FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Developing a transportation plan allows us to evaluate the region’s current system and identify what is needed to ensure it continues to function effectively over the next 20+ years. The primary goal is to create a plan that reflects the community’s vision while providing a safe, efficient, and multimodal network that can support both existing and future travel demands. The final LRTP will serve as a practical roadmap to guide infrastructure investments and improvements across the Greater Helena Area and assist the MPO in future planning endeavors. 

The Greater Helena LRTP is being developed by the Greater Helena MPO. The MPO consists of three local governments (City of Helena, City of East Helena, and Lewis & Clark County) and one state agency (MDT). The MPO incorporates transportation planning as one of its many planning functions.

The Greater Helena MPO operates under a two-tiered committee structure:

• Transportation Policy Coordinating Committee (TPCC): The MPO’s decision-making body, responsible for policy direction, approving major plans and programs, and coordinating across agencies.

• Transportation Technical Advisory Committee (TTAC): A group of technical experts who provide data, analysis, and recommendations to support the TPCC’s decisions.

The consulting team from Robert Peccia and Associates (RPA), with support from Crescendo Planning & Design, is assisting in the technical planning effort. The process is also coordinated with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

In addition, local stakeholders and the broader community will play a critical role in shaping the plan to ensure it reflects the needs, priorities, and vision of all users. Together, these partnerships ensure that decisions are both technically sound and grounded in community values.

The LRTP will serve as a comprehensive roadmap for transportation decision-making in the Greater Helena Area. It will help the MPO guide infrastructure investments, support multimodal access, and align projects with community goals for safety, connectivity, and mobility. Recommendations from the plan may be incorporated into MDT and local government programs depending on funding availability. The plan will also identify potential funding sources and provide a framework for implementing future projects.

Public involvement is central to the LRTP. Community members will have opportunities to participate through surveys, in-person open houses, online engagement tools, and ongoing feedback opportunities.

This project website will host opportunities for public comment, first on visionary transportation needs, and later on draft recommendations. Details or in-person and virtual engagement opportunities will be announced through local media, city social media channels, the transportation plan mailing list, and this website.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for email updates and use the interactive commenting platform to share feedback at any time. All comments will be reviewed and considered to ensure the plan reflects community priorities.

Recommendations will be assessed based on their benefits and potential drawbacks. Factors considered include:

• Planned and ongoing land development

• Community values

• Sound engineering standards

• Environmental conditions

• Public input

Because transportation decisions often involve trade-offs, decision-makers will carefully compare alternatives and weigh priorities. The final plan will identify improvements that provide the greatest overall benefit to the Greater Helena Area.

A Community Safety Action Plan is a planning document that identifies strategies, policies, and projects aimed at reducing traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries. It typically involves analyzing crash data, identifying high-risk areas or behaviors, engaging the public, and prioritizing safety improvements across all modes of transportation—drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit users.

The CSAP is being developed as a supplemental, complementary report to the LRTP, conducted in tandem to ensure that safety is addressed proactively and strategically. Rather than responding to problems after they occur, the CSAP establishes safety as a core, forward-looking element of transportation planning. It also aligns with national safety initiatives such as Vision Zero and Toward Zero Deaths, helping position the Greater Helena Area for future funding opportunities while ensuring safety remains central to every transportation decision.