Bozeman MPO prioritizes regional perimeter trail loop in UPWP scoping; staff to draft cost-share proposal

The Bozeman MPO Transportation Policy Coordinating Committee discussed adding a regional perimeter trail loop study to the Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) for federal fiscal year 2026 and asked MPO staff to draft a proposed scope, budget and cost-sharing approach. Committee members and TTAC had coalesced around the perimeter loop as a regional priority; staff will present a draft UPWP in June and return a final UPWP for approval in August.

Jeff Butts, MPO staff presenting the UPWP scoping memo, said the MPO’s PL planning allocation based on the Bozeman urbanized area population is just under $443,000 for the coming year and that the MPO also has about $252,000 in reserves. He described several candidate planning activities that have been discussed by TPCC, TTAC and staff, including a perimeter loop trail, a campus access study for Montana State University, a remote-worker travel survey, and corridor analysis for downtown Main Street and Belgrade’s pedestrianization efforts. TTAC favored the regional perimeter trail loop and suggested exploring participation by Belgrade and Gallatin County.

Neil Cardwell said, “I would, I would love to see that,” and supported a regional approach that could leverage other agencies’ funding and parks-and-recreation interests. Several members asked whether the City of Bozeman’s $70,000 set aside for a perimeter-route study could be transferred to the MPO; Butts said staff would investigate agreements and the cost-share rules and report back.

Committee members discussed the existing cost-share formula that would assign 50% of shared planning costs to the City of Bozeman, 25% to Gallatin County and 25% to the City of Belgrade, and asked staff to explore alternative funding arrangements while retaining the cost-share agreement as an option. TPCC gave staff direction to draft UPWP language and rough numbers for a regional trail-loop study and to return with a draft in June.

Staff updates delivered to the committee included: the long-range transportation plan (LRTP) procurement is under contract with Nelson Nygaard, which is now collecting background data and preparing outreach; the MPO funded a second planner position and extended an offer to Michael Stone, who accepted and is scheduled to start July 9; the UPWP allocated about 100 staff hours to review the Valley Center Spur connection under Interstate right-of-way and staff will reach out to MDT, BNSF and other stakeholders as part of that review; and the City’s announcement seeking a TPCC member-at-large produced no new applications, so staff will recontact prior applicants and consider additional advertising.

There was no public comment on the UPWP item. Staff said items that will return for committee review include a draft UPWP with a proposed regional-trail scope and cost-share options, and LRTP outreach plans associated with Nelson Nygaard’s contract.