HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-16-19 Public Comment - R. Craighead - Downtown Bozeman Improvement PlanFrom: Craighead, Ronald
To: Agenda
Subject: Bozeman Growtj Agenda Comment
Date: Wednesday, January 16, 2019 1:15:06 PM
Thanks for all your efforts to define Bozeman's future growth plans.
I've been thinking about downtown - Main Street, in particular. I know
there are plans to change the official truck route to Jackrabbit Ln.
Great idea. Anything we can do to mitigate vehicular traffic on that
section of Main St is good.
I would also suggest, in the 20 year plan, to include turning Main St
into a walking mall, with green space, between N Bozeman and Willson.
Traffic could route around the Mendenhall and Babcock one-ways. Create
bike lanes and diagonal parking on these two streets.
Boulder, CO's model for how they adapted their downtown district to a
more walking-friendly space in the old downtown district seems like a
great idea that could work on our Main St. Imagine our Main St hosting
Christmas Stroll, Music on Main and other events in a truly
pedestrian-friendly environment, without having to deal with the hassles
of closing the street.
Our downtown district could truly become a center for events and
activities year-round - and I think it would greatly benefit the
existing downtown businesses by eliminating vehicle congestion and allow
for easier pedestrian movement.
I also think it's time for a sales tax - either county or city-wide, to
help fund these infrastructure projects. We are reaching the point where
Bozeman property owners can't keep up with existing and future
infrastructure costs and the City seems perpetually under-funded for
these projects.
With MSU enrollment over 17,000 - and increasing - and Bozeman and West
Yellowstone being the main entry points for millions of record-setting
visitors to Yellowstone, we would be in a great position to capture some
of those infrastructure costs with a limited 3-4% sales tax on
non-essential items.
Thanks for your consideration!
Ron Craighead
410 North 3rd
Bozeman