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HomeMy WebLinkAbout071702 Transportation Coordinating Committee Minutes BOZEMAN AREA TRANSPORTATION COORDINATING COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY, JULY 17, 2002, 9:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. MINUTES ITEM 1. CALL TO ORDER AND ATTENDANCE Chairperson Bill Murdock called the meeting to order at 9:40 a.m. and directed the secretary to record the attendance. Members Present Dave Skelton, representing Andrew Epple, Office of Planning and Community Development Debbie Arkell, Director of Public Service, City Lesley Tribelhorn, Engineering Services Supervisor, Butte District MDT Lee Provance, Gallatin County Road Supervisor Ross Gammon, Maintenance Chief, Bozeman Division, MDT Jason Giard, District Engineer, Butte District, MDT Clark Johnson, City Manager, Bozeman Bill Murdock, Representative, Gallatin County Commission Steve Kirchhoff, Mayor, Bozeman Zia Kazimi, Supervisor, Urban Planning, MDT Ralph Zimmer, Representative, Pedestrian & Traffic Safety Committee Staff Present Rick Hixson, City Engineer, Bozeman Others Present Rod Payne Ron Hensen Bob Ball Ed Vanderwey Debe Youngberg Mandy Drysdale Tom Stuber Mike Kvasnick Rob Bukvich ITEM 2. MINUTES OF APRIL 17, 2002 Chairperson Murdock called for corrections or additions to the minutes of April 17, 2002. Ms. Arkell noted she wasn’t in attendance, though on page 5, third paragraph, fourth line, the sentence should read, “…37 feet back-of-curb…” Mr. Giard noted on page 7, under item 6, the first sentence should read, “Mr. Bukvich reported the State Transportation (rather than “Highway”) Commission … He also asked that “temporary” be removed in the fifth line of the same paragraph. MOTION: Mr. Provance moved, Ms. Arkell seconded, to approve the minutes of April 17, 2002 as amended. The motion carried unanimously. ITEM 3 PRESENTATIONS Four Corners Mr. Giard announced this was the last meeting for him, and no replacement has been appointed. He reported that the Four Corners west project will be let about the same time as two subdivisions; however, at last minute MDT added a left turn lane. He noted there is an access control project under review for the Four Corners north on Highway 191, which will include a left turn bay for each county road. He reported a separate project to rebuild the intersection at Four Corners, with the probable addition of a right turn lane into Zoot Enterprises. He noted both Zoot Enterprises and Four Star Subdivisions are required to help finance that turn bay. He noted the scale may be moving to Henry’s Lake. He stated the road south will be widened in the future, but a study is required first. He reported on access control onto Huffine Lane. Mr. Zimmer asked if sidewalks will be installed on both sides of the road. Mr. Giard noted there are 8’ shoulders on each side, with bike path/pedestrian walkway from Four Corners to the Monforton School Road, including a tunnel under the 5 lanes. He noted to the west of the intersection there is a bike path/pedestrian way on the south side of the road. He stated a similar lane could be added on north side with the right turn lane into Zoot Enterprises. He noted the only crosswalks planned are at Four Corners and at Norris Road. He stated MDT was looking into financing to put a tunnel under the road. He noted the subdivision developers have promised they will provide a pathway to get the school students from the new subdivisions to Four Corners. Mr. Giard noted the only control MDT has over any new subdivisions outside the City was the number of accesses allowed onto the highways. Mike Kavasnik asked that a traffic study and a master plan be completed for the Four Corners area. B. Downtown Bozeman Traffic Study – Bob Ball Rod Payne, SEH, reported on the findings of the Downtown Bozeman Traffic Improvement Study. He reviewed the project timeline. Bob Ball, SEH, noted they want to present the preliminary findings and proposed alternatives at the October meeting. He noted the study would identify the downtown area using parking data, bicycle enhancements, and pedestrian friendliness. He introduced Ron Henson of the Boulder office. Mr. Kirkhoff stated that Mr. Pepper had suggested including land use and perhaps a larger downtown area north and south to create a more “people friendly” business district. C. Western Transportation Institute – This report was included with the Transit Committee report D. Other ITEM 4. TCC MEMBER REPORTS Transit Committee Report Brian Close reported that the implementation committee was to develop the system parameters by this fall. He noted the committee has visited several cities in Montana and has seen a range of problems, costs, etc., for those cities. He stated that implementing transit would include more than adding busses. He suggested hiring a full time person to promote ride-share, park and ride, busses, etc. He stated he would recommend the system go beyond Bozeman with the minimum of servicing the Bozeman-Four Corners-Belgrade triangle. He noted frequency of service is one of the keys to success. He stated he favored more frequent routes and fewer of them, if necessary. He reported it might cost a million dollars a year to get a system up and running. He discussed infrastructure and the technology required. He noted the initial costs might be in the 8 million dollar range. He stated the committee should have an estimated cost by the middle of August. He stated his vision was to plan big with a soft start on a well-planned system. He noted it seemed to be common for cities to take three years to get the system up and running. Lisa Bower announced a workshop and invited members to it. Chairperson Murdock asked if the presentation should be made to the Belgrade TCC. Mr. Close concurred. It was noted that the Belgrade TCC currently consists of the Belgrade City Council. Chairperson Murdock asked for a report on the savings incurred when cities switched from individual transportation to transit. Tom Stuber, MDT, reported on his visit to Portland, OR, and noted the benefits of adding light rail transit were that more lanes weren’t required on the interstates. He noted it would be different in Bozeman. He noted very few additional lanes would be saved. He noted the gains would be more availability for the elderly, disabled, and low-income people. Mr. Close noted there was a lot of congestion in Missoula with the busses. Mr. Stuber noted a needs assessment was recently done for southern Montana, including Bozeman and Gallatin County. Mr. Close reported the committee should have systems options and costs by September or October. Mr. Stuber suggested the committee have sources of funds listed as concrete and other funding. Chairperson Murdock noted that Big Sky bids out its transit system as it was too expensive to purchase a system. Mr. Skelton asked if preliminary routes have been proposed. Mr. Close noted there are existing routes and a subcommittee would be appointed at tonight’s meeting to work on the routes. ITEM 5. OLD BUSINESS ITEM 6. NEW BUSINESS ITEM 7. PROJECT UPDATES - Discussion only as needed MSU Projects Update Belgrade Projects Update Mr. Giard reported was still working on the Jackrabbit /Secondary 205 signal and plan to install it next year. He noted MDT met with Montana Rail Link to discuss the railroad crossings, which resulted in a determination that there was no fix for the Belgrade crossings. He stated MDT would pursue an interchange near the airport to help the traffic/railroad crossings in Belgrade. He noted it would probably go under the railroad and Frontage Road. Chairperson Murdock asked how to get it listed as a higher priority. Mr. Giard noted local governments would need to push it. Chairperson Murdock noted the airport was willing to put 3-4 million dollars towards the new interchange. Mr. Giard noted 20 railroad crossings were studied, including those in Bozeman and Belgrade. He reported the crossing at Rouse Avenue was not fixable. CTEP Projects Mr. Provance noted the CTEP project at Gateway was being designed. West Babcock Street Improvements South 19th Avenue - Main Street to Kagy Boulevard Ms. Arkell reported on improvements from South 19th Avenue to Lincoln Street and noted they were nearly completed. North 19th Avenue and Main Street Intersection Improvements Mr. Giard reported that construction on the 19th Avenue/Main Street intersection should begin next summer. Other North 19th Avenue Mr. Giard reported the two signals at Tschache Lane and Deadman’s Gulch will be discussed at the Missoula meeting and will be installed by December of this year. Mr. Skelton asked Mr. Giard to discuss number and location of accesses that MDT would allow on Valley Center Road. Mr. Giard noted MDT has asked developers to do a traffic study and preliminary reports indicated that improvements may be required. Signal Projects 9. North Rouse Avenue 10. Other ITEM 8. DISCUSSION ITEMS Street widths Other Ms. Arkell asked the Recording Secretary to write a letter to absent members to remind them to send a proxy to the meetings, explaining the need to raise a quorum. Chairperson Murdock asked that the transit item remain on the agenda as well as the downtown study. Ms. Arkell noted she would have report on TSM’s for the next meeting. Chairperson Murdock asked that a plaque be ordered for Mr. Giard and invite him to one of the next meetings. Mr. Kavasnik asked if a project is slated for the widening of North Rouse Avenue. Mr. Giard reported that 2 miles of Rouse Avenue will be reconstructed and widened; however, it will be 5-6 years out. ITEM 9. NEXT MEETING AND ADJOURNMENT October 16, 2002 - Regular meeting 9:30 a.m. There being no further business to come before the Committee, the meeting adjourned at 10:55 a.m. __________________________________________ Bill Murdock, Chairperson Bozeman Area Transportation Coordinating Committee