HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-23-19 DRAFT Minutes - Transportation Coordinating Committee1
Bozeman Area Transportation Coordinating Committee
Minutes
10:30 am, Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Commission Room, City Hall, 121 N. Rouse Avenue
A. CALL TO ORDER – Introductions & Attendance
Committee Vice Chair - Jeff Krauss, City Commission: Present
Committee Member – Scott MacFarlane, County Commission: Absent
Committee Member - George Thompson, City Planning Board: Present
Committee Member – Jeff Boyle, County Planning Board: Absent
Committee Member – Bill Fogarty, District Administrator, MDT Butte District: Absent
Committee Member - Bill Brownell, County Road Superintendent: Absent
Committee Member – Mitch Reister, City of Bozeman Public Works Director: Absent
Committee Member - Andrea Surratt, City Manager: Absent
Committee Member - Marty Matsen, City of Bozeman Community Development Director:
Absent
Committee Chair - Christopher Scott, County Planning Department Representative: Present
Committee Member - Ralph Zimmer, Bozeman Area Pedestrian & Traffic Safety: Present
Committee Member - Katie Potts, Proxy for Carol Strizich, Chief, Planning & Policy Analysis
Bureau, MDT: Present
Committee Member - Duane Liebel, MDT Engineering Services Supervisor: Absent
Committee Member - Dan Martin, City Citizen Representative: Present
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: Emily Kelly; Marilee Brown, Safer Bozeman and GAP; Scott Randall and Chris
Hardan, RPA; Lisa Fischer, HDR; Erik Garberg and Doug Fischer, Dowl; Danielle Scharf and Tony
Gaddo, Sanderson Stewart; David Kack, WTI/MSU; Levi Ewan, Gallatin County; John Van
Delinder, Matt Workman, Shawn Kohtz, Taylor Lonsdale, Anna Rosenberry, 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.
10:32:08 AM (00:03:31)
Emily Kelly, 2215 Ferguson Avenue – Emily gave public comment on the lights recently installed
on Baxter Lane from the Post Office to Harper Puckett. They are extremely bright and she feels
that they were either improperly installed or need to be shielded. She checked lights installed
along other main corridors (Main, 7th, Oak, etc.) and they are not as bright.
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Jeff Krauss responded to Emily’s comments letting her know that the City is currently
performing a lighting audit and noted that the lighting design and requirements are related to
road speed.
C. MINUTES – July 24, 2019
10:38:47 AM (00:10:10)
Dan Martin moved to approve the minutes. Jeff Krauss seconded the motion and the minutes
were approved unanimously.
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
10:39:22 AM (00:10:45)
David Kack provided an updated for the transit committee sharing that HRDC has hired a
consultant to look at Streamline’s routes. The current routes were developed 14 years ago.
Funding for this project was provided by the City, County, MDT, and HRDC. Demand for bus
service continues to grow, especially downtown and around MSU.
Dan Martin added that Streamline is looking at a campus shuttle that will connect the Tech Park
to other areas of MSU. ASMSU and MSU are funding this project.
2. Gallatin County (Commission, Planning Board, Road Department)
10:42:05 AM (00:13:28)
Levi Ewan spoke about the bridge replacement on Baxter Lane, east of Jackrabbit and
mentioned that Gallatin County is working with MDT on the 191 Corridor Study. The County is
seeing a lot of residential development along Baxter Lane and south of Huffine.
Ralph Zimmer attended a recent meeting regarding the Triangle Plan and mentioned that the 3rd
draft of the plan is out. Outreach will include a series of open houses and a news release. The
plan will be considered by the Cities of Belgrade and Bozeman and Gallatin County.
3. City of Bozeman (Commission, Planning Board, Engineering Department)
10:46:26 AM (00:17:49)
Taylor Lonsdale gave an update on the City’s road construction projects. The Durston/Ferguson
project is approximately 90% complete while the Durston Road project is approximately 75%
complete. The Cottonwood project is ongoing but will be open for the winter. The Oak & 27th
intersection project is ongoing due to a long lead time for signal poles. Baxter/Davis intersection
improvements have been completed. The City currently has several design projects as well. A
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professional services agreement is on the Commission agenda for Griffin Drive, 7th to Rouse and
an RFP has been advertised for the intersection of Bridger Drive and Story Mill Road.
Jeff Krauss expressed concern related to the variation of speed limits along several corridors and
suggested that the meeting schedule for TCC change to allow Mike Hope to attend. He’s newly
appointed to the MDT Transportation Commission and their quarterly meetings are held at the
same time as the TCC meetings.
George Thompson mentioned that the Planning Board is working the Community Plan update.
They’ve added a map that shows major transportation routes. Streamline routes are not
included but referenced as this is a 10-year plan and these routes will likely change.
4. Bicycle Advisory Board
10:56:58 AM (00:28:21)
Candace Mastel gave an updated that the Bicycle Advisory Board is working on a work plan that
includes more regular communication with the City Commission, outreach, coordinating info
sharing, and more involvement in the City’s development process.
5. Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee
10:58:10 AM (00:29:33)
Ralph Zimmer provided an update for the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee (PTS). The
PTS has been hosting meet and greets with newly hired positions included the new City of
Bozeman Public Works Director, Mitch Reister, Taylor Lonsdale, the City’s new Transportation
Engineer, and the new MDT Butte District Administrator Bill Fogarty. They’ve also voted to
support applications for TOP funds for portions of the proposed shared use path from Belgrade
to Bozeman. They’ve also been discussing specific areas within Bozeman including a section of
Garfield where the Gallagator Trail crosses, the intersection of Main and Highland, and the
intersection of S. 3rd and Graf (east end).
Ralph also spoke about the Valley Center Spur & related concerns about non-motorized travel at
this location. The signals at both intersections of the Valley Center Spur have been installed.
Ralph was provided information from the Butte District Preconstruction Engineer that the
distance between the supporting columns of the underpass are further apart than the
construction plans indicate. This allows room for bike and pedestrian traffic. Ralph also shared
that the Nelson Meadows Subdivision developer has started construction on the shared use
path along the frontage of their property. This is expected to be completed in the next couple
weeks.
The separated shared used path is included in Bozeman Transportation Master Plan, the
Belgrade Long-Range Transportation Plan, the MDT Frontage Road - Belgrade to Bozeman
Corridor Study and the City’s PROST Plan. Ralph went on to explain why the installation of the
pedestrian/bicycle crossings at the Valley Center Spur signals was delayed. He feels that with the
installation of the shared use path on the north side of Frontage Road that those capabilities
should now be installed.
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Ralph then brought up the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC) and the plan for the Triangle
area. The plan includes comments and policies related to transportation. The triangle area
roughly includes Belgrade, Bozeman, and Four Corners. Chris Scott said that he’d ask that one of
the members of the PCC attend the next TCC meeting to provide an update.
6. Montana Department of Transportation
11:22:31 AM (00:53:54)
Katie Potts responded to Ralph’s concerns about the Valley Center Spur. She will speak with the
necessary folks at MDT and ask someone to follow up with Ralph. She mentioned that MDT has
initiated a corridor study on US 191 from Four Corners to south of the turnoff to 64. RPA is the
consultant on that study.
Final striping is being completed for the westside trail crossings project. The Belgrade South
project is almost complete. They are working through punchlist items. The Belgrade Slope
Flattening project is complete. They will chip seal and epoxy the Baxter/Love Lane roundabout
in 2020. The 19th Ave signal was installed and timing issues that were brought up at last meeting
have been resolved. The Huffine/Love Lane signal will be striped when the weather allows. The
guardrails in Gallatin Canyon will be completed in November. The Valley Center Spur signals will
be turned on in November. Box culverts are being installed for the Rouse, Main to Oak project.
That is the only work that will be completed this fall.
Ralph mentioned that MDT is under obligation to install a path along the frontage of their
property on Nelson Road. He asked if Katie knew the timeline of that construction. Katie was
unsure but will follow-up with the District.
7. Montana State University
11:35:33 AM (01:06:56)
Candace Mastel mentioned that the construction of Romney Gym is ongoing and that Grant
Street remains closed for that project. It will likely remain closed until construction has been
complete and possibly permanently. New construction projects will start next spring at the
Stadium south of Kagy. They are not expected to involve road closures. A new fitness center is
under design.
8. Bozeman School District
11:39:25 AM (01:10:48)
Todd Swinehart provided an updated for the Bozeman School District. The new sports stadium is
open and the roundabout at 15th and Beall has been completed. Two Streamline bus stops were
also installed as part of the renovations project at the existing High School. They’ve finalized an
interlocal agreement for a potential elementary school site in the Woodland Park subdivision.
They’ve also purchased a parcel of land at Baxter & Davis as a potential location for Elementary
#9. Design plans and specs are wrapping up for renovations of the existing High School with
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construction expected to begin next spring or summer. The second high school is nearing 70%
completion.
Dan Martin spoke about the Streamline bus stop on Main Street in front of the existing high
school. The location creates a safety issue by blocking the entrance to the oval. Streamline
would have preferred that it be installed after the oval. He hopes that in the future, Streamline
and Karst Stage can be involved in the discussion.
9. Other TCC Member/Committee Reports
11:49:18 AM (01:20:41)
Chris mentioned the letter from Carol Strizich with MDT regarding the Bozeman 2020 Urban
Allocation that was sent out with the TCC agenda. He wanted to make sure everyone received it.
David Kack reminded everyone of the ribbon cutting for the Path to the M that is scheduled for
this Saturday. The event will include bike maintenance at Story Mill Park and the ribbon cutting
will occur at 10:00 am at the bridge.
G. OLD BUSINESS
None
H. NEW BUSINESS
None
I. PUBLIC COMMENT #2
11:50:59 AM (01:22:22)
Marilee Brown has concerns about the intersection of Nelson Road and Frontage Road. She’s
concerned about the width of the intersection and would like to know whether a traffic light will
be installed or not.
Jeff Krauss shared concerns about bicyclists heading east on Oak Street west of 19th. The bike
lane ends and bicyclists are forced into traffic.
J. UPCOMING MEETING DATES AND ADJOURNMENT
January 22, 2020 – REGULAR MEETING
April 22, 2020 – REGULAR MEETING
July 22, 2020 – REGULAR MEETING
October 28, 2020 – 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).