Billings TrailNet has been a fundraising organization for more than 10 years. Our nonprofit was created to supplement Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds to build trails. Things look a little different now: federal funding is not as available, nor is it provided to each community in the way it was under CTEP. Instead, Transportation Alternatives funds are given to each state, and the a selection team decides which 12 projects out of the 50 statewide applications from Montana communities they will support financially.

 

How will trails and bikeways develop over the next few years with such limited federal funds? 

Our city consistently maintains its roads. New streets are being made and new housing and commerce developments are being built.

We can ask the city to:

  1. Stripe bike lanes while they are restriping or repaving existing streets, where bike lanes are needed and connect routes
  2. Provide lanes and connections on new streets
  3. Encourage developers to provide connecting trails and bike/pedestrian amenities to their housing and business centers

This means we need to ADVOCATE for infrastructure at the City Council, with the County Commissioners, with various advisory boards and through letters to the editor.  We have begun an Advocacy Committee, which will be meeting each month and will be tackling issues which are timely and sensible for the community.

Recently, we held a public information meeting which highlighted the construction of projects which have significant implications for linkage to bicycle and pedestrian safety:

  • bike/ped safety at the top of Zimmerman Trail at Hwy 3 and Zimmerman Trail
  • reconstruction and safety improvements on Zimmerman Trail
  • a roundabout at the intersection of Highway 3 and Zimmerman Trail
  • bike/ped safety on the Billing Bypass and at the bridge between Johnson Lane and Mary Street, crossing the Yellowstone River
  • the replacement of the Interstate 90 Yellowstone River Bridge, where there is currently limited bike/ped safety between Lockwood and downtown Billings

For more information on these projects, their status or to get involved, please contact us at volunteers@billingstrailnet.org.

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