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Trails committee outlines countywide plan, flags bridge cost and MDT right-of-way issues
Summary
Trails committee members presented a draft county trails plan focused on connectivity, evacuation routes, and a pedestrian bridge; they highlighted coordination needs with MDT, Fish, Wildlife & Parks and adjacent counties, and noted GIS and grant work needed for next steps.
The Broadwater County trails committee presented an update on a countywide trails plan at the Aug. 18 Parks and Recreation Board meeting, emphasizing connectivity, pedestrian safety, and the need for major infrastructure investment to complete a river-bridge link.
Al (of the trails committee) told the board the committee has worked since March 2023, held two public meetings and drafted multiple plan iterations. The plan includes north, central and south section maps, a Copper City map and town-grid proposals for Townsend intended to link neighborhoods to routes.
Committee members and public commenters stressed two priorities: creating safe north–south sidewalks and pedestrian connections within Townsend, and a pedestrian bridge across the river to link the trails to the lake. Al said bridge cost estimates he’d heard range from about $5 million to $10 million and that the bridge is the committee’s top priority for seeking funding and consultant study. "The bridge is the biggie," he said.
Kate Humphrey and others added that walkability and safe pedestrian corridors are essential to provide access for mobility-impaired residents and for emergency evacuations; Humphrey said there is not a continuous sidewalk from the school to the hospital and described the safety risk for wheelchair users and people with strollers.
The committee reported outreach with Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and noted that portions of a popular non-motorized trail are within MDT right-of-way. Committee members said MDT told them the highway rebuild will likely remove or narrow portions of existing trail and that enforcement of non-motorized signs currently falls to the county. The committee recommended pursuing underpasses or side trails in coordination with MDT to avoid creating unsafe crossings where highway reconstruction will occur.
Nicole Brown, Broadwater County Community Development Director, told the board the county has ArcGIS capability and volunteer or staff support could digitize the plan maps for professional presentation; the committee said clearer GIS maps and a consultant study are needed to apply for major grants.
Al described outreach to partners including Fish, Wildlife & Parks, Gallatin and Lewis & Clark county recreation staff, Prickly Pear Land Trust and the Southwest Montana Mountain Bike Association. He said fish and wildlife requested that the plan remove trails from the wildlife management area; the committee complied.
No formal action was taken; the board asked for continued coordination and for committee members to engage county GIS staff and adjacent-county partners as the plan moves toward a final draft.
