Aaron Wilson, a transportation specialist for the city of Missoula, commutes to work on a chilly morning in Missoula on November 15, 2024. MISSOULA — On a cold November morning, Aaron Wilson was pedaling his bike across the Orange Street Bridge when a car sped by, nearly clipping his handlebars.
Wilson didn’t flinch, because he makes this commute twice a day, five days a week.
“I guess that was pretty close,” Wilson said. “I’ve been doing this so long that I guess my risk-aversion is pretty low.”
This morning, Wilson is sporting fluorescent gloves with matching neon sunglasses. Rolling up his jeans to keep them out of puddles, he shows off socks that feature bright yellow stars.
Wilson, 42, looks like he should be riding to a hip coffee shop, not his office at City Hall.
Wilson is a transportation planning manager with Missoula’s Public Works and Mobility department, the team that dreams up how to make it safer for people to get around the city.
To get to Wilson’s office you first have to pass by the suits and briefcases of accounting and law before heading into the basement, but once you’re there, the entire vibe changes.Framed art hangs next to cat memes. Coworkers are overheard having a heated discussion about the best practices for keeping a bike clean through winter.Wilson takes off his bike helmet and sits at his computer, surrounded by 14 potted plants.On Friday’s agenda, Wilson is scheduled to meet with the heads of several city departments to discuss the prioritization […]
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