Quality of life taking a hit, 62% of Montanans say
Bicyclists head up the Going-to-the-Sun Road on Monday. Traffic used to be very light during the week. Now the parking lots are crowded most of the time. (Avery Howe photo)
Drought, urban sprawl, low snowpack — those are all some of the things that are seen as “serious to very serious” problems by Montanans, according to a new bipartisan poll of voters in the state.
Montanans are also worried about their quality of life, with 62% of voters saying their area is worse than it was five years ago, while 31% say it’s the same and just 6% say its better.
The survey inquired folks who had lived here at least five or more years. That dissatisfaction represented a 7% increase over two years ago.
About 90% of the 500 voters surveyed by the University of Montana Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Initiative Voter Survey on Public Lands said that both drought and sprawl were serious problems and 84% said it’s changing the character of the state. Sixty percent said drought was an extremely serious or very serious problem and 59% said sprawl into former ranch and open lands was a extremely serious or very serious problem.
They’re also worried about crowding, with 46% saying crowding at places people recreate is either a serious or very serious problem.
Conservation issues are largely nonpartisan. The survey found that regardless of party, Montana voters say conservation issues are important in deciding to support an elected official, though Democrats did hold an edge, with 98% saying it was important while 71% of Republicans saying it was important.
In addition, about 57% of those surveyed found the rate of growth in their communities is too fast, while 33% said it was just right.
Great Falls, at 54% was the outlier, saying the rate of growth was about right.
About 52% said they’ve changed where or when they recreate due to crowding; while 35% said the climate, such as fires or less snow or water, changed where they recreate.
The survey also looked at conservation laws that would impact the state.
The Blackfoot-Clearwater Stewardship Act, which would add more acreage to the Bob Marshall Wilderness, for example, now has 85% support, up 3% from a year ago.
The 2024 Voter Survey on Public Lands is commissioned by the Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Initiative and has tracked public opinion on land and resource issues since 2014.
University of Montana professor Rick Graetz points out that despite Montana’s changing landscape, bipartisan demand for conservation solutions has remained remarkably consistent over that span.
“Montanans recognize and value our state’s natural beauty and heritage and strong bipartisan demand for conservation solutions continues to grow,” said Graetz. “Yet, some of the proposals we’ve tested for a decade are still languishing in Congress. Given the growing concerns over growth and development, it is time for more lawmakers to embrace conservation efforts that preserve some of Montana’s natural beauty and heritage and involve local communities.”
The survey was done jointly by Republican and Democratic pollsters.