Leaders delay consideration of proposed traffic changes around State Capitol

Helena city leaders and a state agency have agreed to delay consideration on a proposed plan that would change how traffic flows around the Montana State Capitol.

The Helena City Commission was set to discuss the plan at a meeting Monday evening, but Helena Mayor Wilmot Collins said they agreed to table the item for now, in response to a request from the Montana Department of Administration.

“We received more public comment, we received more information, and we decided that more conversations were needed before we could bring this back to the commission for consideration,” said Janna Williams, communications director for DOA.

The proposed plan would convert several streets to one-way-only traffic, with angled parking spaces replacing parallel parking. 6 ^th Avenue would be eastbound only from Montana Avenue to Roberts Street, 5 ^th Avenue would be eastbound from Roberts to Sanders Street, and Lockey Avenue would be westbound from Sanders to the Capitol. In general, traffic would have to travel clockwise around the Capitol Complex.

Jonathon Ambarian

DOA said the plan was intended to improve safety, create a better environment for people using other forms of transportation and with different mobility levels, and provide more efficient space for parking.

However, a number of nearby residents – particularly those living along 8 ^th and 9 ^th Avenues, north of the proposed one-way streets – expressed concerns about the proposal. Several neighbors told MTN they had signed petitions in opposition to the plan.

Richard Seitz lives on Montana Avenue between 8 ^th and 9 ^th . He said people in the area want to maintain the residential character of the area. Some people expected drivers would go into the Capitol Complex on a one-way street but come out through their neighborhood.

Jonathon Ambarian

Seitz said it’s not clear what traffic will be like once the new Montana Heritage Center opens for visitors next year, and he thinks it would be better to leave any changes until after that.

“We'd like them to do a baseline study ahead of time, see if there's really a need to look into going to a one-way street, and then they can gather data on whether or not that improves the situation – because they seem to think it's a relatively simple change to make and not very expensive, so I don't see the urgency for making that change now,” he said.

In an interview last week, General Services Division administrator Steve Baiamonte told MTN that DOA felt the best option was to make the change before the Heritage Center opens, to start influencing traffic patterns earlier.

Williams said the department continues to see this plan as a positive for the Capitol Complex and the surrounding area, but they want to hear more input so they can include it as the decision-making process goes forward.

“I will say that we are working with the commission to get this back on their schedule so that we can bring them a plan that again works for all stakeholders, including the citizens, the employees and the legislators that are coming up on session,” she said.

GSD had a public comment period that opened Aug. 5 and closed last Friday, Aug. 23, and they held an open house about the project Aug. 14. Williams said they have not formally extended public comments yet, but they are accepting comments by email at DOAComms@mt.gov .