Tools For Sustainable Transportation
Neighborhood Greenways: bringing life to local streets
A neighborhood greenway is a corridor of movement primarily for people on foot, bike, wheelchair, and other low-impact modes of transportation. These greenways connect people to each other, allow a safer journey for non-motorized transportation users and connect schools, parks, work places, and other daily destinations.
The feasibility of this network relies on the willingness of residents to change some of their driving and parking patterns. In Missoula, our grid and alley network allows most residents to have several options for driving and parking.
This transportation tool is very appealing because very little change in infrastructure is required. Conversation, landscaping and awareness may be all that's needed in many instances.
There are several types of neighborhood greenways in and for Missoula. Currently, there are calming circles, sharrows symbols, artistic murals, curb-side flower planters and various signage. While this is a good foundation, the next generation of greenways needs to be much more connective and effective. Flower pots can transform a street. Placing flower pots across a street at the mid-block location, with 6’ in between each pot, can instantly create a greenway.
Many of Missoula’s neighborhood streets are forty feet in width. Thus, six flower pots can change a street from a place mostly for cars to a place mostly for people. We like to think of these flower pots, or planters, as an ‘urban goretex’- the line of greenery across a street is permeable to active modes of transportation, yet prohibits motor vehicles from cutting through. We also like to think of this design as a type of street garden. The flower pots- ideally made of clay, wood and other natural materials- not only keep motor traffic to a calmer pace, they also bring life and joy to the street and can provide a small amount of food and wildlife habitat in our shared public places.
There are several options at the intersections, including neighbor-made calming circles, diagonal diverters, play space and gardens.
Crossing of collector streets and arterial streets to connect to other neighborhoods and other neighborhood greenways is an essential element. Crossing techniques include:
modern, accessible single lane roundabout
short, daylit underpasses
pedestrian/bike refuge islands
active transportation mode signals
An important feature of the collectors and arterials streets that are being crossed is that those streets be only one lane in each direction for motor vehicles, and not multiple lanes in each direction. Crossing a collector or arterial street that is limited to one lane in each direction is magnitudes safer than crossing a street with multiple lanes in each direction. We see evidence of this in the crash reports we have tracked for decades in Missoula. A collector or arterial that has one lane in each direction often has a center turn lane. That center turn lane can provide safe space for a pedestrian/bicycle refuge island.
Neighborhood greenways is a growing movement, for safety, livability, equity, economy, health, social interaction and so much more. Taming automobile traffic in our neighborhoods has many rewards. Traditionally, streets were gathering and play spaces for people, and to have mobility to meet daily needs. Neighborhood greenways provide ways to reclaim and regain people to people connections and active transportation. Most residents seem willing to shift driving and parking patterns for the benefit of walking, cycling, exercise, place making, green areas and community gatherings.
If several neighborhoods are interested in gaining designation for a neighborhood greenway, it makes sense to have these streets connect. Imagine moving through Missoula on a network of safe walking and cycling facilities.
Factors to Consider:
Maintenance: Neighbors and government can work together to determine how a greenway will be maintained (snow removal, landscaping, weeding, watering, signage policy, etc.).
Emergency Responders: This is a critical element of the process. Typically, emergency responders are able to adjust routes as long as they know the route and that the route is accessible.
Trash collection, mail delivery, goods and services delivery: Make a plan with any affected businesses and organizations.
A well-connected and people-focused neighborhood greenway system is an important part of a sustainable transportation network and can help create a healthy future in Missoula. If you would like help and guidance making a neighborhood greenway- including the making of calming circles or street gardens- please get in touch with us. Let’s improve life on the streets in Missoula.