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Item 1.D.
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| City Council Regular | |
| Date: | 01/09/2023 |
| Title: | Billings Community Transportation Plan |
| Presented by: | Lora Mattox |
| Department: | Planning & Community Services |
| Presentation: | No |
| Legal Review | Not Applicable |
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council forward a recommendation of approval of the Billings Community Transportation Safety Plan (CTSP) to the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC). The PCC is scheduled to take final action on the plan at its January 17th meeting.
BACKGROUND (Consistency with Adopted Plans and Policies, if applicable)
The Billings Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is presenting the Billings Community Transportation Safety Plan (CTSP) to the City Council (Council) with the intent to have the Council forward a positive recommendation to the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC).
The MPO hired Dowl through a competitive process to develop the CTSP. The MPO initiated the process to update the CTSP that was first developed and adopted in 2016. The original plan was a collaborative effort between the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and the MPO. This update also included coordination with MDT. The ongoing purpose of the CTSP is to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes in the Billings area. Both the original CTSP and this update followed the same methodology as Montana's Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan (CHSP). This process, like the CHSP, used a coordinated, comprehensive, data-driven process with emphasis on collaboration between safety programs and partners representing the 4Es of transportation safety: education, enforcement, emergency medical services, and engineering. This approach was used to identify safety issues and determine areas in need of increased emphasis and strategies to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries.
Development of this plan was led by an Advisory Committee (AC) consisting of the Billings MPO, City of Billings, Yellowstone County, local safety partners, and MDT staff members as technical support. The AC elected to adopt Vision Zero, Montana's initiative to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on the state's public roadways. The vision and goal statement for the Billings CTSP were defined as follows.
The MPO hired Dowl through a competitive process to develop the CTSP. The MPO initiated the process to update the CTSP that was first developed and adopted in 2016. The original plan was a collaborative effort between the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and the MPO. This update also included coordination with MDT. The ongoing purpose of the CTSP is to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes in the Billings area. Both the original CTSP and this update followed the same methodology as Montana's Comprehensive Highway Safety Plan (CHSP). This process, like the CHSP, used a coordinated, comprehensive, data-driven process with emphasis on collaboration between safety programs and partners representing the 4Es of transportation safety: education, enforcement, emergency medical services, and engineering. This approach was used to identify safety issues and determine areas in need of increased emphasis and strategies to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries.
Development of this plan was led by an Advisory Committee (AC) consisting of the Billings MPO, City of Billings, Yellowstone County, local safety partners, and MDT staff members as technical support. The AC elected to adopt Vision Zero, Montana's initiative to eliminate fatalities and serious injuries on the state's public roadways. The vision and goal statement for the Billings CTSP were defined as follows.
Vision
The Billings community will achieve zero fatalities and serious injuries through a culture of safety for all travelers.
Goal
Based on a five-year rolling average, reduce fatalities and serious injuries by 20% from 57 to 46 by the end of 2024.
Based on a five-year rolling average, reduce fatalities and serious injuries by 20% from 57 to 46 by the end of 2024.
The group evaluated ten years of crash data and considered public survey results and the input of local safety partners to identify the following four emphasis areas with the greatest potential for reducing fatalities and serious injuries. After reviewing public comment collected through an online survey tool and conducting a half-day safety summit with community members and safety partners, the AC defined a set of emphasis areas to be addressed through action planning and the development of safety strategies. These areas include:
- Unrestrained Occupants
- Impaired Driving
- Inattentive Driving and Speeding
In addition, the AC is recommending a focus on young drivers within each of the emphasis areas. A list of all emphasis areas, strategies and action steps are located on page 39 of the plan.
STAKEHOLDERS
The project team developed a robust public involvement process to collect public and stakeholder input that included a website that featured and interactive map, a half-day summit, and a public meeting. These activities were supplemented with paid and earned media, email, and social media promotion. The CTSP website,https://billingsctsp.com provided stakeholders and the public an opportunity to learn about and participate in the project.The Safety Summit included over 60 safety-oriented stakeholders who gathered to support and contribute to the CTSP update. The event included:
Prior to PCC action on this item, the Council, Yellowstone County Board of Planning and the Board of County Commissioners will take action at regularly scheduled public meetings.
- Collection of stakeholder input;
- Discussion of comprehensive crash data analysis;
- Consideration of existing community safety programs;
- Identification of safety management strategies to meet the unique needs of the Billings community.
Prior to PCC action on this item, the Council, Yellowstone County Board of Planning and the Board of County Commissioners will take action at regularly scheduled public meetings.
ALTERNATIVES
City Council may:
- Recommend approval of the Billings Community Transportation Safety Plan to the Policy Coordinating Committee through the City's PCC representative; or,
- Recommend disapproval of the Billings Community Transportation Safety Plan to the Policy Coordinating Committee through the City's PCC representative. Disapproval would send a mixed message to community partners working to make our roadways safer and promote safety education for young drivers that Billings participated in the Safety Plan development but does not support implementation of the plan.
FISCAL EFFECTS
There is no fiscal effect to adopting this plan. Implementing the plan will not require direct City or County funds because the implementation strategies include education and enforcement programs that already exist or are readily available at no cost. However, if the City or County determine that a paid education campaign is desirable, funding will have to be secured through a variety of sources including materials provided through MDT safety, grants, or local contributions that could include city or county funds.
SUMMARY
The Billings Community Transportation Safety Plan outlines an action plan and strategies to reduce roadway fatalities and serious injuries in the Billings MPO area. The Plan through review of crash data, input from an Advisory Committee, local safety partners and the public developed a vision, goal, strategies and action plan to combat area crashes and the impact of those crashes on families and the community.