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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-26-16 Minutes - Transportation Coordinating CommitteeBozeman Area Transportation Coordinating Committee 9:00 am, Wednesday, October 26, 2016 Basement Conference Room, Al Stiff Professional Building, 20 East Olive Street A. CALL TO ORDER – Introductions & Attendance 9:00 am Chair Chris Scott was late to the meeting so Vice Chair Dan Stevenson called the meeting to order. Committee Chair - Christopher Scott, County Planning Director’s Representative: Present Committee Vice Chair – Dan Stevenson, MSU Representative: Present Committee Member – Jeff Krauss, City Commission Representative: Absent Committee Member – Steve White, County Commission: Present Committee Member - George Thompson, City Planning Board: Absent Committee Member – Randy Visser, County Planning Board: Absent Committee Member – Jennifer Nelson, MDT Butte Engineering: Present Committee Member – Bill Brownell, County Road Superintendent: Present Commitee Member - Craig Woolard, City Public Works Director: Present Commitee Member - Chris Kukulski, City Manager: Absent Commitee Member – Marty Matsen, City Community Development Director: Present Commitee Member - Ralph Zimmer, Bozeman (Area) Pedestrian & Traffic Safety: Present Commitee Member – Katie Potts for Carol Strizich, MDT Multimodel Planning: Present Committee Member – Joe Walsh for Jeff Ebert, MDT Butte District: Absent Commitee Member - Dan Martin, City citizen representative: Absent Commitee Member - Sam Gianfrancisco, County citizen representative: Absent Commitee Member - Bill Cochran, Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board: Present Commitee Member – Jeff Patten, FHWA Division: Present Commitee Member - Kyle DeMars, MDT, Bozeman Maintenance Chief: Absent Also in attendance: Eric Dietrich, Bozeman Daily Chronicle; David Kack, Rebecca Gleason, Taylor Lonsdale and Linda DuPriest, Western Transportation Institute/Montana State University; Doug Fischer, Dowl; Dave Crawford, TD & H; Josh Springer and Lisa Fischer, HDR; Staci Venner and Jeff Key, Robert Peccia and Associates; Danielle Scharf, Sanderson Stewart; John VanDelinder, Chris Saunders, Rick Hixson and Katherine Maines, City of Bozeman. B. PUBLIC COMMENT 2:05:00 Limited to any public matter within the jurisdiction of the Bozeman Area Transportation Coordinating Committee not on this agenda. Please limit your comments to three minutes. None 2:30:00 Ralph made a motion to pause presentations no later than 10:40, if needed, as he needs to leave by 11:30 to attend another meeting. This would allow his agenda items before he has to leave. Craig seconded the motion. After discussion, the motion passed unanimously to suspend presentations at 10:40, if needed, to be resumed after new business. C. MINUTES –July 27, 2016 7:28:00 It was moved and seconded to approve the minutes from the July 27th Transportation Coordinating Committee meeting. The minutes were approved unanimously. D. SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS Bozeman Area Transportation Plan Update (Woolard, Key) 7:58:00 Craig gave an introduction before Jeff presented an update on the Bozeman Area Transportation Master Plan (TMP). The recommendations memo has been prepared and reviewed by the TMP working group. The 3rd public meeting will be held in December and it is anticipated that the draft TMP will be complete by the end of the year. Craig encouraged everyone to review it. Frontage Road Corridor Study (Key, Potts) 27:15:00 Jeff and Katie gave an update regarding the Frontage Road Corridor Study. This study is a high level look at the corridor addressing safety and efficiency between Belgrade (Jackrabbit Lane) and Bozeman (I-90 Westbound On/Off Ramps) including the Valley Center Spur Road. There will be a 2nd public meeting coming up on November 1. The Montana Department of Transportation has a website they’ve developed on the study. www.mdt.mt.gov/belgradetobozeman E. TCC COMMITTEE/MEMBER REPORTS & PROJECT UPDATES (Members of the TCC who sit on other related committees, are invited to report on such activities that are of interest to the full TCC) 1. Transit Committee 47:39:00 David Kack gave an update on Skyline. They’re finalizing their winter schedule and are celebrating their 10th anniversary. 2. Gallatin County (Commission, Planning Board, Road Department) 48:25:00 The Road Department has been striping and completed their chip seal projects. Commissioner White mentioned that the County plows the road to Hyalite and may not receive the funding they normally do. They asked the Resource Advisory Committee for $10,000 but only received $5,000. This may affect how late in the season the County can continue plowing. Dave Crawford asked Commissioner White about the intersection of Baxter and Davis. The courts recently ruled against the City’s request for Eminent Domain for a property at the intersection because the property is not located in City limits. Dave asked Commissioner White if the County would consider pursuing eminent domain to assist the City. Commissioner White stated that the right-of-way in question has no benefit to the County. 3. City of Bozeman (Commission, Planning Board, Engineering Department) 53:00:00 Commissioner Krauss mentioned that the City has been receiving correspondence from the residents of Triple Tree Subdivision in the County asking about the intersection of Sourdough & Kagy. They’ve requested that the City make improvements to this intersection to increase safety. Commissioner White suggested that the City make these improvements and spoke about logistics at that intersection that will make this difficult. Craig stated that the City doesn’t have funds to make these improvements within the next five to ten years and that any changes made to this intersection in the short-term will limit turning movements. 4. Bicycle Advisory Board 1:00:15 Bill Cochran mentioned that the board is finishing the tabulation of the counts that they did in September. They’ll have the final numbers for the next TCC meeting. 5. Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee 1:01:15 The Bozeman (Area) Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee is concerned about a policy that may be adopted by the Montana Department of Transportation that could restrict separated paths. The PTS will submit a Transportation Alternatives Funding application for all interested groups for the proposed separated shared-use path on Frontage Road. 6. Montana Department of Transportation 1:07:29 Jenn mentioned that MDT was putting together their Tentative Construction Program (their five year plan), the draft of which will be voted on today. Some of the projects proposed in the recommended plan include: Rouse Avenue, which was moved from 2019 to 2018; Signal at 19th Interchange, scheduled for 2018; Slope flattening in 2018; Mill Fill in Bridger Canyon in 2018; Huffine & Love Signal moved to 2018 from 2017; Gallatin Canyon Guardrails in 2018; the Kagy Blvd project has been moved outside the program; ADA Upgrades Project for Bozeman and Livingston area in 2017; Bridge decks in 2019; Baxter and Love roundabout in 2018. Cottonwood & Stucky roundabout in 2018; 191 in Gallatin Gateway between Gooch and Zachariah. The MDT Director will also be doing a Statewide Transportation Plan. 7. Montana State University 1:15:40 Dan spoke about MSU’s Transportation Master Plan and MSU’s coordination with the City on the Kagy Boulevard reconstruction, 11th, south of Kagy and segments of College Street, adjacent to campus. 8. Other TCC Member/Committee Reports 1:24:07 None F. OLD BUSINESS 1:24:20 None G. NEW BUSINESS 1:24:40 1:25:00 Consider making recommendation on appointment of Butte District State Transportation Commissioner (Ralph Zimmer) The MDT Transportation Commission is the equivalent of the City or County Commission. The term for the current commissioner for the Butte District is coming to an end and Ralph made a motion to direct the TCC Chairperson to contact the Governor’s office to recommend that someone from the Gallatin Valley area be appointed to this position. Commissioner Krauss seconded the motion. After discussion, the committee voted. Ralph voted yes on the motion while the remaining committee members voted no. The motion failed. Consider supporting use of street/highway right-of-ways for separated paths (Ralph Zimmer) 1:47:38 Ralph again spoke about MDT’s proposed policy to restrict pathways within MDT’s right-of-way. He then made a motion that the TCC adopt the statement “The Transportation Coordinating Committee expresses gratitude to the Montana Department of Transportation for its willingness to allow and even provide separated pathways to enhance the mobility and safety of non- motorized users of our road system and the committee discourages the Department from making any policy changes that would make the construction of such separated pathways more difficult.” Craig seconded the motion and the item was moved to discussion. Jenn explained the reason for MDT’s consideration of this policy. Statewide, MDT hasn’t been consistent between Districts in evaluation of these paths. When MDT has installed paths, unless an agreement has been in place with the local government agency, MDT then becomes responsible for the maintenance. Craig will support the motion because he doesn’t agree with making a policy without stakeholder input. MDT abstained from the vote. Other members voted yes unanimously. The motion passed. 2:11:23 Ralph asked to address an item he should’ve included in the PTS update. At the January 27, 2016 TCC meeting, five local groups advocated for the passage of the motion of which the TCC adopted regarding the inclusion of the shared use path along Frontage Road. Those groups include Collin’s Coalition, Citizens for a Safer Bozeman and Gallatin County, Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board, Gallatin Valley Land Trust and the Bozeman (Area) Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee. Those groups have recently reconsidered this action and now support a shared use pathway be located on Frontage Road as far from the road as right-of-way restrictions allow and now believe that the pathway should be located on the north side of the road. Ralph submitted a written statement from the Gallatin Valley Land Trust stating “We believe that the location of the path should be left to the engineers/designers to determine the most feasible separated path alignment for reasons of safety, user experience and what is realistically attainable given the multiple land owners along the north side of the corridor.” H. UPCOMING MEETING DATES AND ADJOURNMENT 2:16:31 Commission Krauss asked if we would be holding any interim meetings to discuss the Transportation Master Plan Update. After discussion, the committee agreed to hold a special meeting on Wednesday, January 11 from 9:00 am until noon. January 25, 2017 – REGULAR MEETING April 26, 2017 – REGULAR MEETING July 26, 2017 – REGULAR MEETING October 25, 2017 – REGULAR MEETING For more information please contact Katherine Maines at 406-582-2273 Committee meetings are open to all members of the public. If you have a disability and require assistance, please contact our ADA coordinator, Mike Gray at 582-3232 (TDD 582-2301).