(KPAX) Missoula attracts about 1,100 new residents each year, putting demands on the city's infrastructure, the Missoula Metropolitan Planning Organization said Wednesday night.

Roads like Reserve Street are seeing the effects of population growth, with increased safety and traffic concerns.

City officials asked for community input at Wednesday's forum as they work to get ahead of the growing challenge. The meeting was just the beginning of a three-month, community-oriented project that will eventually change the way people experience Reserve Street.

Stakeholders in the project and community members shared their concerns throughout the event and explored different solutions. Some of the issues brought to light included insufficient turn lanes, unmarked school zones, poorly lit roadways and limited crosswalks.

Alisa Mathews was one of the almost 60 community members who attended the meeting.

Matthews, who has lived off Reserve Street for 16 years, says she’s eager to see some changes and is willing to do her part to make it happen.

“I think it’s great to come out and be involved in the community," she told MTN News. "And we need to rely on each other to get things done. It’s not always just up to the powers at be.”

Organizers documented every concern and question the public had, and in the coming months they’ll take that information and use it to begin prioritizing Reserve Street improvements.

Another community education forum at the end of April will allow organizers to share their final reports. People can provide input on the future of Reserve Street through the Metropolitan Planning Organization’s website.

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