Missoula council approves 15 mph school speed zone on Phillips Street for extended hours

The Missoula City Council on Aug. 25 approved a resolution establishing a school speed zone on Phillips Street between Burton Street and Scott Street with a posted limit of 15 miles per hour from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The measure, which passed 10-0 after extended public comment and council debate, follows a traffic engineering study prepared by the city’s Public Works and Mobility Department and several interim safety steps already installed in the corridor, including refreshed pavement markings, delineators, temporary curb “bulb-outs,” and rapid rectangular flashing beacons at a prioritized crossing. Public Works Director Jeremy Keane told the council staff had also secured grant funding for street art at the Hawthorne intersection and coordinated tree trimming and police enforcement to improve safety.

Councilors and staff said the action responds to a series of crashes and near misses around Lowell Elementary and…