Bozeman staff weigh permanent parking limits, odd/even pilot to improve winter plowing and emergency access

Bozeman transportation staff on April 23 presented options to manage on-street parking in winter after a season that strained plowing operations, slowed residential street clearing and raised concerns about emergency vehicle access.

Nick Ross, director of transportation engineering for the City of Bozeman, told the Bozeman Area Transportation Board that a recent odd/even pilot showed clear performance differences between blocks that complied with alternate-side rules and those that did not. “We do need clear access to the curb on our local streets for purpose of snow storage,” Ross said, explaining that without that access snow cannot be stored and streets cannot be plowed effectively.

The discussion came during a work session; no formal vote was taken. Ross framed the issue with winter operations data: the Streets Division reported about 84 inches of snow for the season, roughly 46,000 lane miles plowed, 2,600 miles of sidewalks and shared-use paths cleared, and about $1.5 million in labor, material and equipment costs for the division this past snow year.

Why it matters: staff said parked cars on narrow, legacy downtown streets create operations slowdowns that turn a motor grader’s 4 mph production target into near walking pace when cars block curbs. That loss of productivity contributed to delays that left some residential streets uncleared for up to three weeks at peak winter conditions. Ross and staff also stressed public-safety risks: the International Fire Code requires a 20-foot clear width for fire apparatus operations, a standard staff said many downtown streets do not meet in winter when both sides are parked.

What the city tested and learned

The odd/even pilot (alternate-side parking) was run in a downtown area south of Main Street. Staff reported blocks that complied — providing one curb face clear — saw a “drastic” improvement in plowing productivity; blocks that did not comply saw “no effect” and continued service failures. Drivers who depend on neighborhood parking, turnover from transient parkers (students, employees, visitors) and high utilization around parks reduced pilot compliance, staff said. Parking enforcement capacity and clarity of signage also affected compliance: without clearly posted, enforceable signs and active enforcement, many drivers ignored the temporary requests to move vehicles.

Policy alternatives considered

Staff laid out four alternatives: - No action (status quo): continue current winter operations, with the risk of continued service shortfalls on local streets. - More permanent one-side parking restrictions on narrow streets (convert some streets to permanent single-side parking): staff estimated roughly 50% of downtown local streets are under 35 feet curb-to-curb; removing parking on one side of those streets would represent about a 25% reduction in on-street supply in the affected neighborhoods but would allow reliable plow access and reduce emergency-service risk. - Make the odd/even (alternate-side) pilot permanent citywide for the downtown area (seasonal restriction one day per week, alternating side): this would require installing approximately 1,000 signs, contracting sign printing and instituting active enforcement to be effective, staff said. - Expand overnight restrictions in the downtown core (for example, extending existing 2 a.m.–7 a.m. restrictions to additional blocks or additional nights), allowing more of the residential street clearing to happen on the 3 a.m. crew and preserving daytime curb access outside the restricted hours.

Ross emphasized the tradeoffs: permanent restrictions yield predictable clearance and improved safety but reduce parking supply; alternate-side rules minimize permanent loss of parking but require clear signs and sustained enforcement; expanding overnight restrictions can reduce daytime impacts while allowing earlier plow windows.

Costs and operational constraints

Staff estimated the sign program alone would require roughly 1,000 signs and a summer installation effort; sign printing would likely be contracted. Streets Division staffing limits were raised repeatedly: Ross said doubling the frequency of plowing for each street (to avoid alternate-side schedules) would effectively require substantially more staff and equipment, which would increase costs and require council budget decisions.

Public comment and board feedback

Residents and board members said the pilot’s mixed results were shaped by transient parkers and confusing signage. Justin Burzick, a resident, urged strong public outreach and clearer signs, saying the draft signs “are most definitely not in the MUTCD” and that compliance messaging should emphasize personal convenience and safety benefits. Board member Rio suggested drawing on snow-emergency models used in Minneapolis and Chicago and questioned whether a muscle-memory approach (consistent enforcement every year) would be preferable to a response-driven snow-emergency approach. Shannon, a board member, asked whether restrictions should apply only in heavy-snow years; staff noted commissioners were divided and that consistent rules could help build compliance but the board sought feedback.

Operational follow-ups and staff supports

Staff described several supporting steps under consideration, including: refining sign text and placement for legibility; working with parking enforcement and the Streets Division on enforcement protocols and fine levels (current fine cited as $23.50 by staff, which some said may be too low to deter noncompliance); targeted outreach to transient parker groups (students, downtown employees); limited alley assistance using skid steers when alley accumulation blocks off-street spaces; and potential service-equity questions because alleys downtown are not routinely plowed while subdivisions with HOAs often contract private alley service.

No formal action was taken; staff requested advisory feedback and sign-design input over the summer ahead of any formal proposal to the City Commission. Ross said the city will continue to refine options, signage and enforcement details before presenting any ordinance or regulatory changes to the commission.

Ending

Board members thanked Streets Division staff for the winter effort and noted the discussion would continue with the commission this spring. The board adjourned with the understanding that staff would return with refined sign designs, enforcement plans and data-driven parking utilization analysis for the areas under consideration.