HomeMy WebLinkAbout2001-01-26/27 Minutes, City Commission, specialMINUTES OF THE SPECIAL COMMISSION MEETING
OF THE CITY COMMISSION
BOZEMAN, MONTANA
January 26 and 27, 2001
The Commission of the City of Bozeman met in special sessions on Friday, January 26, 2001,
and Saturday, January 27, 2001, for three Livable Communities events. The first event was a
walking tour, which began at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, January 26, at the Professional Building, and was
attended by Mayor Youngman, Commissioner Brown, Commissioner Frost and Commissioner
Kirchhoff. The second event was a multi-media presentation, which began at 7:00 p.m. on Friday,
January 26, at the Wingate Inn, and was attended by Mayor Youngman, Commissioner Brown and
Commissioner Frost. The third event was a workshop on envisioning solutions, which began at 9:00
a.m. on Saturday, January 27, at the Wingate Inn, and was attended by Mayor Youngman,
Commissioner Brown and Commissioner Frost. Since a quorum was present at each event, Mayor
Youngman took notes.
Walking Tour
Dan Burden, University of Montana graduate and nationally known transportation expert, took
a group on a walking tour of downtown and neighborhood streets south of downtown Friday
afternoon. Participants included Transportation Master Planner Doug Widmayer, representatives of
the planning and engineering departments, City Planning Board representatives, Montana Department
of Transportation representative Rob Bukvich, downtown businesspeople, civic group leaders, and
others. This event, and the other two Livable Communities activities, were sponsored by the Greater
Yellowstone Coalition, with the City and County Commissions joining in inviting Burden's visit.
Participants in the walking tour commented on which elements--buildings, street widths,
condition of sidewalks, street trees, and so forth--contributed to or detracted from the walkability
and appeal of various streets. The walking tour was followed by a bus tour of various neighborhoods
and intersections. Burden shared ideas for making some streets and intersections safer and friendlier
for pedestrians and bicyclists. Intersections such as 19th and College and 19th and Kagy were
pointed out as possibilities for roundabouts, instead of traffic lights.
The walking tour, which began at 1:30 p.m., ended at approximately 4:00 p.m.
Multi-media Presentation
Friday evening Burden used a slide show to share examples of how other communities have
created vibrant, livable residential and commercial environments and effective transportation
infrastructure. He also presented ideas for improving traffic flow by enhancing intersections rather
than widening streets.
Burden explained that more vehicles are able to move on streets without congestion when
speeds are slower. Mature street trees are a key element that causes traffic to move more slowly,
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he noted. Another element he stressed for calming traffic was narrower lanes, commenting 12 feet
is never necessary. He also pointed out that bottlenecks usually occur at intersections, and that
sufficient improvement to an intersection enables a community to eliminate bottlenecks while usually
avoiding the addition of lanes. He gave examples of roundabouts and the traffic problems they
resolved in particular communities. He also gave examples of streets that were narrowed through
such mechanisms as removal of lanes, narrowing of lanes, addition of landscaped medians, changed
parking configuration, addition of bike lanes, and addition or improvement of sidewalks. Results
included less congestion, less speed, increased property values, and economic revitalization of
commercial and residential areas. Regarding grid-pattern streets, he offered examples of intentionally
imperfect grids, with an occasional break in a straight street, such as a park, a public building, or
simply a jog, to avoid creating too much incentive to speed on a neighborhood street.
Burden addressed issues related to sprawl, including the fact that sprawl-type development
does not pay its fair share for infrastructure and services. In describing how to create livable,
walkable neighborhoods, he commented that walking distance from homes to destinations is
considered to be one-fourth of a mile or five minutes.
The multi-media presentation, which began at 7:00 p.m., ended at 9:00 p.m.
Workshop
The Saturday workshop included another slide show and covered concepts in more detail
that were introduced Friday. Participants broke into groups to identify ideas worth exploring in
Bozeman. Those present informally agreed they would like a report of participants' suggestions to be
submitted to the Transportation Coordinating Committee, including revision suggestions for the draft
Greater Bozeman Area Transportation Plan. Some participants signed up to attend a follow up
meeting to draft the report. Ideas that had broad support from participants included narrower street
standards, no more five-lane roads, avoidance of four-lane roads, emphasis on intersection
improvement, roundabouts, the need for demonstration projects for new ideas such as roundabouts,
pedestrian enhancements for downtown, enhancement of Bozeman Creek downtown, and public
education on new community development and transportation ideas.
The workshop, which began at 9:00 a.m., ended at 4:00 p.m., and Mayor Youngman
adjourned the special meeting.
MARCIA B. YOUNGMAN, Mayor
01-26-2001 Special