SEELEY LAKE - In a letter to the Missoula office of the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT), the three County Commissioners urged adoption of the Seeley Lake Council’s Traffic Plan on a seasonal basis.
The Council’s Traffic Project resulted in a 119-page Plan document, which the Council submitted to the Commissioners in October of last year. It was the result of a two-year effort which culminated in a community-wide survey with over 300 respondents, conducted last summer. As a result of the study, the Council asked for slower speed limits in Seeley Lake and for more and better-marked pedestrian crossings.
The Commissioners’ letter to MDT noted that [the community delivered its] “own design involving extensive public outreach” and pointed out that “this is something we believe is not often given proper consideration in developing study conclusions and recommendations” and that “MDT subsequently essentially rejected the expressed community need and desire.”
As a compromise to year-round implementation, the Commissioners’ letter proposed that “that seasonal speed reductions should become effective beginning and ending with the two major summer holidays” and that the additional crosswalks requested in the Council’s Plan be implemented seasonally “with the installation of cost effective temporary crosswalks at the additional locations outlined in [the Council’s] proposal.”
The Commissioners further explained that such seasonal traffic restrictions would be a first for Montana and that it “could serve as a step toward a more permanent solution that has been tested, evaluated and hopefully gained community acceptance.”
The letter concluded with the Commissioners’ hope that they could work with MDT’s Missoula District staff, but noted that if no mutual agreement could be arrived at with MDT that they reserved the possibility of an appeal to the Montana Transportation Commission.
Duane “Cecil” Schlabach, Chair of the Council’s Traffic Project, said, “We are delighted that the County Commissioners continue to support the Council’s Traffic Plan and we hope that their proposed compromise solution will be adopted by MDT. While we had wished for year-round adoption, of course, we consider the seasonal approach very much a ‘glass half full.’ We are also grateful to Director of Public Works, Greg Robertson, for coming up with the innovative idea of an initially seasonal implementation, which we hope will move this widely-endorsed community project forward with traffic changes this summer.”
For further information please contact Duane Schlabach, SLCC Traffic Project Chair, at (406) 210-2990 or dschlabach@seeleylakecommunitycouncil.com or Klaus von Stutterheim, Treasurer, at 406‑677-3132 or kvonstutterheim@seeleylakecommunitycouncil.com
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