Bike Walk Alliance for Missoula

Come celebrate all BWAM has accomplished for better biking and walking since our founding in January, 2007!   This year’s annual meeting Friday, January 23, 2015  from 6:00-9:00 (or so) in the Runners Edge basement meeting room, combines  good food and drink with lots of socializing  not only with BWAM members but with some  special guests who play important roles in active transportation:

• Keynote Speaker – Nick Kaufman, Vice president and Principal Planner -WGM Group, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Missoula Chamber of Commerce
• Missoula-Lolo Trail update – Dan Lautzenheiser, PE of DJ and A, P.C.
• Missoula Parks & Recreation Director Donna Gaukler and Missoula County Parks and Trails Manager Lisa Moisey will provide an update on parks & trails.
• Any others whom we’ve overlooked.

Gather with us as we welcome and connect with our fellow advocates and experts in active transportation, celebrate the past year’s accomplishments, and plan for better bicycling and walking in 2015 and beyond.  A short BWAM  business meeting will include introductions of current Board members and officers for 2015, a brief update on 2014 activities,  a brief financial report from our Treasurer,  and elections to the Board.  The slate of board members to be approved by  a voice vote will be composed of 3 new board nominees.

This will be chance to say thank you and farewell to founding board member and Treasurer, Bob Wachtel and outgoing board members Ginny Sullivan and John Wood.

The members’ meeting is free to all members and open to other interested individuals  for a $10.00 donation. We encourage attendance by anyone interested in making the Missoula valley the best place to bike and walk! You can join at the door or in advance on our “Join Now” web page. Register below for the  2015 Annual BWAM Members’ Meeting.

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Please let us know that you are attending and how many are in your party! Please list others in your party in the comments block so that we can prepare a name-tag for them.

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MDT is taking comments on improvements for the Eastside Highway, MT 203, and needs your comments by October 25, 2014. Submit comments to www.mdt.mt.gov/mdt/comment_form.shtml or mail them to Shane Stack, Missoula District Preconstruction Engineer, MDT Missoula District Office, PO Box 7039, Missoula, Montana 59807-7039. Be sure to mention that your comments are regarding project: STPS 203-1(15)4

See the Project Overview and other documents at the MDT website. At present, the design includes 2 travel lanes with a middle turn lane. An additional aspect of the project is the re-curving of Ambrose and two Eastside Intersections. This 2015 project will connect with the recently completed new section from Florence to Hidden Valley Road which includes a separated bike pedestrian pathway. This latest project STPS 203-1(15)4 does not include continuing the separated pathway.

BWAM members need to advocate for a separated pathway for the following reasons:

• Increased biking and walking through the corridor because of increased development of sub-divisions.
• Increase biking and walking use by children and teenagers, as well as adults.
• Used as an alternative route by bicycle tourists who would like to avoid US 93.
• Sixty (60) mile an hour speeds throughout the corridor.
• There have been crashes between cyclists and cars.

There is also a need to advocate for an animal crossing in the area around the old Knucklehead’s Bar B-Q. The gully already has access on one side but due to the lack of access on the other side there is a high fatality rate for deer in the area.

The final issue is a viewing site above the ponds at Lee Metcalf Game Refuge. Folks already pull off to the side of the road increasing the possibility of a crash.

Feel free to use the above points and add your personal experiences with this section of the Eastside Highway in comments you submit to MDT.

The Missoula bike lane infrastructure continues to improve but there are still significant gaps in the system. This summer, chip and seal maintenance will be performed on Bancroft Street from Brooks Street to SW Higgins Avenue. Bike lanes were installed on Bancroft St. from South Ave. to SW Higgins in 2011 but are missing from Brooks St. to South Ave leaving a significant gap.

On Wednesday, 6/4, Bob Wachtel, BWAM Treasurer and Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Board Chair, presented a recommendation to the Missoula Public Works Committee requesting installation of bike lanes on the section of Bancroft from Brooks to South. A significant issue to be addressed to accomplish this installation will be the removal of parking on one side of Bancroft St. The discussion at Public Works Committee can be viewed on the City website beginning 13 minutes into the meeting. Follow these links to the full recommendation from BPAB and the Addendum to the recommendation.

We anticipate that this issue will come before at least one public forum due to the significant issue of removal of parking on one side of Bancroft. We encourage everyone interested in safe biking infrastructure to watch for further developments on this 7 block segment of Bancroft Street.

On a sunny and pleasant Missoula evening Missoula Mayor John Engen joined the preride gathering to proclaim May 21, 2014 as Ride of Silence day in Missoula Montana. After the Mayor’s proclamation we shared remembrances of those who have been killed in bicycle motor-vehicle crashes in the Missoula area in the past. Missoula has been fortunate to have had no bike rider fatalities in at least 2 years. After a reading of the Ride of Silence poem 8 bike riders proceeded to ride the 6.5 mile route and returned to the Missoula County Courthouse.

Thanks to KPAX for media coverage.

BWAM will be hosting the 8th Annual Missoula Ride of Silence on May 21, 2014 beginning at the Missoula County Courthouse on Broadway. Please plan to arrive by 6:00pm for the 7:00pm ride that will travel approximately 6.5 miles. See the worldwide Ride of Silence website for more information  about this 11th anniversary ride and background about this important worldwide event.

We ride in silence to commemorate those bicyclists killed or injured in a crash with a motor vehicle and to promote safe, legal, and courteous travel in the greater Missoula area.

Helmets will be required and while we invite riders of all levels, only bicycles and adult tricycles will be permitted and all riders must be comfortable riding for at least 1 hour at 12 miles per hour.

In addition to the Ride of Silence, BWAM will be organizing a simultaneous Walk of Silence. If you are not comfortable biking the 6.5 miles on busy streets, please consider joining others for a 1.6 mile walk to remember those pedestrians who have been killed or injured due to a motor vehicle crash.

Link to our Contact Form and select Ride of Silence to ask a question about how you can participate or help with the event.

Ride map. ROS Map 2014

A Cycling Saavy adult traffic cycling workshop will be in Missoula May 30 & 31, sponsored by Journeys From Home. See the information poster for more information.

Cycling Savvy is an adult traffic cycling course that teaches the principles of Mindful Bicycling:

• empowerment to act as confident, equal road users;
• strategies for safe, stress-free integrated cycling;
• tools to read and problem-solve any traffic situation or road configuration.

This adult cycling course is offered in three 3-hour components: a classroom session, a bikehandling session, and on-road experience session. The classroom and bike-handling sessions may be taken individually; the road tour experience requires the first two as pre-requisite. The purpose of the course is build confidence through education and guided practice.

A limited number of scholarships are available, apply today!

Women Bike Missoula (MizzBs) invites all mothers, all  who appreciate a mother in their lives,  or anyone who wants to accompany a mother on a nice bike ride around town to meet at Currents Aquatic Center Sunday, May 11 at 1 p.m.   This is an inclusive, all ages and genders family-friendly ride around town  with a choice of routes and distances depending on interests and abilities.  We’ll plan to all meet back together at McCormick or Silver Park (to be determined by group) between 2 and 3 pm for a casual picnic — bring your own non-alcoholic beverage  and picnic lunch or snack to share if you wish.  Sundresses encouraged.

Meet at the bike racks at Currents Aquatic Center, 600 Cregg Lane at 1PM. Questions? Submit your questions in the comments section on the registration form.

Please note:  BWAM’s insurance mandates that non-members may not participate in more than one ride.  All participants must sign a release form and helmets are required.  We encourage you to register for this ride on the MizzBs page and to join  BWAM,  a 501c3 non-profit group which for seven years has worked to improve bicycling and walking in the Missoula area.