HomeMy WebLinkAbout18458 Ped Saftery and Traffic comment1
Tom Rogers
From:Ralph Zimmer <RalphZimmer@mcn.net>
Sent:Monday, November 19, 2018 10:36 AM
To:Kent Merselis
Cc:Tom Rogers; Matt Ekstrom; Danielle Scharf; Mandee Arnold; Marilee Brown
Subject:Misconceptions about Separate Shared-Use Path along Bozeman's frontage road
Monday, November 19, 2018
Mr. Mercelis,
Thank you for attending last week's Bozeman (Area) Pedestrian and Traffic Safety meeting and helping us
understand the preliminary plat application for the Nelson Meadows Industrial Subdivision at the northwest
corner of Nelson Road and the Belgrade-Bozeman frontage road. Your comments helped us understand what's
happening and how it effects both motorized and non-motorized travel in the area.
Several things you and your representatives at the meeting said pleased us greatly. Those included: (1) the
fact you will be providing a 25-foot strip of land along your southern border for a separated shared-use path for
non-motorized traffic, (2) within that strip you will construct at your expense a paved 10-foot wide path for
those non-motorized travelers, (3) this paved path will be built at one time and not in segments, (4) you will
build this path promptly following official City approval of your plans, and (5) that construction might be
completed as early as one year from now (assuming prompt approval of your plans by the City).
However, there were a couple of things said at our meeting that were factually incorrect or misleading and
I wish to address those.
The Montana Department of Transportation's Frontage Road Corridor Study recommends construction of a
separated shared-use path along the north side of the frontage road all the way from North 7th Street in
Bozeman to downtown Belgrade. Our committee has and is strongly supporting the construction of that
path. As discussed at great length in the development of that Corridor Study, the concept of that path was not
just to provide a travel route to one destination such as the airport but rather to provide a safe travel route for
non-motorized users from any point to any point along that pathway. One of the most important points along
that pathway is the Valley Center Spur.
That Spur, although obviously not as safe as we would hope for non-motorized travelers, still provides a
reasonably safe and badly needed connection for non-motorized travelers between the north side and the south
side of the freeway. It already is being used in that manner. The relevant problem is how to get non-motorized
users to and from the intersection of Spur and the frontage road as safely as possible
FYI, I feel qualified to personally address such design and safety issues since I am a professional engineer,
a Fellow in the Institute of Transportation Engineers, a Fellow Emeritus in the Association of Transportation
Safety Information Professionals, and the first ever recipient of ATSIP's Distinguished Achievement Award.
Kent, thank you again for attending our meeting and your desire to provide good, safe travel for all along
the periphery of your project. We look forward to working with you as the project moves forward.
Ralph
Ralph W. Zimmer, Chairperson
2
Bozeman (Area) Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee
cc: Tom Rogers
Matt Ekstrom
Danielle Scharf (PTS Vice Chair)
Mandee Arnold (PTS Secretary)
Marilee Brown (gLLA10 Alliance for Pathways Chair)
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