East Curtis neighbors say utility project blocked driveways and raised safety concerns; city staff pledges follow-up

Residents from East Curtis described prolonged driveway blockages, damaged property and safety risks during public comment at the Oct. 7 Bozeman City Commission meeting.

Josh Spitzer, who lives at 1220 E. Curtis Street at the Cyprus utility renovation site, said his driveway was blocked by a pile of dirt and an open hole for nine weeks and that four households lacked vehicle access for that time. “We haven’t had access to our driveways and our garages, 4 of us, for 9 straight weeks,” Spitzer said. He and other speakers said contractor communication has been thin and at times condescending.

Neighbor Catherine Dayton said temporary water hoses created a biking hazard that caused a child to crash and that three neighbors experienced water in their basements during construction. Matt Kelly, another neighbor, described repeated property impacts — falling branches, house shaking from heavy equipment, accidental utility strikes and repeated holes — and urged the city and contractor to restore access promptly, particularly before winter and snowfall.

City staff acknowledged the complaints. In a later FYI the city manager said staff were disheartened by residents’ experiences and committed to contacting the contractor and neighbors immediately to improve communication and resolve access issues.

Ending

Residents asked for the project RFP, bid and contract documents and for clearer timetables and communications; staff said it would follow up the next day with contractor outreach and resident notifications.