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HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-20-21 Correspondence - R. Zimmer - PTS WorkFrom:Ralph Zimmer To:Kelly Pohl Cc:Jeff Mihelich; Scott MacFarlane; Joe Skinner; Zachary Brown; Bill Brownell; Levi Ewan; Cyndy Andrus; Terry Cunningham; I-Ho Pomeroy; Jennifer Madgic; Christopher Coburn; Taylor Lonsdale; John Vandelinder; Casey Bertram; Marilyn King; Douglas FischerDouglas Fischer; Doug Kellie; Marilee Brown Subject:carrying forward the work of PTS Date:Monday, December 20, 2021 1:14:45 AM Attachments:PTS Responsibilit adopted 21-11-10.docx CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Monday, December 20, 2021 Kelly, I again congratulate you and wish you well in your new responsibilities of chairing the City's new Transportation (Super) Board! As you know, that new Board has been asked to assume the duties and responsibilities ofthree predecessor Boards: the Bozeman (Area) Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee (PTS), the Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board (BABAB) and the Bozeman ParkingCommission. While to former members of the Parking Commission are on the new Transportation Boar, no former members of either PTS or BABAB are on the new Board. Therefore theoutgoing members of PTS drafted and unanimously approved a narrative of the committee's role and responsibilities. That statement was adopted at the final meeting of PTS onNovember 10. A copy of that document is attached to this email. The new Board will face a number of significant challenges. One of them will be to live up to the commitments the City made to the County and the Bozeman School District when itconvinced them to terminate PTS. Effectively, the City agreed to have the new Board continue PTS's activities beyond the city limits and near school sites. Therefore I am takingthe liberty of forwarding the attached document not just to City officials but also to County officials and School administrators. Ralph Ralph W. Zimmer former PTS Chairperson attachment BOZEMAN (AREA) PEDESTRIAN AND TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE (PTS) 1 Historic Activities, Duties, and Responsibilities 2 Document Adopted Unanimously by PTS on November 10, 2021 3 4 Background 5 6 1) On Dec. 22 1976 The Pedestrian-traffic Safety Committee was formed by joint agreement by 7 the Bozeman School District, Gallatin County, and City of Bozeman. 8 9 2) The Purpose and Duties of the Committee include the following excerpts from the original 10 agreement: 11 [note: (1) the word traffic includes cyclists since they have to follow traffic laws and (2) “traffic 12 accidents” are now called “traffic crashes”] 13 14 • The governing bodies are “mutually interested in solving problems of pedestrian-traffic 15 safety and coordinate solutions to pedestrian-traffic safety”. 16 A desire to establish “a local committee for the purpose of developing expertise and 17 advising said governmental bodies in pedestrian-traffic safety problems and to promote 18 public safety and to reduce traffic deaths, injuries, and property losses resulting from 19 traffic accidents.” 20 21 • “ The committee shall solicit and name consultants from agencies with functional and 22 operational responsibilities as well as the users of the transportation systems, including 23 parent groups.” 24 25 • “ The functions of the committee shall be to meet publicly at regular intervals to 26 consider pedestrian-traffic safety, establish priorities, and to make such 27 recommendations to the governing bodies consistent with said priorities which will 28 promote public safety, and in their opinion reduce traffic death, injuries, and property 29 losses resulting from traffic accidents. The following shall be the general goals of the 30 committee: 31 a) To encourage the development of those physical facilities and services necessary to 32 establish the safe, efficient, and convenient mobility of pedestrian-vehicular traffic in a 33 manner of co-existence. 34 b) To develop in all children at the earliest possible age the ability to assume 35 responsibilities for their own safety as pedestrians and cyclists. 36 c) To encourage the development of the community attitude which will promote 37 harmony between multi-transportation modes and the urban environment” 38 39 • “The Board shall annually prepare and submit a proposed budget …governing its 40 activities for the ensuing year.” 41 42 3) The Bozeman Area Pedestrian Traffic Committee was named soon after the agreement was 43 signed. It commenced its duties and responsibilities within the City and School District 44 Boundaries and the surrounding nearby County “Area”. No outer boundary was ever 45 established. The Committee has resolved traffic safety issues within the Triangle area, Four-46 Corners, I-90 corridor from Amsterdam to Jackson Creek, as well as within the Bozeman City 47 limits that contain County islands. 48 49 Moving Forward 50 51 1) Forty-five years later on Nov. 2, 2021, The City of Bozeman in conjunction with the School 52 District and Gallatin County rescinded and terminated the Pedestrian-Traffic Safety Committee 53 Inter-Local Agreement at the urging of the City of Bozeman. All three agencies agreed that the 54 Assumption of Duties, Obligations, and Functions established in the Inter-local Agreement 55 would be assumed by the City of Bozeman. The City of Bozeman’s termination agreement 56 specifically states that all Duties, Obligations, and Functions shall be assumed by the 57 Transportation Board. 58 59 2) However, the Purpose of the new Transportation Board is focused on a much smaller 60 geographic area and it will be difficult for the City to meet its “Duties, Obligations, and 61 Functions” as documented in the 1976 Inter-local Agreement – even though they have agreed 62 to do so in the Termination Agreement. 63 64 3) In general, the new Transportation Board has been directed to “cultivate policies” that will 65 promote all modes of transportation, including but not limited to vehicle, pedestrian, and bike 66 transportation, and to remove barriers to transportation”. 67 68 Historically as directed by the Inter-Local Agreement, PTSC not only cultivated policies but 69 knowledgably worked with the citizens, government, and staff of the City, School District, 70 County, and other agencies to “reduce traffic death, injuries, and property losses resulting from 71 traffic accidents”. This meant that officers often spent hundreds of hours per year 72 investigating, organizing, testifying, writing letters etc. to complete tasks that have been 73 approved by the Committee or to sort and address citizen concerns or suggestions according to 74 geographical or other engineering constraints. Often very creative solutions could be found by 75 Citizens, Staff, and Government putting their heads together as organized by the Committee. 76 77 PTSC has always had one or more qualified traffic engineers as voting members to lend 78 credibility and instruction. 79 80 PTSC has had a long history of not just setting policy but of “encouraging the development of 81 those physical facilities and services necessary to establish the safe, efficient, and convenient 82 mobility of pedestrian-vehicular traffic”. For example, this can include encouraging the 83 improved design and development of specific crosswalks that are shown to be dangerous and 84 problematic in a short period of time by working with citizens, staff, or other agencies to make 85 them immediately safer. In several cases we suggested having the City or County trim 86 surrounding vegetation. This is very different from “cultivating policies”. 87 88 A variety of individuals regularly attended and freely participated in meetings including: Voting 89 Members; City, County, and School District officials; MDT; Road Department and Maintenance 90 Staff; MSU; WTI; Law Enforcement; and Related Groups. 91 92 Reconciliation of ongoing assignments with future goals. 93 94 The following is a list of some of the activities in the past few years that PTSC regularly 95 considered in accordance to the original 1976 agreement. Some of the projects mentioned are 96 still unresolved or are ongoing. Many of the activities are worked on under the direction of the 97 Committee by the officers of the Committee. Subcommittees have periodically been formed to 98 work on issues such as the Community Transportation Safety Plan adopted by the City 99 Commission. 100 101 Many of the items on this list have a proven value in function, but not all will qualify under the 102 “cultivate policy” umbrella of the new Transportation Board. If the City staff does not have the 103 bandwidth to continue the work as required by the PTSC termination agreement [which would 104 have to be amended to include staff], then perhaps City Resolution 5326 needs to be revised to 105 commit the Transportation Board to performing tasks the staff does not have time to perform. 106 We wish you the best of luck in resolving who will work on and help guide the following content 107 as you move forward. We are invested in your success. 108 109 110 Bozeman Area Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee (PTSC) 111 Current Work and Commitments 112 113 Regulations and Policy Development. 114 Advocate for and Support municipal, state, and federal ground transportation funding & safety-115 oriented legislation (work with Police, Highway Patrol, Fire Department, and Sheriff). 116 a. designees travel and testify at the State of Montana Transportation Commission. 117 b. designees travel and testify at the State of Montana Legislature. 118 119 Study and advocate for comprehensive, plain-sense, and consistent bike and pedestrian laws. 120 Current projects include but are not limited to: 121 a. all ages of bike riders being allowed on sidewalks unless marked otherwise and should 122 match MSU policies including reasonable speed limits. Pedestrians shall have the right 123 of way. 124 b. promote cyclists’ safe use of crosswalks. 125 c. make City laws consistent with the State of Montana laws. 126 d. increase local and state fines for the hitting of a pedestrian or cyclist with a vehicle. 127 e. develop policy for electric bikes and scooters. 128 129 Sounding Board. 130 Serve as a sounding board for citizen and staff transportation-related safety concerns and 131 complaints and, when appropriate, advocate for remedies and policy changes. 132 133 (Note: this activity allows for the Board to keep a pulse on what Citizens are actually 134 experiencing and what kind of education and outreach is needed. Often it is a Citizen or City 135 Staff member inside or outside of the Engineering Dept that brings forward a safety concern 136 that might not be able to directly be addressed by City Engineering Staff due to bandwidth or 137 other constraints such as MDT jurisdiction or Citizen confusion. In such cases, collaborative 138 efforts are needed and guidance can be given.) 139 140 Multimodal Safety Infrastructure. 141 Promote safe and efficient transportation infrastructure for all modes but with particular 142 emphasis on non-motorized travel and particularly for young travelers. Unresolved or on-going 143 projects include: 144 a. Continue to advocate for safe crossings at Valley Center Spur. 145 b. Consistent speed limits throughout the MPO. 146 c. Prioritizing safe routes to schools and parks. 147 d. Advocate for Innovative and best practice designs. 148 e. Continue to advocate for partner organizations such as GAP (Frontage Pathway) and 149 GVLT projects, (i.e. letters of support). 150 f. Continue to advocate for multi-use paths along arteries and collectors. 151 g. Continue to work with Special Improvement and Urban Renewal Districts and 152 associated advocacy groups such as the Downtown Business Association. 153 h. Continue to advocate for well-marked and safe crossings in Business Districts. 154 i. Continue to identify gaps in sidewalks to have them ordered in. 155 156 Safety Plan. 157 Assume responsibility for implementing the Bozeman Community Transportation Safety Plan 158 adopted by the City Commission. 159 a. This plan needs to be updated, funded, and implemented. 160 b. Find partner organizations. 161 c. Continue work with police and fire in conjunction with the new Safety Board. 162 d. Promote transportation safety education for all ages and all modes. 163 e. Work with MSU and set aside funding for educational materials and advertising (e.g. 164 distracted and impaired driving). 165 166 Design Standard Policies 167 Advocate for adequate and far-sighted transportation design standards and the consistent 168 application of those standards. 169 a. Formulate policy so that developers are treated equally in requirement of non-170 motorized facilities along arteries and collectors. 171 b. Advocate for improved construction standards to include separated paths outside of 172 the City on arteries and collectors regardless of housing or business density. 173 c. When development occurs on only one side of the street find solutions to assure 174 multimodal facilities are built on both sides of the facility and the City reimbursed as 175 development or annexation occurs. 176 d. Actively participate in the formulation of policy with the County and State. 177 f. Update policy to include better more visible crosswalk design. 178 h. Formulate consistent signage with less clutter. Periodically evaluate the system (i.e. 179 would it be better to place round about signage in the middle of the roundabout? Or 180 should both of the T intersections on Main and 7th or Highland have similar signage and 181 crossings for pedestrians?) 182 j. Advocate for consistent speed limits for all arteries and collectors throughout the City. 183 k. Provide for sidewalks and paths to be put in place at same time that underground 184 utilities are upgraded or replaced. 185 186 Design Standards in Growth Areas 187 Advocate for well-planned transportation infrastructure and design standards in areas outside 188 the existing city limits but in locations where the city might reasonably be expected to expand. 189 a. Advocate with the County and MDT for separated pathways along arteries within the 190 MPO district. 191 b. Advocate for consistent speed limits for all arteries and collectors including those 192 controlled by the MDT. 193 194 195 Maintenance 196 Promote adequate maintenance of the entire transportation infrastructure including sidewalks 197 and paths including pavement repair, snow removal, and sweeping. 198 199 200 ADA 201 Advocate for safe and convenient facilities for persons with disabilities. 202 a. Identify and provide safe access at bus stops (e.g. Senior Center and Lindley Park). 203 b. Snow removal on sidewalk ramps and park trails. 204 c. Require wider handicap spaces for easy wheel chair van accessibility (e.g. Stiff 205 building). 206 207 208 Equity and Inclusion 209 a. Consider geographic and income barriers to transportation such as sparse 210 development, arterial and highway barriers, and non-ownership of motorized vehicles. 211 b. Recognition that a safe cycling environment is an economic driver. 212 c. The Transportation Board should give equal time to all modes of transportation. 213 d. Continue to work with and promote partner organizations such as but not limited to 214 GVLT, GAP, Gallatin Valley Bike Club, Bike Walk Montana, Rails to Trails, etc. 215 216 Participate in the Budget Process 217 a. Advocate for funding of standalone multimodal projects that do not otherwise 218 qualify for funds. 219 b. Advocate for a category of funding within the City budget for multimodal projects. 220 c. Prioritize multimodal projects. 221 d. Help prioritize street projects. 222 e. Advocate for a pool of match funding for grants of multimodal projects. 223 f. Advocate for Safety funding (see Safety category above). 224