Work is moving forward on a collaborative project between WTI and Big Sky Community Organization (BSCO) on an Ousel Falls Road traffic calming and place-making project. Organizers believe that the temporary infrastructure, funded through the Building Active Communities Initiative (BACI) and the Big Sky resort tax, will increase safety and connectivity for pedestrians and cyclists in the heavily trafficked city center.

Beginning in December 2021, WTI Researchers Rebecca Gleason and Matt Madsen used traffic data collection and community input to design the installation. The proposed curb extensions, crosswalk, and street art will slow motor traffic but will not limit parking. Currently in the permitting phase, Gleason and Madsen hope that installation will occur in mid-May, weather depending.

As a test piece, the Ousel Falls traffic calming project will receive continuous monitoring. WTI will collect data on vehicle, pedestrian, and cyclist behavior in relation to the installation, which will inform suggested next steps. All information, along with a case study of traffic calming in other small towns, will be reported back to the community. As a temporary project, Madsen stressed, the installation is always open to improvements.