The south side riverfront trail was paved with asphalt this Friday, May 21st.  Do you support this?  MIST is quickly researching all we can about different types of trail surfaces.  The river trail is a unique, wonderful part of Missoula... and has a 'natural' feel with the packed gravel.  Yet it is hard to maintain in the winter.

We are partering with Parks and Rec to do a roughly 600' test section with permeable pavers- concrete or brick probably- in order to come up with asphalt alternatives.  To help with this project, or give us input on paving the trail in general, drop us an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 406-880-6834.

Here is the press release from Parks and Rec announcing the paving, and their justifications:

Missoula Parks and Recreation Press Release

Contact: Donna Gaukler, Director

Missoula Parks and Recreation, Phone: 552-6265

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

600 Cregg Ln.

Missoula, MT 59801

WWW.MISSOULAPARKS.ORG

City paves trail to increase safety, accessibility


Fast Facts

·         The City of Missoula is paving a section of the Riverfront Trail
on Friday, May 21. The trail will be closed from 5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
from the Orange St. pedestrian underpass to the Van Buren footbridge
(south shore.)

·         Paving will improve travel conditions for bicycle and pedestrian
commuters year-round, in all weather conditions.

·         The project will increase safety and accessibility by making
snow and ice removal more efficient.

·         Call 721-PARK or visit www.missoulaparks.org for more
information.



Commuting to school and work will get a little easier this summer when the
City paves an approximately one-mile section of the Ron MacDonald
Riverfront Trail on the south side of the Clark Fork River next week. The
new surface will stretch from the Orange Street pedestrian underpass to
the Van Buren Street pedestrian bridge. It will allow for easier travel
for all trail users and make the trail safer in winter by improving snow
and ice removal.

For the last several years, bicycle and pedestrian commuters have been
asking the City to pave this short trail section to make commuting safer
and easier, especially during inclement weather.  The trail is a very
popular bicycle/pedestrian commuter route, as shown by the recent
non-motorized traffic counts done by the Office of Planning and Grants.
According to the traffic count, the Orange Street pedestrian underpass is
second only to The University of Montana’s main entrance at University and
Arthur in pedestrian/bicycle use.  This section is the only unpaved
section of the Riverfront Trail and Bitterroot Branch trail systems.

“This trail is one of the most used trails for both recreation and
commuting in our community,” says Parks and Recreation Director Donna
Gaukler.  “Paving the trail will enhance accessibility and increase the
seasons and ways citizens can use the trail.  Paved trails can be swept of
snow and debris, dry faster, and are cleaner and more accessible. Recent
community planning efforts related to transportation, particularly
non-motorized, along with frequent complaints related to ice and mud on
the trail confirmed the need to enhance the trail.”

Despite the best efforts of Parks and Recreation maintenance crews, the
gravel/clay mix of the current trail collects ice and mud during
Missoula’s freeze-thaw cycles.  A paved surface allows for more complete
ice removal, prevents mud puddles and makes the trail safer in inclement
weather.

Other benefits of the project include increased accessibility for all
wheeled activities, including wheelchairs and strollers.

“A lot of people who have mobility disabilities use Missoula’s trail
system quite often to get to work, to get around town, or when they’re
just out enjoying themselves,” says Travis Hoffman, Advocacy Coordinator
at Summit Independent Living Center.  “This section of the trail has been
hard to navigate when the weather isn’t so great or when a fresh layer of
crushed gravel was laid down. We are excited that it will now have a paved
surface because that will vastly improve the trail’s accessibility and
hopefully encourage more people to get out and about if they know for sure
the trail is going to be accessible.  This is a great improvement to make
for Missoula’s transportation network and one that everyone can use.”

Paved trails entice more people to walk or bike to get around town,
particularly when the weather is less than ideal, Gaukler said.

“We gain so many benefits to our health and to our environment by
encouraging non-motorized transportation,” she says.  “Every person on the
trail likely means there is one less car on the road.”

Asphalt and drainage materials for the project will cost $30,000.  The
project is funded by the City’s park maintenance program and by funds
designated for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The
City Streets Division is providing equipment and labor for the project.

Where possible, the trail project will include a “runner’s tread,” an
unpaved strip adjacent to the trail for those who prefer running on the
gravel surface.  Natural-surface running trails are also available at
Playfair Park, Fort Missoula, and McCormick Park.  Additional gravel
trails exist throughout the open space system.  Find more information at
www.missoulaparks.org.

The City has considered the environmental effects of asphalt paving with
this project and found them to be minimal.

“Asphalt trails do not have the same environmental impacts as asphalt
parking lots and streets, because bikers and pedestrians do not produce
the same pollutants that cars do,” says Parks and Trails Development
Manager Dave Shaw.  “Encouraging non-motorized transportation by making it
easier and safer has a positive environmental impact by getting more
people out of their cars and on the trails.  In addition, potential
run-off with the trail will be somewhat mitigated by landscaping and
vegetation.”

However, some citizens have expressed interest in maintaining permeable
surfaces near the Clark Fork River.  The Missoula Institute for
Sustainable Transportation is partnering with Parks and Recreation to
produce a permeable-surface demonstration project on the section of trail
near the Clark Fork Native Prairie in John Toole Park.  The demonstration
project will cover the trail surface with paving tiles, similar to those
found in Caras Park, to test the durability and drainage of pavers for use
on commuter trails.   MIST is raising funds for the project; interested
citizens should all 880-6834 for more information or visit the MIST
website at www.strans.org.

The trail will be closed on Friday, May 21, 5:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from
the Orange Street pedestrian underpass to the Van Buren Street pedestrian
bridge for the paving project.   In case of case of severe weather, the
project will be rescheduled for Friday, June 4.

Closure notices will be posted in advance on the trail and at
www.missoulaparks.org.  For more information, phone 721-PARK.

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