Mineral Avenue business owners seek safety changes

More stop signs on Mineral Avenue or a decrease in the speed limit?

They were among the many items of discussion at the Monday, Nov. 18, Libby City Council meeting.

Also talked about were the failure of motorists to stop at the crosswalks at the intersection of Fourth Street and Mineral Avenue.

Another issue was that diagonal parking in that area makes it hard for people to see when they are backing out of the spaces.

Chelsea Mugford, who works at Jade Salon, said it would be nice to see the speed limit lowered or stop signs placed at the intersection.

“We see people fly through there,” she said. “And many don’t stop at the crosswalk.

Mugford also questioned why stop signs weren’t on the agenda of the Nov. 18 meeting following a Streets Committee meeting the week before.

City resident Toni Backen, who said she was struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian, was thankful that the issue was being discussed and council was considering solutions.

Libby Police Chief Cody Ercanbrack said he patrolled the area prior to the council meeting. He said he made 15 traffic stops and there were 13 stop sign violations. He also noted there were two speeders, but that the average speed of those 15 drivers was 20 miles per hour.

“Three admitted to driving distracted and one was taken to jail on a warrant,” Ercanbrack said.

Ercanbrack is seeking an ordinance that would prohibit the use and possession of handheld electronic communications devices while operating a motor vehicle, motorcycle, quadricycle or bicycle.  

City Streets Department Supervisor Justin Williams previously said repainting the crosswalks was planned for 2025.

LOR Foundation’s Tabitha Viegutz said she would write a grant to pay for crosswalk flags that would increase the visibility of the crosswalks.

Council member Hugh Taylor said he’d like to see stop signs added.

Taylor and fellow councilor Ian Smith said they were not in favor of the distracted driving ordinance.

Ercanbrack said citing people for distracted driving would be at the discretion of the officer.

“We aren’t trying to be some police state,” he said. “There are many studies showing the increase in distracted driving and our main goal would be to educate the public of the dangers of distracted driving.”

Taylor did say he was in favor of stop signs on Mineral Avenue.

City resident Karen Dinkins, who is a member of the government study commission and has served on the police commission, said she liked the idea of stop signs at the Sixth Street intersection.

“You’re always inching out in the intersection to see if there is anything coming,” Dinkins said.

Councilor Brian Zimmerman said there were 227 signatures on a petition seeking changes to promote more safety on Mineral Avenue.

“Justin (Williams) and I looked at the intersection at Managhan’s (Furniture) and we could put up 36-inch stop signs there,” Zimmerman said.

Councilor Ian Smith said, “It seems like it’s pretty clear what can be done to make people happy.”

Councilor Kristin Smith said she liked the idea of two stop signs.

“But I also think there are other things that can be done there,” Smith added.

Libby City Council will meet again at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2.

In other business, Ercanbrack announced the city was receiving a $75,000 grant for a new police vehicle.

The grant is from the Montana Department of Commerce. It recently announced that 26 local safety agencies will share more than $1.4 million of grant funding to support tourism-related emergency service projects in rural areas. The funding is through Commerce’s Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Grant Program.

“Emergency services are critical in rural areas of the state that may have experienced an increase in visitation recently,” said Paul Green, Director of the Montana Department of Commerce. “At Commerce, we’re proud to support first responders and others who help save lives and improve public safety in our rural communities.”

The METAP program is designed to support services provided by public or private safety agencies including law enforcement, firefighting and ambulance or medical services.

The Libby Volunteer Fire Department also got $75,000 for the purchase of a self-contained breathing apparatus compressor system and fill station.

Eligible applicants for METAP funding include rural incorporated cities or towns, counties, consolidated governments, tribal governments and any entity that provides emergency services or response units to a rural area. METAP is a state-funded opportunity authorized by the 2023 Legislature’s enactment of Senate Bill 540.

For more information about METAP grants, visit commerce.mt.gov.