Editor’s note: Sustainable Missoula is in the midst of a series of articles to build broader understanding of the 0/50/100 sustainability framework – Zero Waste, 50 percent sustainable trips, and 100 percent clean electricity for Missoula. This column is the fourth in a series on 50 percent sustainable trips. Read the first column here, the second here, and the third here.

In 2016, the Missoula community adopted ambitious mode split goals, aiming to triple the percentage of people biking and walking, and quadruple busing, as their primary mode of transportation.

These goals, if met, will help Missoula become more sustainable, more resilient and more efficient. If we can reduce our reliance on single-occupancy vehicles, we can also be more efficient with our tax dollars, allowing the city to grow while removing the need for costly road-widening projects.

By Aaron Wilson and Ben Weiss