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HomeMy WebLinkAbout020706summaryBozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board (BABAB) February 7, 2006 Meeting Summary Attendance David Baumbauer (chair) X Jon Henderson X Matt Rognlie X Jeff Ball X Emily Harrington X Matt Jennings Dave Kunkle X Guests: Marty Rollifson (potential member), Taylor Lonsdale Old and New Business (1) BABAB welcomes new member Dave Kunkle. The Board also welcomes the new City Commission liaison Mr. Krause. (2) Transportation Plan update. Jeff and Jon have recommended that a professional bicycle facility consultant be hired to address the relevant sections. The funding source for a consultant does not have to be identified yet. (3) CTEP update. David B. updated the board on CTEP projects, current and potential. The College and Huffine shared use path is planned and should be underway in 2007. This route connects 11th through to Ferguson. Sara Folger has indicated that the RFP and qualifications are going out. Other potential projects include: an E. Main pedestrian underpass, Highland/Ellis underpass, New Hyalite View overpass, 19th and Valley Center path work and N. Rouse to the “M”. (4) Bike Board budget. The board is trying to bring all members up to speed on our budget and its history. Originally, $250,000 was set aside over a five-year period ($50,000 per year) for specific projects. But, retrofitting existing facilities turned out to be very difficult and expensive. Currently we are in the second year of the budget. The first year, only $15,000 of the $50,000 was spent. We were allowed the remaining $35,000 to be used the second year, while the whole cycle was pushed back one additional year. Therefore, four more years will presumably be given. This budget must be used for “capital improvements” as it has been assigned out of the City’s CIP (Construction Improvement Project). An example of a current project that these funds could be applied to is the CTEP match for the College-Huffine shared use path project. An additional option would be to plan a project for three years from now that would use the $135,000 that would be available at that time. BABAB members are asked to bring ideas to the next meeting on how we should address the budget. For items such as advocacy and education, it was proposed that BABAB put forward a new budget item that could cover non-capital projects, as well as maintenance on existing facilities. (5) Valley Center. Jon summarized a number of projects important to bike facilities. First, the Valley Center improvements (Jackrabbit Lane to N. 19th Ave.) have become an issue as the County is willing to relax the shared use path width to eight feet from the 10 feet initially designed by the State. BABAB members should take any opportunity to voice support for the standard 10 foot width. Also related to the improvements is the connectivity to N. 19th Ave. Currently a gravel path exists (not asphalt) near Johnny Carino’s and the Wingate Inn. BABAB members are asked to look at the area and come up with ideas on how to connect to the 19th southbound shared use path as it goes in. One idea was to route around behind the businesses mentioned, near the Costco parking lot. Action Item Summary (1) Bring bicycle facility priorities as applies to capital improvements using our budget. (2) Examine the N. 19th and Valley Center interchange and bring ideas for improvements. (3) Be proactive on looking for public meeting notices and be sure that a BABAB member is present at meetings that are relevant. (e.g., State DOT meeting calendar at http://mdt.mt.gov/pubinvolve/scripts/news.pl?) (4) Look for more bicycle facility standards and summarize for the board. Next Meeting: March 7, 2006, 6:00 pm, Alfred Stiff Professional Building.