HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-12-25 Public Comment - Z. Osman - Public comment for FAC presentationFrom:Zehra Osman
To:Bozeman Public Comment; Terry Cunningham; Joey Morrison; Jennifer Madgic; Emma Bode; Douglas Fischer;Nicholas Ross; Takami Clark; David Fine
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public comment for FAC presentation
Date:Tuesday, August 12, 2025 11:20:10 AM
Attachments:60% FAC Comment 08-05-25.pdf
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
I am submitting the Friends of Fowler Connector comments here, which also represent mypublic comments on this Fowler Avenue Connection project 60% level design.
Please post the attached pdf comments as my comments in the FAC public record folder for
tonight’s Commission meeting special presentation. .
Respectfully,Zehra Osman
August 1, 2025
Honorable Mayor Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Morrison, Commissioner Madgic,
Commissioner Bode, Commissioner Fischer, Transportation Advisory Board Members,
City Manager Winn, Director of Transportation and Engineering Ross, and
Communications and Engagement Manager Clark,
In preparation for the Special Presentation of the 60% Design of the Fowler Avenue
Connection (FAC) project at the upcoming August 12 Commission meeting, Friends of
Fowler is submitting the following comments.
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
Friends of Fowler would like to first thank Transportation Director Nick Ross for
continuing to encourage free-flow dialog and question-answer conversation for this
project. This was demonstrated during the 3.5-hour July 9 on-site walk-through of the
FAC, where he answered questions about the 60% level design plans. It is very
meaningful to the community to work together with the City to protect the natural
environment, enhance public safety, and retain the public’s connection to this 1.5 mile
long riparian corridor.
The new 60% design plans show an increased level of detail and therefore
Bozemanites can now see, in more detail, how this facility will affect both public safety
and the natural environment. The following comments apply to the new 60% design
plans, the on-site walk-through on July 9, and the Transportation Advisory Board (TAB)
meeting on July 23. Our goal is to work constructively with the City as we gain more
knowledge about the project with these more detailed plans.
PUBLIC SAFETY
Since the FAC essentially bleeds-off between 5,000 - 9,000 Average Daily Traffic (ADT)
from 19th Avenue and reroutes it through existing neighborhoods while avoiding the
1.5 mile long riparian corridor, there are, of course, sections where there is not
sufficient room for all users to have a full range of conveniences. For example, cars will
have to travel no faster than 25 mph and, where there are parks and school crossings,
travel no faster than 15 mph. Shared-use paths will accommodate cyclists,
pedestrians, pets, children, mobility-impaired neighbors, and school-kids, alike. All
users are essentially working together to make the FAC both environmentally-
responsible and neighborhood-friendly.
of 1 7
Comments below continue to speak to this goal, given that we can see the greater
level of detail illustrated by the 60% plans/drawings and also as a result of the changes
to the FAC project brought about by (a) the decision to design a shared-use path on
both the east and west sides of the FAC and (b) the changes in traffic and intersection
design as a result of the addition of a new affordable housing project at the north east
side of the FAC project.
Recommendation for Safer Pedestrian Crossings: Friends of Fowler strongly
recommends that all pedestrian crossings be raised, well-marked, and include crossing
lights activated by pedestrians.
Shared-Use Path Along Fowler Place Subdivision: Within the middle 0.5 mile section
of the FAC between Durston and Babcock, the FAC and is wedged through the most
constricted section of existing neighborhoods and trees, bringing traffic within 30-feet
of the front porches of 17 existing homes of the Fowler Place Subdivision. During the
30% FAC design public comment period in 2024, the TAB recommended and the City
Commission concurred that a continuous 10-foot shared-use path would be added to
both sides of the 2-lane FAC. The 60% FAC design shows how this shared-use path
would work within this constricted area: it would bring the shared-use path within
20-25-feet of the front porches of these 17 homes, causing families to sometimes “run
the gauntlet” of fast-moving bikes as they attempt to reach their cars that are parked
on the street.
Please note that Friends of Fowler strongly supports shared-use paths along the length
of the FAC as an excellent way to lessen the impact of this facility. That said, this short
section is an exception. Upon checking other examples of shared-use paths along
minor arterials around town, we could not find any shared-use paths on the front side of
homes, especially within this close proximity. Additionally, the existing boulevard trees, which provide shade from the western sun
and some buffer from the proposed increased traffic, would be impacted.
RECOMMENDATION: Though we support separated shared-used paths along the
other portions of the narrow 2-lane FAC, Friends of Fowler strongly urges the following
mitigation measures (alone or in combination) within this narrow section of the Fowler
Place Subdivision:
of 2 7
A.Only within this short section, place the proposed bike lane onto the street
rather than having a shared-use path in front of the homes. The existing
sidewalk should remain in place for pedestrians and young cyclists and the
established boulevard trees should be protected in place. See Figure below.
B.Place slow speed limit signs for cyclists along this section of the shared use
path and also paint this lower speed limit onto the path itself. Alert cyclists that
they are approaching homes with children and that they should either reduce
their speed or move onto the other shared-use path on the west side of FAC if
they don’t want to be inconvenienced to slow down. See figure below.
C.The City should add to their landscaping plans a series of planting beds that
separate the front porches of these 17 homes from the shared-use path. These
beds should contain multi-story trees and shrubs and even a short picket fence
with gates that effectively screen and delineate the private vs. public space. See
figure below.
Mitigation A: Move bike lane onto the road for this short section of confined
space in front of 17 homes at Fowler Place Subdivision
of 3 7
of 4 7
Mitigation B: Slow bikes down within this confined space in front
of Fowler Place Subdivision homes.
Mitigation C: City to add multi-story landscaping “traffic calming” to
slow down bikes and provide separation and screening for residences
along this confined space in front of 17 homes in Fowler Place
Subdivision.
Increased Traffic on New Holland: Since 2022, the City has stated that the FAC was
needed, in part, to mitigate increased and speeding traffic that currently occurs on
existing N-S residential streets such as New Holland Avenue. The following aspects of
the current FAC plan defeats this important goal that the FAC was proposed to achieve
in the first place - to reduce cut-through/short-cut vehicular traffic on New Holland
Avenue. Here are the issues:
1.Many cars currently short-cut between Durston and Oak Street by way of New
Holland Avenue, traveling at dangerously fast speeds.
2.The 60% FAC design proposes 3 traffic circles within a short 0.5 mile section
between Oak Street and Durston Street. Additionally, the 60% FAC design
proposes additional connections/intersections at Caterpillar, Farmall, and Rose
streets within this 0.5 mile section. In 2024, the City staff and the Commission
agreed that too many residential street intersections on the FAC from New
Holland such as at Oliver, Rose, Lilly, Annie, Farmall, and Caterpillar would
potentially not allow enough spacing between intersections, especially for those
intersections near proposed traffic circles.
3.All proposed new intersections at these cut-over streets interrupt shared-use
paths, thereby creating multiple pedestrian-automobile conflicts.
4.There is a new affordable housing project proposed on the northeast corner of
Fowler (FAC) and Oak Street. The housing project designers propose to access
this new development from Caterpillar and Farmall street. Traffic to the
proposed 88+/- new units will potentially use New Holland Avenue, thereby
increasing traffic on New Holland.
RECOMMENDATION: Friends of Fowler strongly recommends that the City continue
to limit and minimize residential street connections within this short 0.5 mile section
that over-burden New Holland Avenue with traffic and create unsafe cut-through or
short-cut traffic and speeds on New Holland. Consider creating vehicle-free pedestrian
connections within the side of the proposed affordable housing project that abuts the
existing residences on New Holland while keeping vehicular zones on the side adjacent
to the FAC.
of 5 7
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONS
Friends of Fowler is grateful for the City’s design work to reduce the impact on the 1.5-
mile long riparian corridor of 130-year old trees and associated wildlife sustained by an
open free-flowing irrigation ditch. It is hugely meaningful to the public to see the road,
which was reduced from 5-lanes down to 2-lanes, shift its alignment in order to avoid
this riparian corridor.
Friends of Fowler continues to strongly recommend the following measures to mitigate
inadvertent impacts that would undo all of the design team’s work:
1.Landscaping: Select native grasses and landscape plants within and adjacent to
the 1.5 mile long riparian corridor, such as along the shared-use paths. These areas
should not be mowed to support native birds and other wildlife.
2.Linear Park: Director Ross mentioned that the City is pursuing the designation of
the 1.5 mile riparian corridor to be a linear park from the far edge of the shared use
path (on the side of the FAC closest to the riparian corridor) to the centerline of the
Section Line Ditch, which sustains the riparian corridor. Friends of Fowler is very
supportive of this designation and is very grateful for this effort. Thank you. We are
willing to help pursue this goal.
3.Storm Water Management: Retention ponds, catch basins, etc. and associated
swales should be placed where they will not impact the riparian corridor and/or
existing trees, particularly at the Annie and Durston roundabouts.
4.Contractor Management: After all the work the City has put into mitigating
environmental impacts of this new facility, it would be unfortunate if these protected
resources and values were inadvertently negatively impacted during construction.
Therefore, Friends of Fowler strongly recommends the following mitigations:
•Project Staking: In order to avoid any error, the project should be staked out and
vegetation flagged for City approval PRIOR TO ANY DEMO OR TREE REMOVAL.
•Snow fencing should be placed all along the limits of disturbance along both
sides of the road in order to avoid any inadvertent damage to existing vegetation
due to stockpiling, equipment parking, etc.
•Staging Areas should be designated and fenced in order to contain the impacts.
of 6 7
Thanks again to the City staff and consultant for their continued effort in collaborating
with the public to make the FAC more environmentally-responsible, safe, and
neighborhood-friendly. We recognize that this “teamwork” has taken a lot of time and
effort however the benefits to the relationship between the City and its constituents is
immeasurable.
Respectfully,
— Friends of Fowler
of 7 7