Open house upcoming for transportation plan
The Great Falls Metropolitan Planning Organization is hosting an open house to provide information about the ongoing development of the 2024 Great Falls Area Long Range Transportation Plan, which focuses on the greater Great Falls area.
The open house will be in person over two hours to provide preliminary recommendations, collect feedback and share next steps.
The open house is 4-6 p.m. May 30 in the Gibson Room upstairs at the Civic Center, 2 Park Drive S.
No formal presentations will be made and attendees are invited to drop in at their convenience to get information about the plan and share their thoughts with the planning team.
Local planning group opens survey about long range transportation plan [2023]
The LRTP is used to guide decisions on future infrastructure based on identified transportation needs and includes in-depth analysis of existing and future traffic, safety and road/sidewalk/trail conditions, according to the MPO.
The plan also includes a list of projects to implement over the next 20 years.
Informational materials developed for the open house will be available on the plan website beginning May 23 and the public is encouraged to view those materials ahead of the open house and submit comments either in person or electronically.
The planning team will consider all comments received as the plan progresses.
Amendment to long range transportation plan on March 15 city agenda [2022]
The transportation plan effort began in February 2023 and it’s anticipated that the plan will be available for public review this summer, according to city officials.
For the most part, projects need to be identified in the LRTP to receive federal funding. Projects move from the LRTP to the Transportation Improvement Plan, which is a five-year capital improvement plan for federal-aid roads and projects, according to Andrew Finch, city transportation planner. Once a project in the TIP, and the state’s TIP, it can move forward as a funded projects, programmed with federal agencies.
Updates considered to transportation plan to move two projects to recommended list [2019]
The previous LRTP was completed in 2018 and amended in 2019.
Much of the information holds true, but the transportation system and community needs “are ever changing,” according to the plan website.
The 2024 plan is an opportunity to respond to changing community needs and interests; plan for emerging transportation technologies; advance national, state and local initiatives; and prepare Great Falls for future transportation funding opportunities, according to the plan website.
The plan is a collaborative effort among the Great Falls MPO, City of Great Falls, Cascade County and the Montana Department of Transportation, other interested agencies and the public.
Comments can be submitted at any time to the project manager, Scott Randall, via email at srandall@rpa-hln.com, by phone at 406-447-5005, or by mail at 3147 Saddle Drive, Helena, MT 59601.
