HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-24-22 Public Comment - M. Brown - Please set aside funds from STR132 for Frontage PathwayFrom:Marilee Brown
To:Agenda
Cc:Ralph Zimmer; Betty Stroock; delmue; Addi Jadin; Taylor Lonsdale; Nicholas Ross; Candace Mastel
Subject:Please set aside funds from STR132 for Frontage Pathway
Date:Wednesday, August 24, 2022 10:28:12 AM
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Dear Trans Board, relevant City Staff, and Bozeman City Commission,
I was intimately involved in the Commission setting aside the $500,000 for standalone activetransportation projects that would not otherwise qualify for any other type of funding. Unlikeother City funding, there were no time restrictions requiring that it had to be used in the currentfiscal year. And it did not have to be awarded to projects that were "shovel ready”, “betweenthe curbs”, or attached to arterial/collector streets like all other types of the City Budgetrequirements for active transportation.
Our hope was that this funding would lead to the Commission deciding to make annual funds ofa similar nature regularly available in the coming years.
As an officer on PTS I participated in many many hours and sessions in conjunction withBABAB discussing how the money should be used and what the priorities were. We wererepeatedly assured by City staff that our input would be a high priority. After pouring throughthe Transportation Master Plan and talking about many valuable projects BABAB and PTSjointly agreed that the following projects had top priority:
Valley Center between Catron and Cattail (has since been funded in the 2026 CapitalImprovements Plan (CIP).Frontage Pathway between 7th and 19th (a City project that does not qualify for any othertype of City funding)Haggarty sidewalk (has since been funded in the 2027 Capital Improvements Plan (CIP).Portions of South 19th near Lincoln
In addition, PTS in its final session agreed that “high attention should be given to at leastfunding part of Frontage Road project”.
As the current executive director of GAP (Galla10 Alliance for Pathways) I would like to nowtalk to you about Frontage Pathway (or as the Recreation Department likes to refer to it – theNorth loop).
- 1.5 miles of path will connect the North Mainstreet to the Mountains system (“M”) allthe way to the West side of Bozeman, Four Corners and Belgrade via Valley Center(V.C.). That is a connection to 100 miles of path.
- Half of that length will be paid for by Gallatin County when they do a sewer systemupgrade.
- It will connect to the Cherry River recreation system.
- One end of the path has already been built between the V.C. Spur and Nelson road (andits lovely).
- New development in the area is requiring safety upgrades at the V. C. Spur underpass.
- There has been a death along the stretch when the driver of a semi-truck struck a cyclistnamed Kevin.
- Residents, airport workers, tourists, athletes, and the homeless regularly try to use theirbikes on Frontage Road which has no shoulder like Valley Center does. It's scary!
- There is no alternate path through the area on the North side of the Freeway.
- Surveys given to a broad section of thousands of Bozeman Citizens indicate that 96% ofthe residents believe that this path is needed and should be funded by the City.
In 2019 we received $90,000 from the City in TOP funds (making it a City maintained project)which is partially being used to for feasibility and other studies required by the MDT. Whenfinished some time this fall, it will allow the MDT to set aside right-of-way for the path between7th and 19th which can then be purchased by us. We are required to match (1 to 1) the $90,000with our own funds. We are well on our way to that goal. But we still need more money foranticipated construction and right-of-way purchase (about $400,000).
We are asking that the City set aside at least $200,000 now for Frontage Pathway or waitto allocate it until after we have MDT and Rail approval. We will then raise additionalfunds to match or surpass that amount.
Thank you for considering this valuable path for STR132 funds. I have attached a map belowshowing the project. The yellow line is what needs funding.
Warmly,Marilee Brown
Marilee Brown, Chair
GAP - Galla10 Alliance for Pathways
2411 Kid Curry Drive
Bozeman, MT 59718
406-579-5447
saferbozeman@gmail.com
www.frontagepathway.com