Commissioners advance West Billings plan RFP, limit 'complete streets' recommendations to City of Billings

The Yellowstone County commissioners approved the West Billings plan request for proposals at their Aug. 15 meeting and inserted language specifying that any complete-streets analysis or recommendations in the transportation section would be limited to the City of Billings and not to Yellowstone County.

Monica, presenting the county's proposed wording, told commissioners she had sent language limiting complete-streets recommendations to the city and away from county jurisdiction. "...that any sort of complete streets analysis or recommendations would be limited specifically to the city of Billings and would not include Yellowstone County," she said. Commissioner Jones asked whether that limitation would prevent the plan from including parts of complete-streets measures that "actually make sense." He added, "Not all of them, and we don't agree with all of them." County staff clarified that federal funding rules require consideration of alternative modes of transportation when federal money is used but that the county has not adopted the City of Billings' complete-streets policy. The presenter said the RFP language would not preclude analysis or recommendations for shared trails or other active-transportation projects that overlap city and county.

A motion to approve the West Billings plan RFP with the limiting footnote in the transportation analysis passed by voice vote.