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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-05-26 Public Comment - S. Ross - 10_6_26 Work Session - Streamline Public CommentFrom:Sunshine Ross To:Bozeman Public Comment Subject:[EXTERNAL]10/6/26 Work Session - Streamline Public Comment Date:Monday, October 5, 2026 2:59:46 PM Attachments:ATT00001.png Streamline - City Commission Written Statement_10.06.26 Work Session.docx 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. Hello, Attached is a written public comment for the Bozeman City Commission 10/6/26 WorkSession. Thanks, Sunshine -- Sunshine Ross Streamline Director p: (406) 898- 4231 w: StreamlineBus.com 1812 N. Rouse | Bozeman, MT 59715 32 S Tracy | Bozeman, MT 59715 Wellbeing Notice: We value work-life balance and respect personal time. Please feel free to respond to this email at a time that works best for you. Page 1 of 4 Streamline and the City of Bozeman: A 20-Year Community Collaboration — Moving into the Future Streamline bus celebrated its 20th anniversary this August with a community party that drew well over 200 people. We were happy to celebrate this milestone along with our partners, which include the City of Bozeman, the City of Belgrade, Montana State University and Gallatin County. These partners were vital to the launch of Streamline back in August, 2006, and have been central to our continuing success, helping anyone who needs a ride get to where they need to go. The collaboration works because Streamline’s partners support and share our values, including: ● Sustainability: Streamline is fiscally sustainable and supports community environmental sustainability. ● Quality: Streamline provides transit services that are reliable, frequent, convenient, safe, and comfortable. ● Equity: Streamline improves equity in access to transportation and the availability of transportation choices for all community members. ● Collaboration: Streamline proactively engages with community partners, planning partners, and the community. ● Innovation: Streamline is creative and responsive to changing community needs, patterns, trends, and technologies. This latter value, innovation, is top of mind as Streamline charts its path for the next decade—a course that is outlined in our new, recently completed Transit Development Plan (TDP). The TDP is a 10-year vision that identifies service improvements and is updated every three to five years. The previous TDP, completed in 2021, focused on maximizing access to opportunity within limited resources. To enhance the full potential of transit in Bozeman, more resources will be needed. The new plan lays out the road map for achieving expanded service by incorporating Streamline’s values of quality, equity, sustainability and collaboration into the planning process. The TDP outlines steps for improved access to opportunity, employment, education, healthcare, shopping and social activities for Bozeman, Belgrade, and Four Corners via: ● Increased span of service to at least 16 hours per day making transit useful for all trip purposes throughout the day and evening. More than 80% of the population and 80% of jobs will be within ¼ mile of transit service – that increases to over 90% of households and jobs within ½ mile of transit service. ● Increased frequency. The most-travelled corridors in Bozeman will have a bus coming every 15 minutes, enabling riders to use transit spontaneously for all trip purposes. Page 2 of 4 ● Airport service added to the Pinkline, connecting from MSU and Downtown Bozeman to the Airport and Downtown Belgrade. This route serves the most-requested destination in all phases of outreach with 86% of Round 2 Survey respondents strongly supporting it. ● Restoration of Latenight service on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as operated pre- pandemic. ● Extension of the Blueline to Billings Clinic. ● Extension of the Brownline to Walmart ● A new Stop at Gallatin Crossing: All buses would serve Gallatin Crossing from a new stop across from Barnes and Noble. This new location will be able to accommodate increased service in future years. ● Replacement of the Livingston service with a van pool. Van pool service focuses on helping people that travel longer distances access employment. This option is more efficient and fiscally responsible; vehicle-related costs are reduced by using a transit van in place of a transit bus. This is done through a volunteer driver program, and therefore reduces the cost of providing mobility to the public. The TDP advises Streamline to work collaboratively with the Cities of Bozeman and Belgrade and Gallatin County to ensure residents of future higher-density residential development are served by transit corridors that provide connectivity to employment, education, health services, shopping and social services. Page 3 of 4 Bozeman is a rapidly growing city, and the overall trip data in the TDP reflects this trend. The number of vehicle and pedestrian trips taken by the general population by hour has increased significantly from 2019 to 2023. People are making far more trips in the evening than they did before the pandemic. With more people working from home, their first trips are now happening later in the day, a pattern that can be seen in cities across the country. The TDP findings advise further investment in Streamline so we can support the transit needs of our growing community. In light of this, the Gallatin Valley Urban Transportation District is weighing placement of a funding measure on the ballot in fall of 2027 or spring of 2028. We are hopeful that the City of Bozeman will lend its support to this plan when the time comes. Page 4 of 4 Over the past 20 years, Streamline has demonstrated numerous benefits to community members, whether they ride the bus or not. Streamline and Galavan: ● Ease traffic congestion and help free up parking downtown and at MSU by taking cars off the road. ● Connect seniors, veterans and people with disabilities to the doctor’s office and grocery store. ● Transport employees to work and customers to stores. ● Bring people to Bobcat games, farmers markets and local events. ● Connect Valley residents to parks, fishing spots and hiking trails. ● Bring Belgrade residents to Bozeman for work, shopping and recreation and connect Bozemanites to activities in Belgrade. ● Provide zero-fare transit for all, regardless of income or ability. ● Help keep our air clean by keeping cars off the road and reducing emissions In collaboration, Streamline and our partners in the Cities of Bozeman and Belgrade and Gallatin County can ensure that public transit continues to benefit us all.