HomeMy WebLinkAbout01-22-20 DRAFT Minutes Transportation Coordinating CommitteeBozeman Area Transportation Coordinating Committee
Draft Minutes
10:30 am, Wednesday, January 22, 2020
Commission Room, City Hall, 121 N. Rouse Avenue
A. CALL TO ORDER – Introductions & Attendance
Committee Vice Chair – City Commission: Vacant
Committee Member – Scott MacFarlane, County Commission: Absent
Committee Member – George Thompson, City Planning Board: Absent
Committee Member – Jeff Boyle, County Planning Board: Present
Committee Member – William Fogarty, District Administrator, MDT Butte District: Present
Committee Member – Bill Brownell, County Road Department: Present
Committee Member – Mitch Reister, City of Bozeman Public Works Director: Present
Committee Member – Dennis Taylor, Interim City Manager: Absent
Committee Member – Marty Matsen, City of Bozeman Community Development Director:
Absent
Committee Chair – Christopher Scott, County Planning Department Representative: Absent
Committee Chair (Acting) – Ralph Zimmer, Bozeman Area Pedestrian & Traffic Safety
Committee: Present
Committee Member – Katie Potts, Proxy for Carol Strizich, Chief, Planning & Policy Analysis
Bureau, MDT: Present
Committee Member – Duane Liebel, MDT Engineering Services Supervisor: Present
Committee Member – Dan Martin, City Citizen Representative: Absent
Committee Member – Dave Fowler, County Representative: Present
Committee Member – Candace Mastel, MSU Representative: Present
Committee Member – Todd Swinehart, Bozeman School District #7: Present
Committee Member – Jason Delmue, Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board: Absent
Committee Member – Jeff Patten, Federal Highway Administration: Absent
Committee Member – Kyle DeMars, MDT, Bozeman Maintenance: Absent
Committee Member – Lee Hazelbaker, Transit Advisory Board: Absent
Also in attendance: Marilee Brown, Safer Bozeman; Scott Randall and Sarah Nicolai, RPA; Lisa
Fischer, Josh Springer, HDR; Anita Mathews, WGM Group; Tony Gaddo, Danielle Scharf, Joey
Staszuck, Sanderson Stewart; Erik Garberg, DOwl; David Kack, Western Transportation
Institute/Montana State University; Levi Ewan, Gallatin County; Joe Walsh, Montana
Department of Transportation; Matt Workman, John Van Delinder, Taylor Lonsdale, Shawn
Kohtz, and Katherine Maines, City of Bozeman.
B. PUBLIC COMMENT #1
Limited to any public matter within the jurisdiction of the Bozeman Area Transportation
Coordinating Committee. Please limit your comments to three minutes.
10:46:56 AM (00:16:16)
There was no public comment at this time.
C. MINUTES – October 23, 2019
10:47:09 AM (00:16:29)
Katie Potts moved to approve the minutes as written. Candace Mastel seconded the motion.
The motion passed unanimously.
Because of a lack of quorum, the approval of the October 2019 minutes was invalid.
D. ELECTION OF OFFICERS
10:48:58 AM (00:18:18)
Ralph Zimmer, acting as chairperson with the absence of Chris Scott, mentioned to the group
that some members of the committee have discussed electing Taylor Lonsdale, the City of
Bozeman Transportation Engineer, as the chairperson of the TCC. The bylaws require that
officers be voting members of the TCC and at this time, Taylor is not a member. Ralph provided
three options that the committee could take to move forward. One option is to ignore the
bylaws and the public noticing requirements and to make Taylor a member and the chair at
today’s meeting. The second option would be to elect a chairperson to serve for one meeting
and then add Taylor to the membership and elect him chairperson at the April meeting. The
third option would be to table the election at this point, add Taylor to the membership, and
elect officers later in today’s meeting.
After further discussion, the committee determined that there wasn’t a quorum of members at
today’s meeting and this issue would need to continue at the next meeting.
E. SPECIAL PRESENTATION - none
F. TCC COMMITTEE/MEMBER REPORTS & PROJECT UPDATES
(Members of the TCC who sit on other related committees, are invited to report on such
activities that are of interest to the full TCC)
1. Transit Committee
10:59:43 AM (00:29:03)
David Kack presented on behalf of the Transit Committee. Bus routes haven’t changed in the last
14 years so Streamline has hired TMD to review the routes. This review will also look at the
future of Streamline with the Bozeman area approaching 50,000 people. At the point that
Bozeman becomes an MPO, HRDC will no longer be allowed to accept funding from the
Montana Department of Transportation. Instead, that funding would go to either the City of
Bozeman, Gallatin County, or an urban transportation district.
Skyline winter service has begun and is going well. The Yellowstone Club has leased out the
Day’s Inn in Bozeman for 300+ employees, increasing ridership on the Skyline service.
The Transit Committee is also participating in discussion related to the Bozeman Community
Plan and the Bozeman Climate Action Plan.
2. Gallatin County (Commission, Planning Board, Road Department)
11:06:44 AM (00:36:04)
Levi Ewan spoke regarding the continued work with the City of Bozeman and the City of
Belgrade on the Triangle Community Plan. This work has led to discussions on a trails plan &
transportation plan for the Triangle area. The County is reviewing new developments that have
been proposed on Baxter Lane and Love Lane, including an expansion of water and sewer in
Four Corners, driving improvements to these road corridors. The Planning Department is
updating their growth policy and will be holding public hearings for the County Transportation
Design Construction Standards.
3. City of Bozeman (Commission, Planning Board, Engineering Department)
11:09:43 AM (00:39:03)
Taylor Lonsdale shared updates on behalf of the City. This spring, work will continue on Durston
Road from Fowler west to Flanders Mill and on Cottonwood Road between Babcock and
Durston. Construction will begin on Manley Road this summer and South 19th will be widened
between Stucky and Graf. Bidding for roundabout construction at 3rd and Graf will begin once
school is out. Design on Griffin Drive between Rouse & 7th is currently underway and includes
the intersection of 7th and Griffin. The City is working with MDT on future improvements to
Story Mill & Bridger Drive and Oak has been opened by the new High School.
4. Bicycle Advisory Board
11:13:24 AM (00:42:44)
Candace talked about the Bike Board’s development of a work plan that will be adopted at the
February meeting. The work plan will include three sections: policies & procedures,
programming & projects, and education and outreach. The last meeting of the Bike Board also
included a work session with GVLT on connection of westside bike traffic.
5. Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee (PTS)
11:15:58 AM (00:45:18)
With Ralph chairing the meeting, he asked Marilee Brown to provide an update for the
Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee (PTS). The PTS is reviewing various intersections in
relation to safety issues and is discussing with Taylor Lonsdale, several standalone projects that
need to be completed. Also, after several recent, serious accidents, they are looking at
confusion regarding bike laws.
6. Montana Department of Transportation
11:18:23 AM (00:47:43)
William Fogarty spoke about MDT’s ongoing and upcoming projects. Projects in the construction
phase are currently in winter shutdown. The westside trail crossing and the Belgrade South
projects, as well as the Huffine and Love Lane signal have been completed. The roundabout at
the Baxter Lane and Love Lane intersection is substantially complete and all that remains to be
done for the Valley Center Spur project is final striping. The Rouse, Main Street to Oak Street
project will resume when weather allows. The Rainbow Point Turn Lane project, part of the
Yellowstone Park Project, has been awarded and will begin in the spring. Projects in the
preconstruction phase include the bridge decks on Highway 64 at Big Sky and the turn bay north
of Gallatin Gateway.
Katie Potts spoke about a corridor study that MDT has initiated on US 191 from Four Corners to
Beaver Creek Road. They plan to host two public meetings.
Candace thanked MDT for how well the Bridger Canyon guardrail project was completed.
Marilee Brown, with Safer Bozeman, provided public comment on the Nelson Road and
Frontage Road intersection. She’s getting comments from the public that this is a dangerous
intersection and she’d like an update from MDT on what the plan is for this location. She also
spoke about the turn lanes that were installed as part of the Slope flattening project. The
westbound turn lanes are short and residents are concerned about safety when using those
lanes.
Dwayne Libel responded that the Nelson Road/Frontage Road intersection was built by the
developer and that winter delayed striping. When warranted, the intersection will be signalized.
Signal pole have been purchased but lead times are 6-9 months. Flashing lights will be turned on
when the power is turned on.
MDT will monitor the turn lanes on Frontage that were installed with the slope flattening
project.
7. Montana State University
11:27:57 AM (00:57:17)
Candace Mastel said that MSU hoped to remove the fence on Grant Street in 2021. At the same
time, they may be looking at closing it soon after if they need space for the fitness center. They
are looking at the feasibility of closing it permanently to vehicles.
8. Bozeman School District
11:32:08 AM (01:01:28)
Todd Swinehart spoke about the Woodland Park property on the west side of town purchased
by the District. They are looking at this property for the 9th elementary school but no final
decision has been made at this time. Gallatin High School construction is about 79% complete
and the district plans to use the summer break to move into the building in time to open in the
fall. As mentioned previously, Oak Street has been opened by the school.
9. Other TCC Member/Committee Reports
G. OLD BUSINESS
none
H. NEW BUSINESS
none
I. PUBLIC COMMENT #2
11:35:45 AM (01:05:05)
Marilee Brown, with Safer Bozeman, would like to see the TCC accomplish more than it is. She
would like to see more consistency with speed limits and would like annexation of roadways
that are critical to adjacent lands. She would also like the committee to invite Senators Daines
and Tester to a discussion about funding safety and TA projects.
J. UPCOMING MEETING DATES AND ADJOURNMENT
April 22, 2020 – REGULAR MEETING
July 22, 2020 – REGULAR MEETING
October 28, 2020 – REGULAR MEETING
January 27, 2021 – REGULAR MEETING
For more information please contact Katherine Maines at 406-582-2273
Committee meetings are open to all members of the public. If you have a disability and require assistance, please contact our
ADA coordinator, Mike Gray at 582-3232 (TDD 582-2301).