HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-24-22 Public Comment - A. Ward - Transportation Board - Fowler QuestionsFrom:Abby Ward
To:Agenda
Subject:Transportation Board - Fowler Questions
Date:Sunday, July 24, 2022 8:20:56 PM
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Dear Bozeman Transportation Board,
During the Transportation Board discussion this week, I would greatly appreciate it if you could
address a few questions with regard to the Fowler Connection project:
1. Why is this project happening now after sitting in the back pages of the transportation
plan for decades? What is the City’s motivation to see this happen in such a hurry?2. What is the evidence that this road construction is needed? Is it based on data? It is not
supported by the current or future volume-to-capacity ratios in the 2017 Transportation Planor the natural evolution of the use of Ferguson as a north-south corridor.3. Why has the minor arterial plan for Fowler remained the same (or even expanded in
scope) for decades despite the adjacent land being developed into residential
neighborhoods? Why is this plan not flexible to adapt to the current layout and use of thewest side of Bozeman?4. Have the costs and benefits been comprehensively considered and compared? For
example, a study published in June 2022 by the Health Effects Institute (equally funded by the
EPA and auto industry) reviewed over 350 scientific studies and found with a high degree ofconfidence that exposure to traffic-related air pollution due to residing near major roads is
strongly linked with cardiovascular and lung cancer-related mortality. This is for people wholive within 50 or 100 meters; my home is less than 8 meters from the right of way. How are
the potential few seconds gained by travelers on the proposed road more valuable thanthe potential years of life lost to Bozeman residents who live nearby?
Please consider the basis, scope, and timeline of this plan critically. Otherwise, the City of Bozemanwill be knowingly putting its citizens at significant health risks including cancer and prematuredeath. This includes existing residents as well as future residents (e.g., the proposed affordablehousing development near Oak). These risks are entirely preventable.
Thank you very much for your service, your time, and for consideration of an evidence-based plan,
Abigail WardEpidemiologist
428 Fowler Ave.