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4-14-14
City of Bozeman – Engineering Department
Attn: Rick Hixson
20 E Olive
Bozeman, MT 59715
Dear Mr. Hixson,
Please accept the exhibits included with this letter as a submittal package to facilitate discussion and approval
with the Transportation Coordinating Committee (TCC), regarding a future 27th Avenue through the Montana
State University Innovation Campus (MSUIC). We have been advised to meet with the TCC regarding 27th
Avenue. This package is intended for use in the April 23rd, 2014 TCC meeting.
We are planning to provide a presentation of the MSUIC project at this meeting. Our hope is that the TCC will
make a decision on April 23rd as to; 1) the necessity of a 27th Avenue through the MSU Innovation Campus, 2)
revising the 2007 Transportation Plan to remove 27th Avenue through the MSU Innovation Campus, or 3) if the
TCC finds 27th Avenue necessary through the MSU Innovation Campus, then recommendation be provided to
the City Commission to approve the construction of 27th as shown on the exhibits included with this letter, thus
allowing MSUIC to finalize permitting and construction documents to begin installation of the roadways and
utilities this summer.
The original master plan for the MSU Innovation Campus was completed at the end of 2012 and was shown
and discussed in meetings with city staff and during two city commission meetings. CTA conducted various
discussions with members of the City of Bozeman public staff starting at the end of 2013. Through these
meetings CTA was instructed by the City engineering staff that the MSU Innovation Campus would need to
follow the Greater Bozeman Area Transportation Plan (2007) unless the TCC and ultimately the City
Commission approved of an amendment to the 2007 plan. This plan shows a “future collector” through the
MSUIC site connecting West College Street with West Garfield Street via a future 27th Avenue. The MSUIC
original master plan did not show this connection, because national standards of university-related research
parks are pedestrian friendly campus environments that reduce vehicular interruptions comparable to that of
the Montana State University main campus. Hearing the needs of the City of Bozeman engineering staff,
MSUIC has revisited the original plan to see what alternatives can be generated in order to accomplish the
development of a pedestrian research and development (R&D) campus while attempting to accommodate the
2007 Transportation Plan.
In order to work in partnership, variances through the City process will most likely be needed including block
length (along Garfield), and, if 27th from Technology to College is required in the future, drive access offsets
with 27th Avenue at College. Also, regarding water, sanitary sewer, and storm sewer facilities, we will need to
utilize the 27th Avenue right of way to connect to existing utilities within the College Street ROW. As you are
fully aware, MDT will be starting the College Street construction project later this summer and it will be vitally
important that we are allowed to utilize these existing utilities.
Not included with the provided exhibits is a Traffic Study for the project. A traffic study is currently being
conducted by a qualified Traffic Engineer and will be available no later than April 23rd.
Sincerely,
CTA ARCHITECTS ENGINEERS
Ron Isackson, PE
cc: CTA File