A community-led Bozeman Creek effort presented preliminary engineering options and alternatives at a recent meeting; URD and city staff said the Allied Engineering report offers multiple flood control and restoration alternatives and will be followed by a massing/visioning process funded by the city.

“They did a presentation about that,” Mark, URD board member, said after attending the public meeting at the Public Safety Center. Mark said the Allied report includes a range of alternatives — from full restoration to hybrid diversion approaches — and that the group intends to put a request for proposals (RFP) for a consultant to lead engagement and visioning work.

Why it matters: Bozeman Creek runs through and near downtown, and stakeholders told the meeting they want a flood-control solution that can also create a public amenity. URD staff said the city commission has set aside $150,000 in the FY26 budget for a massing plan to support this visioning work.

URD staff said the Allied study modeled flood scenarios including an 18% increase over a 100-year flood to account for likely future flows. Ellie, economic development staff, said the $150,000 is “specifically to go out and get this massing plan together,” and that the work will produce research, community engagement, concept imagery and an implementation pathway.

Attendance at the meeting included city staff, three city commissioners, county and trails representatives, Allied consultants and members of the public, according to board members who attended. Staff said Allied’s full report will be posted publicly in the coming weeks and that an RFP for a consultant to lead community visioning is expected to be released as soon as July, with consultant selection possible by late summer.

Board members said the effort will likely focus in four districts that together make up the corridor, with the massing plan concentrating primarily on the downtown portion. Staff cautioned that the FY26 funding covers the planning and visioning step only; construction funding has not been identified and will be a separate effort.

Next steps: staff expect to issue an RFP for visioning in July, engage community stakeholders through next spring and return concept recommendations for board and commission review.