HomeMy WebLinkAbout6-17-2020 Public Comment - L. Hanna - Bicycle Improvements BudgetFrom:Lindsey Hanna
To:Agenda
Subject:Bicycling Improvements Budget
Date:Wednesday, June 17, 2020 1:11:07 PM
Bozeman City Commissioners,
As a year-round commuter cyclist I'm an avid user of Bozeman's roadways, bike paths, and
trails. I limit my motorized vehicle travel as much possible in favor of human-poweredmethods. I ride and walk despite often feeling unsafe or ignored regarding drivers and growth
plans.
Please increase the “Annual Bike Path Improvement” Capital Improvement Program (CIP)line-item by $50,000 in order to improve existing travel paths with bicycle and pedestrian
safety projects. Active transportation options help Bozeman to meet climate and affordabilitygoals, decrease congestion, and improve public health and happiness. Additionally,
New and reconstructed streets are built to a Complete Streets standard, but most ofBozeman’s bicycle and pedestrian travel occurs on older streets that do not meet modern
standards.Existing bike routes do not take into account increased traffic, such that crossing major
throughways (7th, Main Street, Willson) on designated bike routes (Beall, Black, Koch)can be near impossible with the lack of traffic lights or triggers at those intersections.
Even in the 12 years I've lived here, there has been a noticeable uptick in the number ofcommuter cyclists I see in my day-to-day rides.
Other cities are responding to growth by increasing their own budgets, and Bozemanshould be a leader in this arena. (1)
Improving bicycle and pedestrian safety is an opportunity for Bozeman to invest inBIPOC communities and other underserved populations. Black or African American
households are three times more likely to be without a car than white households, andare more likely to bike for transportation than white households (2).
Increasing funding for the Streets Maintenance Annual Bike Path Improvement CIPfrom $50,000 to $100,000 will provide needed additional resources to retrofit older
streets to meet modern safety standards.
Please show your commitment to improving Bozeman bike friendliness, safety, and support by
increasing the funding by $50,000 this year and striving for even more financial support,improvement projects, and community building in the future.
Sincerely,
Lindsey Hanna1612 W Olive St, Apt 2
Bozeman, MT 59715
Sources:
1. Seattle Neighborhood Greenways. “8 BIG WINS for walking/rolling/biking and equity in
the 2020 Seattle City Budget!” November, 2019.
http://seattlegreenways.org/blog/2019/11/25/sng-wins-big-for-the-2020-seattle-city-budget/
2. People for Bikes. “Building Equity: Race, ethnicity, class, and protected bike lanes: An
idea book for fairer cities.” July, 2017 https://wsd-pfb-
sparkinfluence.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2017/07/EquityReport2015.pdf