HomeMy WebLinkAbout6-18-2020 Public Comment - J. Delmue - Budget - Bike_Ped Funding - Increase by $50,000From:Jason Delmue
To:Agenda
Subject:Budget - Bike/Ped Funding - Increase by $50,000
Date:Thursday, June 18, 2020 10:00:40 PM
Dear Commissioners and City Staff,
I am a frequent all-season traveler by bike and on foot to
Downtown, the Northeast Neighborhood, the Cannery
District, and (increasingly) Midtown from my Northside
residence. I have also been a member of the Bozeman
Area Bicycle Advisory Board (BABAB) since the mid-
2000s; although, I write here solely on my own behalf.
I write in support of increasing the pending budget
funding for bike-ped infrastructure by $50,000 -- to
$100,000 from $50,000.
My understanding is that the budget currently contains
$50,00 for "Annual Bike Path Improvements" funding as
CIP item STR20, described on page 259 of the 2021 –
2025
CIP: https://www.bozeman.net/Home/ShowDocument?
id=9763
It would be fantastic if either (1) $50,000 from
the general fund were to be allocated to bike-ped
infrastructure improvements and maintenance (in
addition to this CIP amount); or (2) this CIP item
were increased to $100,000 from $50,000.
I am also aware of the detailed letter, with
support cited, that Mark Egge sent on this topic.
I want to echo and endorse what he wrote.
If Bozeman is to effectuate safe and effective
transportation -- by whatever means preferred or
available/affordable to its varied residents -- then
more must be done to create and maintain its
bike-ped infrastructure (and to support public
transit).
Doing so will give residents the option to choose
means of transportation that, in addition to
getting them where they are going, will reduce
congestion and pollution and enhance the health
and happiness of the person.
In particular need are the older parts of town,
which were built prior to the current Complete
Streets resolution, and which contain a significant
population and business base.
Tragically highlighting this need is the fact that
four people walking or riding their bikes were
killed in 2019.
If Bozeman is to continue being among the best
places in the country to live, it is imperative that
its bike and pedestrian system be on par with the
other great aspects of living here (and that its
traffic doesn't devolve as fast as people are
discovering and moving to Bozeman). Unless
Bozeman takes meaningful steps AHEAD of the
curve (like we did regarding the COVID-19
pandemic -- to great effect), there is no reason to
expect that its congestion, gridlock, and pollution
will not degrade as its population continues to
rise.
I therefore request that the City of Bozeman rise
to this challenge by -- as a first step now --
increasing its annual bike-ped funding by $50,000
to $100,000.
Thank you for listening,
--Jason Delmue
18 E Peach St
Bozeman, MT