HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-16-24 Public Comment - K. and C. Tripp - Fowler Connection CommentsFrom:Kristen Read
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Cc:Terry Cunningham; Jennifer Madgic; Nicholas Ross
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Fowler Connection Comments
Date:Tuesday, July 16, 2024 9:32:10 AM
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To Whom It May Concern:
I own a house at 1079 New Holland so this project is directly in the extension of my backyard and directly affectsmy living space, the value of my property and house and in this ever increasingly busy and chaotic city of Bozeman,has substantial implications for my well being and peace at home.
The first concern which I feel strongly has NOT been considered in this project or the design, is the inclusion of anurban ecologist or plant ecologist in the process. We have a corridor for wildlife such as whitetail deer, foxes,marmot, migratory birds, redtail hawks, the trees to the west have been home to a family of great horned owls anumber of years in a row, woodpeckers, chickadees and some non-native species as well such as pheasants,Hungarian partridges and even the Northern Bobwhite. There are native wildflowers and the green space that hasgrown in this little green patch is not only an oasis for wildlife, but is also a source of recovery and well being forBozeman residents who have discovered and enjoy the trail. There are fewer and fewer of these green pockets left inBozeman and even less in this part of town as compared to old town. We have next to none green space / naturalparks in this part of town - there is obviously a large financial burden to the City and the tax payers in having greenspaces that require maintenance and it is also worth mentioning that we are no longer in the position to be generouswith our water resources. Currently, there is no need to water that space - the development plan and developinggreen space or trails around the proposed roads translates into more pressure on our water resources.
I question the need for the road project thru this area in the first place. There are major arterial roads to the west andthe east by one city section from where this road is proposed... Is the road REALLY necessary?!
Now given that is not a likely outcome that the project between OAK and DURSTON be shelved entirely whichwould be my preference, I would like to add some comments.
LESS is more IMO. I am a taxpayer that is going broke trying to support the increasing taxes as a city resident. Thisfirst section of this connector is obscenely expensive!! Why are we connecting Annie to the neighborhood to thewest where it dead ends appears to be the MOST expensive portion of this project. Is it really worth the money tobuy out the private land owner to connect Annie from Harvest Creek to the neighborhood the west? It would appearto be a totally expensive and unnecessary expense to include in the project.
I am including below additional comments that I agree with related to this project that should be brought intoquestion or considered before moving forward to the next stage:
A. Improve the design team by making it multidisciplinary and adding an urban ecologist, plant ecologist, wetlandspecialist, City Parks staff, and Forestry staff. In order for the FAC design team to be successful in the City's goal todesign the FAC while preserving the 1.5 mile forested riparian corridor, they need someone on the team who has theexpertise to understand its root zone and necessary buffers. We strongly urge the City to employ the expertise of aqualified professional in order to address this.
B. Improve the design to make the FAC more environmentally responsible and safe/accessible for pedestrians,bicyclists, and neighborhoods:
1. Narrow-up and mitigate the development footprint and environmental impacts on the continuous 1.5 mile forested
riparian corridor ecosystem that has wildlife and 120-year old trees along the free-flowing irrigation ditch:
Raised medians shown on the Oak-Durston section add unnecessary width. Instead, use the same narrow 2-lane road
design with no raised median as currently shown for the designs for the Durston-Huffine sections. Other Bozeman
minor arterials such as Willson Avenue do not contain raised medians. Raised medians are an unnecessary and over-designed feature for the FAC adding extra expense, additional water use, impact to the surrounding areas and givedrivers reason to move thru the section of land more rapidly.
Center turn-lanes shown on the Oak-Durston section add overall width. Instead, use the same narrow 2-lane roaddesign with no center turn lane as currently shown for the designs for the Durston-Huffine sections. Center turnlanes are only appropriate at major intersections such as at Durston and Babcock. Other Bozeman minor arterials,such as Willson Avenue, do not have a center turn lanes. Center turn lanes on local neighborhood streets are anunnecessary and over-designed feature for the FAC as is the case with THREE turn in lanes INTO Harvest Creek.Those access points are totally unnecessary and will instead increase fast moving traffice through the entire HarvestCreek neighborhood instead of directing moving traffic to stick to the arterials which are aligned with the sections.
Wide shared-use paths and wide boulevards are currently shown on both side of the Oak-Durston section of theFAC. This adds unnecessary width. Instead, use the template as designed on the FAC section just south of Durston,where the east sidewalk is only 5-feet wide, as is the boulevard, while the wide shared use path is only on one side. Wide shared use paths and wide boulevards on both sides of the FAC are an unnecessary and over-designed featurefor the FAC.
Bike lanes within the road add extra road width. Instead, design this bike lane into the wide shared-use path. Omitbike lanes within the road.
Maximize the buffer zones along the 1.5 mile long forested riparian corridor. Currently, the survey stakes placedalong the Oak-Durston section show the development footprint inside the line of mature trees along the flowingSection Line Ditch. Instead, provide the largest buffer possible between the FAC road and the continuous 1.5 mileriparian corridor.
Omit connections to neighborhood streets such as Cascade and Annie to the FAC, which creates impacts to thecontinuous riparian corridor of mature trees along the stream. The distance between each of the existing cross streets(Oak, Durston, Babcock, and Huffine) is only 0.5 miles. We do not need to make the FAC more vehicle-friendly byproviding additional connections at Annie and Cascade, which would cause the removal of many trees and thepiping of the waterway, thereby cutting off water to other trees. These local street connections are an unnecessaryand over-designed feature for the FAC.
Create a linear park along the 1.5 mile forested riparian corridor to protect and preserve it into the future. Use onlyenvironmentally friendly permeable paving materials on paths within the corridor and its buffer zone.
2. Make the FAC more safe and accessible for neighborhoods, pedestrians, and bicycles:
Slow traffic down. Currently the design calls for faster speeds between Oak and Durston and then slightly slowerspeeds between Durston and Babcock. Use a consistent slower (25 mph max) speed limit for the entire length of the1.5 mile FAC so drivers do not have an expectation that they can speed through neighborhoods, kids’ sports fields,and Bozeman Ponds park. Parks are typically posted at 15 mph - this sensitive area with wildlife and walkers should
have be decreased not increased to the currently proposed 35 MPH zone.
Raise driver awareness for pedestrian and school-kid crossings. Provide raised and marked road crossings with
flashing lights.
Omit the raised median in the FAC section between Oak and Durston. The Federal Highways and Department of
Transportation do not recommend raised medians in residential areas because they encourage speeding RaisedMedians Willson Avenue, another minor arterial, does not have a raised median.
Omit center/left turn lanes, between Oak and Durston. They are not necessary for minor local streets. They over-widen the road, which encourages speeding and also creates a wider pedestrian crossing. Durston, which has acontinuous center turn lane, is a good example of this, where pedestrians have to wait for all three lanes to stopbefore crossing. Willson avenue, another Bozeman minor arterial, does not have a center turn lane. The FAC onlyneeds a center turn lane at major intersections at Oak, Durston, Babcock, and Huffine.
Provide only one user-friendly and safe shared-use pedestrian/bike path for neighbors of all abilities. For theopposite side of the FAC, only a narrow sidewalk is needed, similar to how the Durston-Babcock section is currentlydesigned. Paving materials should be accessible for those with disabilities.
Bike lanes within the road add width and are best for the most ardent cyclists and are often full of gravel and brokenglass. The current design shows 6-foot bike lanes next to parked vehicles, which poses a safety hazard. One wideseparated shared-use path is all we need for the FAC and can be enjoyed by pedestrians, bicyclists, strollers,wheelchairs, and people of all abilities. Omit these in-road bike lanes.
Connecting neighborhood streets to the FAC creates too many pedestrian/bicycle crossings, making the FAC lesssafe for pedestrians, school kids, cyclists, and adjacent neighborhoods. Connecting Annie Street and Cascade Streetto the FAC will create short-cuts and excess traffic and speeding through adjacent neighborhoods. We do not needto make the FAC more convenient for vehicles. Omit new cross street intersections at Annie Street and CascadeStreet.
Prioritize pedestrians and bicyclists of all ages and abilities over vehicle convenience. Provide paths that connect thecommunity to nature and wildlife, to area schools, GVLT’s future Raptor Route, Bozeman Ponds, the RegionalPark, and commercial service. This will make Bozeman’s west side more walkable!
Thank you for your inclusion and consideration fo these comments as the project moves forward.
Kristen & Connor (12 years old) Tripp1079 New HollandBozeman, MT59718