Project Description

The City of Bozeman and Gallatin County, in conjunction with the Montana Department of Transportation, is conducting a major revision to the Greater Bozeman Area Transportation Plan (2001 Update). The updated Plan will be multi-modal and will examine all forms of ground transportation, including cars, trucks, buses, biking, and walking.

The planning process includes data collection, problem identification, exploring alternatives, and developing recommendations. The planning process has been designed to provide many opportunities for public involvement.

Gallatin County and the City of Bozeman have hired the engineering firm of Robert Peccia and Associates (RPA) of Helena and Kalispell, Montana to assist in the development of the Plan. Having developed Bozeman’s previous Transportation Plan (2001 Update), as well as having completed similar transportation plans in other Montana communities and throughout the United States, RPA brings a wide variety of experience to the planning team.

Goals & Objectives

To be developed.

Schedule

The project schedule is an eighteen-month time frame. The project schedule began on April 1, 2007 and strives for a final document and project completion near August 31, 2008. The Consultant will begin the process of collecting data for the baseline traffic conditions for the study area in May, 2007.

Click here to view project schedule graphic

Data & Figures

Robert Peccia & Associates will be producing numerous informational displays about existing transportation conditions and findings. Many of these products will be in graphical form to make it easier for you to review and understand. The following topics are available at this time: (You must have Acrobat Reader 6.0 to open the Displays. Acrobat Reader 6.0 may be downloaded for free here: Get Acrobat Reader)

Study Area Boundary

Existing Major Street Network
Existing Intersection Level of Service

Corridor Size

Traffic Volumes

Traffic Signal System

Transportation Theme Boards

Study Area Boundary

This map shows the City of Bozeman and those portions of Gallatin County included in this 2007 Transportation Plan Update. Note that the entire city of Bozeman is contained within the study area boundary as well as portions of Gallatin County surrounding Bozeman. The Transportation Plan study area boundary is slightly larger than the previous Greater Bozeman Area Transportation Plan (2001 Update) due to growth in the past several years around the foothills of the Bridger Mountains and to the west of Jackrabbit Lane.

Click here to view Study Area Boundary figure (Fig 1-1)

Existing Major Street Network

Urban areas within Montana have what is known as a Federally approved “functional classification system”. In addition to the Federally approved functional classification system, many urban areas also have their own street classification network. This is the case for the Greater Bozeman area. Their classification system is also shown on graphics presented herein, and is referred to as the “Major Street Network”. Streets generally fall into five (5) roadway classifications, all of which are shown on the following graphics. These roadway classifications are:

· Interstate Highways

· Principal Arterials

· Minor Arterials

· Collectors

· Local Streets

Principal Arterials carry vehicles efficiently from place to place serving most trips entering and leaving the urban area. Access to adjacent land uses is a minor function for this classification of street.

Minor Arterials carry vehicles quickly from place to place connecting the principal arterials, but access to adjacent land use has a higher priority.

Collectors link local access streets to the arterial network. Speeds are generally lower than on arterials and access to adjacent land uses has a high priority.

The primary purpose of Local streets is access to adjacent land uses. Speeds are intended to be lower and access to and from driveways is frequent.

The Major Street Network includes all streets, other than local streets, that are used by the public to get from place to place within the study area.

Click here to view Major Street Network figure (Fig 2-1)

Click here to view enlarged Major Street Network figure (Fig 2-2)

Existing Intersection Level of Service

A level of service (LOS) analysis will be performed on most existing signalized intersections and several unsignalized intersections within the study area that are on the major street network. The level of service (LOS) is a qualitative measure developed by the transportation profession to quantify driver perception for such elements as travel time, number of stops, total amount of stopped delay, and impediments caused by other vehicles. It provides a scale that is intended to match the perception by motorists of the operation of the intersection. The scale is based on the ability of an intersection or street segment to accommodate the amount of traffic using it. The scale ranges from “A” which indicates little, if any, vehicle delay (less than 10 seconds per vehicle for signalized and unsignalized intersections), to “F” which indicates significant vehicle delay (greater than 80 seconds per vehicle for signalized intersections and 50 seconds per vehicle for unsignalized intersections). Intersections with a LOS of D or lower may be problematic based on driver perception, and may warrant improvements or additional study.

Click here to view Existing Level of Service figure (Fig 2-9)

Click here to view enlarged Existing Level of Service figure (Fig 2-10)

Corridor Size
These maps show the number of lanes on each Major Street Network link. The number of lanes refers to the number of continuous lanes. Turn pockets, either left or right, do not count as an additional lane. A five-lane facility has a continuous two-way, center-turn lane. A three-lane facility has either a continuous two-way, center-turn lane, or is a one-way street with three through lanes of traffic.

Click here to view Corridor Size figure (Fig 2-5)

Click here to view enlarged Corridor Size figure (Fig 2-6)

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Traffic Volumes
Average daily traffic volumes within the study area are shown in this map. Traffic volumes were collected in 24-hour periods throughout the community. This data is expressed in the form of Average Daily Traffic Volumes and is shown on the map. This map is color coded to match the Corridor Size Map. Therefore, all streets that are shown in green (volumes under 12,000 vehicles per day) can generally be accommodated by a two-lane road.

Click here to view Traffic Volumes figure (Fig 2-3)

Click here to view enlarged Traffic Volumes figure (Fig 2-4)

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Traffic Signal System
When analyzing the operation of an entire road network it is best to examine the existing signalized intersections. There are forty-seven signalized intersections within the study boundary. Most of the signals are located along Main Street, located in the downtown central business district (CBD), 19th Avenue, and 7th Avenue roadway corridors. These maps show the locations of the existing traffic signals, and the coordination systems.

Click here to view Traffic Signal System figure (Fig 2-7)

Click here to view enlarged Traffic Signal System figure (Fig 2-8)

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Transportation Theme Boards

Click the links below to view the PDF files.

Transportation Goals

Safety

Bicycle/Ped Facilities -1

Bicycle/Ped Facilities -2

Bicycle/Ped Facilities-3

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Newsletters

Several electronic newsletters will be developed over the course of the project. They will be available in electronic format only.

Click here to view Project Newsletter No. 1

Click here to view Project Newsletter No. 2

Public Involvement Opportunities

The development of this Transportation Plan includes an extensive public involvement process. This process has been designed to encourage public involvement and meaningful participation. Several public outreach activities will be held on the project overthe course of the project’s development. These public outreach activities will be devoted to defining relevant issues, presenting preliminary findings of the analysis and studies of the existing transportation system, as well as population, employment and demographic changes.

There will also be public outreach activities scheduled during the development of recommendations to modify identified problem areas of the transportation system.

The second public informational meeting was held the evening of Wednesday, November 28th. Over 65 citizens were in attendance and participated. Click on the link below to view the "PDF" of the PowerPoint presentation and the meeting minutes.

Towards the end of the project, additional public venues will be held after the draft plan has been published to discuss elements contained in the draft, and a public hearing will be held before the Plan is produced in final form and adopted. Check the Bozeman Daily Chronicle and this website periodically for information relating to the time and location of future public events.

Click here to view Public Meeting #1 Presentation (PDF File)

Click here to view Public Meeting #1 Meeting Minutes (PDF File)

Click here to view Public Meeting #2 Presentation (PDF File)

Click here to view Public Meeting #2 Meeting Minutes (PDF File)

Transportation Coordinating Committee (TCC) Presentations

This project has 18 scheduled Transportation Coordinating Committee (TCC) meetings. Ten of these meetings have been conducted to date. Click on the link below to view the "PDF" of the Power Point presentation.

Click here to view March 28th TCC Meeting (PDF File)

Click here to view April 25th TCC Meeting (No PDF available)

Click here to view May 23rd TCC Meeting (PDF File)

Click here to view June 27th TCC Meeting (PDF File)

Click here to view July 25th TCC Meeting (PDF File)

Click here to view August 22nd TCC Meeting (PDF File)

Click here to view September 26th TCC Meeting (No PDF available)

Click here to view October 23rd TCC Meeting (PDF File)

Click here to view November 28th TCC Meeting (PDF File)

Click here to view December 19th TCC Meeting (PDF File)