited to explore the online StoryMap and fill out the brief survey at missoulacounty.us/government/culture-recreation/parks-trails.

Funding for the plan is a collaboration of resources; $70,000 comes from federal planning funds administered by the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Office, $30,000 from a Montana Department of Commerce Community Development Block Grant Program Planning Grant and $4,000 from the PTOL budget. 

The plan is projected to be finalized in spring or early summer of 2022 and will be presented to the Missoula Board of County Commissioners for final approval. 

For additional information, contact Davis at jdavis@missoulacounty.us.

This press release was produced by the Missoula County Government. The views expressed here are the author’s own.