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Case Study

North Higgins Avenue Raised Cycle Track, Missoula, MT

City: Missoula
State: MT
Associated Publication: Urban Bikeway Design Guide

The North Higgins Avenue Raised Cycle Track was completed in October 2010 as part of a coordinated effort by the Missoula Downtown Association and Business Improvement District to create protected bicycle facilities running through downtown Missoula. North Higgins Avenue, a retail corridor with two traffic lanes running north and south through Downtown Missoula, is bound to the north by Interstate Route 90, a railroad yard, and the mountains, and to the south by a State Highway along Broadway Street and the River. North of Broadway Street, the state highway turns and Higgins Avenue has lower traffic levels which can support a narrower road profile. The raised cycle track was incorporated into a master plan created for the downtown association by the Portland-based firm Crandall Arambula. The 8’ wide cycle track is a raised facility with a 2’ yellow painted buffer to separate cyclists from parked cars. It was determined to place parking meters at the edge of the cycle track adjacent to parking in order to narrow the visual field and encourage cyclists to ride closer to the sidewalk. Green colored markings and signage help indicate the cycle track to motor vehicles at intersections. The city had to apply to MUTCD for permission to experiment with this treatment. The design of the cycle track avoids potentially hazardous collisions resulting from a lack of visibility. Parking was moved back at the intersections. The city considered prohibiting a right-turn for motorists at a red signal. In coordination with a planned street resurfacing, bike lanes were also installed on the southern half of Higgins Avenue which is a state highway.

The North Higgins Avenue raised cycle track was designed and implemented by the city of Missoula and the urban revitalization firm Crandall Arambula. The project was funded by the Missoula Downtown Association and Business Improvement District, with a Federal Stimulus Grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).