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BOZEMAN PARKING COMMISSION
March 3, 2017
Mayor Carson Taylor &
Bozeman City Commissioners
121 N. Rouse Avenue
Bozeman MT 59715
Mayor Taylor & Commissioners:
I am writing on behalf of the Bozeman Parking Commission to raise your awareness regarding potentially dangerous
parking situations near some of our community schools. With increasing frequency, city staff are responding to citizen
complaints about large numbers of vehicles parked on neighborhood streets, in close proximity to schools. These
situations occur where the formal ‘drop off/pickup’ area at the school is difficult to access (or perceived as such) due to
traffic congestion from limited ingress/egress routes. In response, off‐site pickup areas evolve where students walk a short
distance from the school to find a parent, or other adult waiting for them.
An example would be the Teslow Court/Ritter Court/Graf Street area, where approximately 40 vehicles will park on a
weekday afternoon, waiting to pick up students from Morningstar Elementary and Sacajawea Middle School. Often this
situation leads to poor visibility at intersections, blocked driveways, and streets narrowed to one‐way traffic. In addition,
students are then walking, or bicycling, in the midst of heavy vehicle movement; and unfortunately not always using good
safety practices (walking in the street, popping out from between parked cars, etc.). The Bozeman Police Department,
and Parking Services Division, have responded with a joint education and enforcement program. However, the concern
for student safety remains as long as the situation persists.
Although our role in municipal parking is jurisdictionally limited, we would encourage that the City of Bozeman, Bozeman
School District # 7, and other stakeholders, conduct detailed analysis of future developments (school and/or community),
as well as transportation planning, and work to prevent such situations. The Bozeman Parking Commission remains a
committed partner in this, and other parking related efforts, to enhance public safety and local quality of life.
Respectfully,
Dennis Bechtold
Chair
C: Bozeman Parking Commissioners
Marti Madsen, Director, Community Development Department
Bozeman School District # 7, Board of Trustees
Ed Meece, Parking Program Manager