By Michael Howell
Representatives from Adventure Cycling and Destination Missoula came to Stevensville last week to get some community input concerning the “branding” of the bike path that will soon stretch from downtown Missoula to Stevensville. They were also looking for input on the design. Eva Dunn/Froebig of Adventure Cycling said her involvement stemmed from the upcoming 40th anniversary of the national organization and a planned bike tour starting at Traveler’s Rest with bike tours going to Missoula and into the Bitterroot. She said that they were looking for community support and involvement such as water stops, lemonade stands, and business specials along the trail or on side trips from the trail and back. The celebration is scheduled to take place on National Bike Travel Weekend, June 15 to 17, 2016.
But the topic of the day was the issue of branding the trail and developing an associated logo that can be used in publicizing it. In the meantime, Destination Missoula has taken up with the idea and wants to promote it as an annual event. Tia Metzger of Windfall, who volunteers for Destination Missoula, volunteered her expertise to help garner community input and come up with an appropriate and acceptable brand and logo.
The meeting was well attended by bicycle enthusiasts, representatives of the Stevensville Main Street Association, the Florence Civic Club, a Bitterroot cycling group, the Bitterroot Chamber of Commerce, a Hamilton City Council member and a state legislator.
Although various options were discussed, the overwhelming consensus of the group was what cycling enthusiast Roger DeBrito called “clean, short and sweet”: Bitterroot Trail. Not even a “the”, just “Bitterroot Trail.”
“People can always add the “the” if they want to,” said DeBrito.
Development of the multi-use trail has taken over 30 years. It started with the Highway 93 widening project. Focus groups were formed in each community along the route for input as the Montana Department of Transportation considered all alternative manners of transportation, not just automobiles. The Florence group learned that even benches and street lights were among the options. Each community formed its own plan and they all expressed a desire for a multi-use trail which was eventually installed from Lolo to Hamilton. But the problem was the stretch from Missoula to Lolo was not part of the highway project at the time. It would take another couple of decades to get that portion pushed through.
MDOT is currently installing the missing segment of trail and it may be completed by next spring. Work on the bridge was recently let out to bid and bonds have been sold.
DeBrito was especially proud of the fact that the Bitterroot Trail follows an ancient pathway used by the valley’s first human inhabitants.
Many ideas about a logo were entertained and it was agreed that Metzger would come back with three alternative designs for a logo and the group would make a choice about the final shape the logo would take at that time. The group being whoever shows up at the meeting.
