Staff recommends that the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC) approve the Downtown Billings Traffic Study: Alternative Prioritization and Public Preference Plan (Preference Plan) on the recommendations forwarded by the City-County Planning Board, City Council and Board of County Commissioners. The Board of County Commissioners recommended conditional approval (See Stakeholders section).

The Billings Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) requested proposals from qualified firms to develop a Downtown Billings Traffic Study: Alternative Prioritization and Public Preference Plan (Preference Plan). The goal of this project was to the take the identified transportation network alternatives completed in the Downtown Traffic Study, completed by the City of Billings Engineering Division, and execute a robust and creative public outreach process to develop an implementation and project prioritization strategy.

The MPO through a competitive process hired Dowl to develop a Downtown Billings Traffic Study: Alternative Prioritization and Public Preference Plan (Preference Plan).

The Preference Plan project was prompted by the Downtown Billings Traffic Study (DBTS) completed for the City of Billings Engineering Division by Kittelson and Associates and Dowl in 2019. The Preference Plan solicited public feedback and prioritization preference of the feasible transportation network alternatives vetted in the DBTS. The vetted alternatives presented to the public are:

• One-Way to Two-Way Conversions: North and South
  • This segment of the survey included six questions, five offering feasible options on 33^rd, 34^th, and 35^th Streets; 26^th, 29^th, and 31^st Streets; 30^th and 32^nd Streets; 25^th Street; and 25^th Street at the MET Transfer Center; and one offering an option for participants to comment.
  • Of the 2,167 survey answers provided to this line of questions, 65% were in favor of a conversion.
  • 116 comments were made offering feedback related to traffic flow, the need for bike lanes, parking concerns/need, and safety.
• One-Way to Two-Way Conversion: East and West (1^st Avenue N and 2^nd Avenue N)
  • This segment of the survey included two questions, one asking about the conversion from one-way to two-way and one offering an option for participants to comment.
  • Of the 442 survey answers provided to this line of questions, 61% were in favor of a conversion.
  • 65 comments were made offering feedback; recurring themes included economic impact, concern over construction expense and possible congestion, and the need for bicyclist and pedestrian safety.
• Road Diet: Montana Avenue (Division Street to 18^th Street)
  • This segment of the survey included four questions, three asking about possible road diet options between 30^th-35^th Street, 27^th-30^th Street, and on offering an option for participants to comment.
  • Of the 1,326 survey answers provided to this line of questioning, 60% were in favor of a conversion.
  • 94 comments were made offering feedback; recurring themes included varying opinions on the need for bike facilities and concerns over congestion, traffic speed and pedestrian safety on the east end of Montana Avenue, and loss of parking spaces.
• Road Diet: 6^th Avenue N (Main Street to North 13^th Street)
  • This segment of the survey included three questions, two asking about possible road diet options between 10^th Street and main Street, and 13^th Street and 10^th Street, and one offering an option for participants to comment.
  • Of the 2,167 survey answers provided to this line of questioning, 66% were in favor of a conversion.
  • 61 comments were made offering feedback; recurring themes included concerns about congestion and commute time. Others emphasized the need for a connection for bicyclists between the Heights and Downtown and bike/pedestrian safety. References to the East Billings Urban Renewal District (EBURD) Master Plan, 5^th Avenue N project, and the Inner Belt Loop integration were also made.
• Road Diet: 13^th Street (Between 6^th Avenue North and 1^st Avenue North)
  • This segment of the survey included three questions, two asking about possible road diet options between 4^th Avenue N and 6^th Avenue N, and 1^st Avenue N, and one offering an option for participants to comment.
  • Of the 875 survey answers provided to this line of questioning, 60% were in favor of a conversion.
  • 29 comments were made offering feedback; recurring themes included the need for bicycle and pedestrian safety, traffic flow and BIRD development. Others questioned the need for bike lanes in the industrial area of town and related expense. Again, integration with the East Billings Urban Renewal District (EBURD) Master Plan and 5^th Avenue N projects were recommended.
• Seasonal Closure: Broadway Avenue
  • This segment of the survey included two questions, one asking about a seasonal closure and one offering an option for participants to comment.
  • Of the 441 survey answers provided to this line of questions, 64% were in favor of a conversion.
  • 603 comments were made offering feedback; recurring themes included business access, economic vitality, and activity in downtown. Some participants expressed a desire to see a full closure, while others were concerned bout the impact to traffic flow and parking spaces.

Overall, members of the public and stakeholder groups who were engaged with the project provided passionate, thoughtful opinions. Citizens are deeply engaged in the community and downtown; hopeful that improvements would increase economic vitality and spur development; and concerned about accessibility, walkability and bike-ability.
 

This study has been reviewed by the City-County Planning Board, Board of County Commission, and Billings City Council. The Planning Board held a public hearing prior to its recommendation of approval. Each governing body is forwarding a recommendation of approval to the PCC. The Board of County Commissioners voted to approve the Plan with the following condition attached to its approval: The BOCC voted to move the study forward with a recommendation not to reduce any traffic lanes to accommodate bike lanes. The BOCC provided further reasoning on its recommendation. Specifically, it was stated restricting vehicle traffic movements to accommodate bike lanes makes no sense, is counterproductive, and increases gas use instead of decreasing it. Additionally, it increases time at stop lights, it increases wait time for everyone, and reduces services provided. 

The contract for the Downtown Billings Traffic Study: Alternative Prioritization and Public Preference Plan with Dowl was budgeted at $50,000. The majority of the funding is through the MPO’s Federal PL (planning) funds. PL funds for this project required 40% local match, which was provided through the Planning Division’s approved budget.

Although this study does not provide exact costs associated with preferred alternatives, the Downtown Billings Traffic Study completed by Kittelson & Associates in 2019 provided planning level cost estimates for selected elements. Further decisions about what conversions might be done first, timing and allocations of funds, are all elements that may happen next using this Preference Plan's findings.