TTAC forwards Bozeman-focused Transportation Alternatives grants to policy committee

The Galton Valley MPO Transportation Technical Advisory Committee voted to forward the scoring committee’s recommendation on Transportation Alternatives grants to the MPO policy committee for approval. The motion, made by John Howe and seconded by Sean O’Callaghan, passed with 11 votes in favor.

The Transportation Alternatives (TA) program funds non‑motorized and multimodal projects. Jeff Butts, MPO manager, told the committee the MPO had “just under $1,400,000 available” for competitive grants within the MPO’s urbanized area and that three applications were recommended by the project scoring committee and reviewed by the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) for fatal flaws.

Why it matters: TA funds are federal dollars intended for pedestrian, bicycle, safe routes to school and related investments. Advancing projects to the policy committee is the next formal step before state processing and contract execution; sponsors could begin implementation in 2027, depending on scheduling and contracting.

The three projects the scoring committee recommended are: - Bozeman Safe Routes to School: a programmatic request for a little over $60,000 in federal funding to support roughly 48 events across two years (bike‑to‑school events, bike rodeos), school coordinator support, two stakeholder meetings, partnerships with Western Transportation Institute, and licensing for shared carpool technology. Butts noted some line items, such as snacks, “would not be reimbursable” under federal rules. - ADA, transit and pedestrian improvements: a package including 22 ADA ramps, seven transit stop improvements, two pedestrian refuges, two flashing beacons and one pedestrian hybrid (HAWK) signal; multiple small sidewalk infill segments across Bozeman; and targeted work near the hospital, the surgery center and other nodes. - Flanders Middle sidewalk infill: roughly a half‑mile of new 6‑foot‑wide sidewalk, curb and crossings to connect a new park and nearby schools and sports fields; the concept includes culvert replacements across an irrigation ditch within a master‑planned area.

Committee members asked clarifying questions about program details and delivery risks. John Howe asked who would serve as school coordinators and which schools would be included; Butts said coordinators are typically teachers who partner with the city’s transportation demand management coordinator and that he would review the application details to identify specific schools. Sean O’Callaghan raised a timing and design concern for the Flanders sidewalk: if on‑street event parking occurs before the parking plan is built, “we’re gonna have some conflict there with on‑street parking blocking the sidewalk,” and he urged staff to coordinate timing or consider offsetting the sidewalk.

Butts said the scoring committee recommended all three projects and that the requested total was about $4,000 less than available funds, so there were no funding shortfalls at this stage. The committee voted to forward the recommendation to the policy committee (TPCC) for final action; if TPCC approves, the projects would then be processed through the statewide Transportation Commission and sponsor contracting.

The committee solicited public comment on the TA item; none was received. Next steps: TPCC consideration, then state review by MDT and the Transportation Commission; sponsors would sign contracts and pursue implementation if awarded.