HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-11-23 Public Comment - M. Brown - What is wrong with this picture - need for better transportation rulesFrom:Marilee BrownTo:AgendaCc:Cyndy Andrus; Terry Cunningham; I-Ho Pomeroy; Jennifer Madgic; Christopher Coburn; Nicholas Ross; Candace Mastel; Taylor LonsdaleSubject:What is wrong with this picture - need for better transportation rulesDate:Tuesday, April 11, 2023 6:24:20 AM
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This photo on is an example of what happens when no traffic study is required and densification happens on a local street. The vehicles on the left and right are parked with no one driving. Thebusses are trying to weave their way through oncoming traffic with only one lane in the center available.
In this case a middle school on Kimberwicki (which did not have to do a traffic study) was placed on a whole block with only three lanes available and two of them used for parking. There were only4 driveways in the block to pull over into to allow oncoming traffic to pass. It took these busses and vehicles trying to get through 20 minutes to be able to work their way through. This jamhappened every day.
Imagine if an ambulance had to get through and traffic blocked both ways.
Now imagine a lot of snow and cars parked away from the curb and snow plows trying to get through.
Finally imagine affordable housing getting to wave some parking requirements causing more people to park on the street. Many of the affordable houses use garages for storage and crowd morepeople into a house causing more street parking.
This is starting to occur more and more often as high rises and densification comes into play.
We believe that the following should be considered:
1) Traffic Demand Studies should also consider how densification clogs local streets and the need to provide pullouts.
2) More off street parking is more important to have with densification
3) Consider having developers and businesses pay a fee towards a more robust multimodal travel system with remote parking structures and bussing.
4) And finally and most importantly, please include transportation demand management and levels of service for multimodal travel in the next Transportation Master Plan.
Thank you,
Marilee Brown, Executive Director for GAP and Safer Bozeman