The Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization is hosting the Community Safety Summit today to gather comments from citizens interested in transportation safety strategies. Transportation Planning Development Manager Aaron Wilson says they are updating the Missoula Area Community Transportation Safety Plan that was developed in 2013.

“The three-emphasis areas that we have identified based on that crash data analysis are intersection crashes, high risk behavior, those would be intoxicated driving, distracted driving, and unrestrained occupants all linked in this idea of behavioral,” Wilson said. “Then we have non-motorized users, so bicyclists, pedestrians, and people that are outside their vehicle.”

He says there are two specific reasons why they are holding this summit.

“One is to help people understand what this plan is and how we are trying to address transportation safety, what does the data tell us about crashes and trends in those crashes and where we can be most effective across the whole region,” Wilson said. “The other side of that is to let the community talk to us and to tell us about their experiences using the transportation system, coming up with those creative solutions to address these emphasis areas.”

Wilson says they are expecting a handful of organizations to be present.

“We will have a host of folks there that are experts in those fields,” Wilson said. “We have partners from Buckle Up Missoula, the DUI Task Force, Highway Patrol, City Police, and first responders. They will give us a lot of really good information.”

The summit will be held at Franklin Elementary School. Check-in and opening remarks will begin at 5:30 p.m. The interactive activities will begin at 6 p.m. and end by 8 p.m.

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