Main Street and Front Street to become two-way soon

[Billy F 1988]

There are some studies being done to make Main Street and Front street in downtown Missoula a two-way artery instead of one-way. I'm not too sure about it and my father wasn't too enthused about the very prospect of it happening. So, that's what's happening in Missoula. Just another change-up that I think will mess some people up at first, but get better over time.

[corco]

There are some studies being done to make Main Street and Front street in downtown Missoula a two-way artery instead of one-way. I'm not too sure about it and my father wasn't too enthused about the very prospect of it happening. So, that's what's happening in Missoula. Just another change-up that I think will mess some people up at first, but get better over time.

I support it. There's no earthly reason for those to be one way streets- they're not streets that through traffic uses. Those blocks are substantially more dead from a business perspective than the rest of downtown, and the one way streets are very possibly a part of that reason.

One thing though- I'll believe this when I actually see it. Those roads are part of MDT's urban route system, so they have control over those roadways. They are notoriously stubborn about incorporating anything that impedes traffic capacity, even when the traffic capacity isn't used or needed. A bill to require them to consider local planning efforts failed this legislative session- they're working to try coordinating more, but we'll see where those efforts go. It's a local master planning effort, but it will only be effective if MDT declines to drag their feet. This could be a good pilot project for them if they're interested in beginning to consider local planning efforts.

[Billy F 1988]

I think it's feasible to make Front and Main a two-way. It gives the businesses on the westbound side of Higgins Avenue where the two meet up a lot more opportunity. However, Main Street and Madison Street will be quite tricky. As it stands, Main is one way in from Madison. Front is one way out to Madison and you can only go southbound on Madison from Front.