3.
City Council Work Session
- Meeting Date:
- 10/05/2026
- TITLE
- School Zone Policy Review and Aggressive Driving Initiative
- PRESENTED BY:
- Kevin Iffland
- Department:
- City Hall Administration
Presentation:
Yes
Legal Review:
No
Project Number:
N/A
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that City Council direct staff to proceed with a coordinated traffic-safety review that combines CM Lindley’s School Zone Policy Review initiative with the City’s developing aggressive-driving effort. Staff would prioritize the immediate engineering and traffic review at Will James Middle School and the Grand Avenue/Rehberg Lane crossing, while concurrently developing broader recommendations for school-zone policy, aggressive-driving enforcement, engineering improvements, education, and prioritization of high-risk locations. Any formal policy, ordinance, budget, or traffic-control action would return to Council at a future business meeting.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
CM Lindley submitted an initiative requesting a rapid review of the City’s School Zone Traffic Control Policy. The initiative proposes a two-phase review: Phase 1 would evaluate Will James Middle School, including the Grand Avenue and Rehberg Lane crossing, and return with a recommended school-zone boundary, speed limit, hours of operation, and related crossing improvements; Phase 2 would review the broader policy that excludes middle and high schools from reduced-speed school zones and return with proposed policy amendments, a prioritized list of sites, cost estimates, and an implementation timeline.
Separately, Council and staff have received an increasing number of concerns regarding speeding, aggressive driving, crosswalk safety, school areas, and traffic enforcement. Because these issues rely on many of the same data, engineering tools, enforcement resources, and public-safety objectives, staff recommends managing them within one coordinated traffic-safety framework rather than as separate efforts. The immediate Will James review would remain on an expedited track and would not be delayed by the broader citywide work.
Separately, Council and staff have received an increasing number of concerns regarding speeding, aggressive driving, crosswalk safety, school areas, and traffic enforcement. Because these issues rely on many of the same data, engineering tools, enforcement resources, and public-safety objectives, staff recommends managing them within one coordinated traffic-safety framework rather than as separate efforts. The immediate Will James review would remain on an expedited track and would not be delayed by the broader citywide work.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
The current School Zone Traffic Control Policy reflects a 1989 City Council decision to limit reduced-speed school zones to elementary schools. CM Lindley’s initiative asks staff to review that policy and determine whether reduced-speed zones should also be considered at middle and high schools based on engineering and traffic investigations. The initiative identifies Will James Middle School as the immediate priority following the September 24, 2026 pedestrian crash involving a Will James student at Grand Avenue and Rehberg Lane.
Staff proposes organizing the combined work into three related tracks:
1. Immediate Will James / Grand-Rehberg Review – complete the requested engineering and traffic investigation; evaluate an appropriate school-zone boundary, speed, and hours; review signal operations, pavement markings, signage, visibility, turning movements, and other crossing improvements; and coordinate with Billings Public Schools and other roadway jurisdictions as needed.
2. Citywide School Zone Policy Review – review the existing policy, develop consistent engineering criteria for elementary, middle, and high school locations, inventory candidate sites, identify jurisdictional considerations, estimate costs, and recommend an implementation sequence.
3. Aggressive Driving / High-Risk Traffic Locations – use available crash, speed, complaint, and enforcement information to identify recurring problem areas; develop a common process for evaluating complaints; and consider the appropriate combination of engineering, enforcement, education, and communication strategies.
Combining the efforts allows staff to evaluate the full range of traffic-safety tools while maintaining the urgency of the Will James review. It also provides a consistent framework for the growing number of traffic-safety complaints and suggestions being received by Council and staff. This work is consistent with the City’s responsibility to manage its transportation system and with the existing Safe Routes to School work referenced in the initiative.
The Agressive Driving Committee will hold their first meeting on October 6, 2026.
Staff proposes organizing the combined work into three related tracks:
1. Immediate Will James / Grand-Rehberg Review – complete the requested engineering and traffic investigation; evaluate an appropriate school-zone boundary, speed, and hours; review signal operations, pavement markings, signage, visibility, turning movements, and other crossing improvements; and coordinate with Billings Public Schools and other roadway jurisdictions as needed.
2. Citywide School Zone Policy Review – review the existing policy, develop consistent engineering criteria for elementary, middle, and high school locations, inventory candidate sites, identify jurisdictional considerations, estimate costs, and recommend an implementation sequence.
3. Aggressive Driving / High-Risk Traffic Locations – use available crash, speed, complaint, and enforcement information to identify recurring problem areas; develop a common process for evaluating complaints; and consider the appropriate combination of engineering, enforcement, education, and communication strategies.
Combining the efforts allows staff to evaluate the full range of traffic-safety tools while maintaining the urgency of the Will James review. It also provides a consistent framework for the growing number of traffic-safety complaints and suggestions being received by Council and staff. This work is consistent with the City’s responsibility to manage its transportation system and with the existing Safe Routes to School work referenced in the initiative.
The Agressive Driving Committee will hold their first meeting on October 6, 2026.
FISCAL EFFECTS
There is no immediate fiscal action requested at this work session. Staff time will be required from Public Works/Engineering, Police, Legal, Planning and City Administration. Future recommendations may include costs for signage, pavement markings, school-zone flashers or changeable message signs, signal modifications, pedestrian improvements, data collection, and targeted enforcement. Planning-level and site-specific cost estimates, potential funding sources, and any required budget action will be presented with future recommendations.
STAKEHOLDERS
City of Billings
Citizens of Billings
School District 2
Citizens of Billings
School District 2
ALTERNATIVES
1. Direct staff to proceed with the coordinated three-track approach described above.
2. Direct staff to proceed with the Will James and school-zone policy review separately from the aggressive-driving initiative.
3. Limit the current work to the Will James/Grand-Rehberg review and defer broader school-zone and aggressive-driving work.
4. Provide other direction regarding scope, priorities, timing, or desired deliverables.
2. Direct staff to proceed with the Will James and school-zone policy review separately from the aggressive-driving initiative.
3. Limit the current work to the Will James/Grand-Rehberg review and defer broader school-zone and aggressive-driving work.
4. Provide other direction regarding scope, priorities, timing, or desired deliverables.