HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-22-20 Public Comment - J. Milchen - Input on BCAP and Capital Improvement PlanFrom:Jeff Milchen
To:Agenda
Subject:Input on BCAP and Capital Improvement Plan
Date:Tuesday, December 22, 2020 10:39:22 AM
Dear Commissioners,
Thank you for considering my input on these December 22 meeting Action Items.
First, I hope you will support adopting the 2020 Bozeman Climate Action Plan
(BCAP) and commend the incorporation of residents’ input after the initial draft.
Re the Capital Improvement Plan for 2022-26. While it falls well short of an amount needed
to live up to the commitments of the BCAP, I applaud the inclusion of adding to the
dedicated bike and pedestrian project funding.
Within the Capital Improvement Plan, I urge you to reject funding the proposed
expansion of Kagy Blvd beyond three lanes. Speculation about the need for an even
wider road was based on assumptions that clearly have changed. Budgetary concerns, direct
conflict with the BCAP, and obvious, unnecessary danger to the safety of everyone who
walks or bikes on or across Kagy all demand a reassessment. The financial and public safety
harms a four-lane expansion will generate are certainties, greatly outweighing the small
marginal gain in vehicle carrying capacity. This Michigan DOT literature review is among
many sources supporting arguments here.
Kagy is both home to and an access road to many office park facilities that fueled
speculation of increased demand, so past traffic projections must be considered skeptically
following decreases this year. Many companies and workers now realize remote work is
viable and will not return to daily commuting. The argument from some that this project
has been "in the pipeline for years" is empty and advocates that you neglect duty.
I’m sure others will point out that any vehicle time savings following widening are
temporary and that induced demand will simply create more bottlenecks on nearby roads.
I’ll add that major delays that occur during the year of construction must also be
considered. Many road-widening projects will never save a minute net travel time if the
large up-front delays during construction are weighed.
Equally important, limiting Kagy to three lanes will save millions of dollars in
construction and ongoing maintenance costs. Finally, walking or biking along
a four lane road is dramatically more dangerous than three -- especially when
crossing. Any Kagy construction should make safety and efficiency of bikes a priority.
Some have made a public safety argument that expansion will lower emergency vehicle
response times, but three lanes is the optimal width for that purpose. Overly-wide roads
increase speeding, endanger us when we cross roads by foot or bike, and lead to people
being struck by vehicles every day.
The challenge we face should be redefined from moving cars to moving people.
Once we ask how to move people safely at low cost to taxpayers -- and reduce
how much we are forced to travel -- far more cost-effective solutions emerge.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Milchen
Jeff Milchen
222 S. Black Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715
406-579-1828 (cell)
Jeff.Milchen@gmail.com