HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-11-23 Public Comment - M. Egge - CIP - Shared Use PathsFrom:Mark Egge
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]CIP - Shared Use Paths
Date:Monday, December 11, 2023 4:21:53 PM
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Dear Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Commissioners.
Concerning our current capital budget, I have three related comments:
1) I've been told that the Haggerty Lane pathway improvements have
been removed from the CIP. This project was recommended by the former
Pedestrian & Traffic Safety board. I have not had time to inquire with citystaff about its absence. There's a significant number of housing units (with
more on the way) along Haggerty Lane that are currently attached to a
sidewalk section that does not connect either to the east or to the west.
With GVLT's recent completion of the Homestead Connector and WellnessTrail, this missing sidewalk is more important than ever, as Haggerty is
now the primary connector between the Highland Glen trail network and
the trails and paths near Canary Lane.
2) More broadly, I would encourage the Commission to give
consideration to the lack of dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian
improvements (as opposed to bicycle and facility infrastructure as part of
street improvements). While our new roads are excellent, all of the oldroads they connect to remain unimproved. It remains impossible to travel
downtown on a bike without riding in traffic (which is unsafe and
uncomfortable). As a point of comparison, Fort Collins, CO (population
169k) has in its capital budget $1.5m for sidewalk improvements, $500kfor bicycle infrastructure, and $1.25m to create grade separated crossings
for pedestrians and bicyclists. Bozeman, MT, has $104k for pedestrian and
bicycle infrastructure improvements. In its current budget, Fort Collins is
spending twice as much on sidewalk improvements as it is on arterialintersection improvements. Our budget reflects spending 8x more on
intersection improvements (next year) than bicycle and pedestrian
improvements combined.
3) Among the transportation agencies I support in my day job, the moresophisticated allocate their capital funds based on which projects do the
most to move the needle on their priorities. Fort Collins uses a similar
process it calls "Budgeting for Outcomes," which it describes as "a budgetdevelopment process that is designed to put community priorities first, rather than
simply funding departments. ... By orienting around those results, the budget process
shifts from paying for costs to prioritizing and "buying" specific programs, services or
initiatives that will help us achieve those results." (https://www.fcgov.com/bfo/).
As you all consider your strategic priorities for the next two years, I'dhighly encourage you to give consideration to improving the city's
budgeting process to be more responsive to your priorities.
Thank you,Mark Egge
1548 S Grand Ave
-- Mark Egge(406) 548-4488he / him