HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-11-23 Public Comment - M. Brown - CIP - Transportation FY25 - pathways should not have been removedFrom:Marilee Brown
To:Cyndy Andrus; Terry Cunningham; Jennifer Madgic; Christopher Coburn; Fischer Douglas; Douglas Fischer
Cc:Agenda; Addi Jadin; Nicholas Ross; Jeff Mihelich; Kira Peters; John Alston; Ralph Zimmer; delmue
Subject:[EXTERNAL]CIP - Transportation FY25 - pathways should not have been removed
Date:Monday, December 11, 2023 1:26:23 PM
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Dear Commissioners,
The proposed CIP has evidently dropped two multiuser pathways that were scheduled to
be built in the next few years on previous CIP’s approved by the Commission. These were the only stand alone multi-user projects scheduled for the next 5 years.
The fact that they were dropped was never discussed in the October Transportation Board
meeting. The meeting ended after public comment with no discussion. Previous CIP budgets were not offered for comparison in the presentation or in the agenda. I would like
to present both of them below and their dire need to once again be included in the CIP.
Proposed solutions are at the end of each path comments in Bold type.
Haggerty (up near Peat's Hill on the east side of the Hospital open lands property and east
of the softball fields)
Has no sidewalks or bike lanes.
Is a crowded affordable living area with many apartments.
Used often for Recreation and access to the softball fields and trails further south.
It has bus stops but no way to safely get to them - especially in winter.
Is a serious safety hazard liability.
Previously approved by the Pedestrian Traffic Safety Committee and the
Commission.Previously scheduled for 2027 (Valley Center was scheduled for FY226 but won TA
funding allowing it to move forward.)
Proposed solution for Haggerty: Place it back on the CIP in FY2026.
Frontage Pathway (on Frontage Road between 7th and Nelson Road). Facts and history:
The groundwork for this path was listed in the last CIP under FY24 Frontage Road
Interceptor pipe - which will lie under the path. Keep reading for more info.
GAP (Galla10 Alliance for Pathways) was awarded $90,000 in TOP funding as a City
Parks project 4 years ago. “Approximately” $50,000 of TOP funds were to be spent as approved in Resolution 5209 "for a feasibility study" (required by the MDT to
support ROW lease from the railroad) "including conceptual designs and landowner discussion" on Oct. 13, 2020. Neither has been finished due to the consultant fees
initially increasing and numerous unnecessary delays.
In 2022 it was announced that the project was now to be built in conjunction with the
Frontage Road Sewer Interceptor which was scheduled for design and right-of-way
acquisition in FY24 (now). Construction for the interceptor was scheduled for FY25.
But now there is “Commission Driven”delay for the Frontage Road Interceptor in the
proposed FY25 CIP until FY29 “since a path can not be torn up for a pipe" (per Oct. CIP Transportation Board meeting).
The eastern most segment of the path is located within the City Boundary but next to
a few houses still in the County between 7th and Campbell Road. All other segments
of the path currently have other funding sources.
The path is a key anchor component in the PRAT plan and is in every other plan for
transportation and pathways in the Bozeman area.
There is no other route for people traveling or recreating on the north side of the
freeway to get back and forth from the east to the west. Records exist showing that Gallatin Valley Citizens have been requesting this path for 35 years or more.
Part of the pathway in the Nelson Meadows subdivision is complete.
Another segment of the pathway is to be built on City property in conjunction with the
transfer station.
Once all these segments within the City of Bozeman jurisdiction are complete they
will tie existing paths in the North East of the City to the Valley Center pathway.
Eventually as the rail cooperates, the path will run all the way to Belgrade. Several developers along Frontage Road in the Belgrade area have already committed to
building the path there.
Businesses and homes have increased in the area.
Pedestrian and Bike traffic have been increasing on the road where there is no
shoulder. It is a huge safety liability.
An unhoused man was killed on the road while cycling in 2014. Now the unhoused
have increased in the area along with commuters to work that do not drive.
Outside funding has been on hold since right-of-way has not been promised to the
City by the railroad and an initial design plan and a feasibility study has not been
published as was required by the MTD to support such an acquisition from the railroad for land they might need in the future for road widening.
Projected construction and ROW costs have almost doubled each year of waiting.
The supporters of GAP (1,780) have begun to loose hope. This project has been in
the works now for 35 years and always pushed to the bottom of government priorities. And now design/planning has disappeared from the CIP for the interceptor
that was to lead the way.
Once design and the acquisition of right-of-way from the rail along with cooperation
from the MDT are guaranteed, then GAP stands ready with the needed funds to
acquire additional funding – as long as it is done in the near future.
Proposed solution for Frontage Pathway:
1. Place Design and agreements with BNSF Rail ROW for both the Interceptor and
the Path back into CIP for FY25.
2. All necessary departments then need to work together and with GAP to find temporary solutions to get the non-motorized safely off the road until it can be paved. GAP will start to
raise their required portion of funds with City approval through grants and public donations. We need some positive news to keep people involved and happy.
Thank you for your consideration,
Marilee Brown, Executive Director of GAP
Marilee Brown, Chair
GAP - Galla10 Alliance for Pathways
2411 Kid Curry DriveBozeman, MT 59718
406-579-5447
saferbozeman@gmail.comwww.frontagepathway.com