HomeMy WebLinkAbout11-01-22 Public Comment - R. Zimmer - MY 2 priorities for legislative action in HelenaFrom:Ralph Zimmer
To:Cyndy Andrus; Terry Cunningham; I-Ho Pomeroy; Jennifer Madgic; Christopher Coburn
Cc:Jeff Mihelich; Mike Veselik; Nicholas Ross; Taylor Lonsdale; Candace Mastel; John Van Delinder; Jim Veltkamp;
Kelly Pohl; Agenda
Subject:MY 2 priorities for legislative action in Helena
Date:Tuesday, November 1, 2022 9:40:46 AM
Importance:High
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Tuesday, November 1, 2022
Commissioners,
I can't tell you how happy I am the City has launched a four-component program to
improve traffic safety in Bozeman!! Thanks to all playing a role in this effort.
Much of what is being planned can be done by the City on its own. However, some willrequire changing state laws and thus will require legislative action in Helena. I hope you
include those items in the list of legislative priorities you will be considering at tonight'sCommission meeting.
I suspect you have been hearing from the public relative to speed limits and traffic fines.
While I support those changes in traffic fines, I am going to lift up two legislative issues thatare partially different because I am more personally familiar with them.
Speed Limits
Speed limits need to be uniform, consistent, and predictable. This can best be achieved ifthose limits are determined locally but State law and decisions by the State Transportation
Commission set the speed limits on our most heavily traveled and most critical streets.
Cities should be allowed to set speed limits on all roads in their jurisdiction.
That's a brief albeit oversimplification of the issue. If I were writing the necessarylegislative language, I would say something like: With the exception of mainline Interstate
routes that are part of the National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, cities andmunicipal planning organizations (MPO's) may, in accordance with recommendations of a
qualified traffic operations engineer, set speed limits on all roads, streets, and highways intheir jurisdiction including Interstate business loops.
Red Light Running Cameras & Other Technology
As a result of the recent tragic death of Kelly Fulton, we have learned of the high
incidence of motor vehicles running red lights.
We need to take advantage of technology to decrease red light running. no suchtechnology is cameras that photograph vehicles running red lights and those photographs
being used to issue moving violation tickets. While outlawed in some states and some cities,
this technology is widely used. Back in 2008 and 2009, both Billings and Bozeman signedcontracts for implementing that technology in their respective jurisdictions.
The 2009 legislature intervened. It made such technology illegal in Montana. That
action took a very valuable tool out of the traffic safety toolbox. We need that tool.
The State legislature should rescind those state laws that prevent the use oftechnological tools to improve traffic safety.
Ralph Ralph W. Zimmer
cc: Jeff Mihelic
Mike Veselik Nick Ross
Taylor Lonsdale Candace Mastel
John Van DeLindeer Jim Veltkanp
Kelly Pohl