The City Council is being presented with the 2014 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP) for consideration of a recommendation to the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC). The Council reviewed the LRPT at is Work Session on July 7. In April of 2013, the City of Billings/Yellowstone County MPO entered into a contract with Kittelson and Associates, to complete the LRTP. The Plan addresses transportation planning across the City of Billings and portions of Yellowstone County outside the city limits. The LRTP addresses transportation project priorities, motorized and non-motorized transportation planning goals, and provides current and future estimates of traffic impacts to the community’s transportation system.

This plan includes updates to current transportation conditions, forecasts future population impact on the transportation system, models future traffic volumes to 2035, and includes transportation project priorities. The Plan also complies with the Federal MAP-21 (Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century) requirements to ensure the community qualifies for Federal Transportation funds.

For this LRTP, a Project Oversight Committee (POC) was formed to assist staff and the consultant with transportation project review and consultations with stakeholder organizations. The POC included local representation from the Board of County Commissioners, City Council, City Engineering Division, MET Transit, and County Public Works. In addition, extensive coordination with the Montana Department of Transportation, Billings Department of Aviation and Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and City Public Works was conducted to ensure the most up to date information was included in the plan. Aside from the POC meetings that were conducted throughout the plan development, three public meetings were held during the process to collect public input. A website also was built for the plan and was used to collect public input and share information throughout the process.

For the Council's review, special emphasis has been placed by staff on Chapter 11, The Recommended Plan, and Chapter 12, The Financial Plan, both of which are attached to this memo for review. The entire LRTP is available for review at www.billingslrtp.com. The PCC is scheduled to meet and consider action on the LRTP on July 15.

The City Council may:

• Recommend approval of the LRTP to the Policy Coordinating Committee; or
• Recommend approval of the LRTP with changes to the Policy Coordinating Committee; or
• Recommend denial of the LRTP to the Policy Coordinating Committee. Recommending denial could place adoption of the LRTP in jeopardy and delay access to federal transportation planning and project funds for the community. 

There should be no direct financial impact from the adoption of this plan. However, adoption of the plan qualifies the community for access to federal transportation planning and project funds and supports transportation project identification and prioritization for the Billings Urban Area.

Staff recommends that the City Council approve the 2014 Billings Long Range Transportation Plan and forward a recommendation of adoption to the Policy Coordinating Committee.