HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-21-17 Public Comment - N. Bailey (MRL) - North Park Urban Renewal District and PlanFrom:Nick Bailey
To:Agenda
Cc:Jean Riley (jriley@mt.gov); John Althof; Jim Bieber
Subject:North Park Urban Renewal District and Plan - Comment
Date:Thursday, September 21, 2017 3:05:51 PM
Attachments:image003.png
Montana Rail Link (MRL) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the North Park Urban Renewal
District Plan (the Plan) in Bozeman. Please include our comments in the packet of materials for the
City Commissioners.
According to our understanding of the Plan, industrial development is one of the goals of this
district. It appears the Plan includes additional traffic utilizing Red Wing Drive to connect at-grade
with Montana Highway 205 (the Frontage Road). With industrial development, additional tractor-
trailer traffic seems inevitable.
Montana Rail Link is not in favor of additional traffic on Red Wing Drive. Red Wing Drive crosses the
MRL-operated railroad tracks at grade (at DOT#060075M) with minimal queuing distance between
the tracks and the Frontage Road. It is MRL’s opinion that additional vehicles, particularly tractor-
trailers, present an unacceptable safety risk given the minimal queuing distance at the Red Wing-
Frontage Road intersection. Additional turning lanes, acceleration lanes or through traffic lanes
which may be needed on the Frontage Road to accommodate industrial development as envisioned
in the Plan would seem to reduce the already minimal queuing distance between the tracks and the
Frontage Road.
Without Red Wing Drive, there are at least two other established roadway access points into the
district. Neither of the other two established roadway accesses require at-grade railroad crossings.
Best regards,
Nicholas W. “Nick” Bailey, P.E.
Public Works Engineer
101 International Dr
Missoula, MT 59808
Office: (406)829-2409
Mobile: (406) 493-4446
www.montanarail.com