In late May 2025, the Billings Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) presented findings from a comprehensive three-year analysis of pedestrian and bicycle crash data to the Billings City Council. The analysis, covering October 2022 through April 2025, revealed urgent safety concerns for the city’s most vulnerable road users—pedestrians and bicyclists.
Despite continued investments in trails and sidewalks, BPAC’s data shows that significant hazards remain, especially in areas lacking basic infrastructure such as crosswalks, bike lanes, and traffic-calming measures.
Key Findings from BPAC’s Crash Analysis
The crash data map and heatmaps highlight troubling concentrations of pedestrian and bicyclist crashes, particularly in central and downtown Billings. From the analysis:
- 67 crashes involved a possible injury.
- 9 crashes were classified as suspected serious injury.
- 5 crashes were fatal.
- Additional crashes resulted in minor or no apparent injuries, though many were still traumatic for those involved.
Hot spots—where crashes are clustered—include areas with heavy vehicle traffic and limited infrastructure for non-motorized users.
Community Voices Highlight the Same Problems
BPAC’s conclusions weren’t drawn from crash data alone. Public input gathered through the 2025 Bike and Pedestrian Master Plan and the BPAC interactive map echoed what the numbers showed. Residents consistently pointed to three major issues:
- Lack of Protection from Traffic
High vehicle speeds, reckless driving, and no physical separation between cars and non-motorized users were cited as the top concern. These conditions create low comfort levels for pedestrians and cyclists and deter people from walking or biking altogether. - Unsafe or Missing Crosswalks
Residents reported numerous locations where crosswalks are either missing, poorly marked, or dangerous. Many pedestrian crashes occurred when drivers failed to yield or turned into people using crosswalks. - Network Gaps and Connectivity Issues
Incomplete sidewalks and bike lanes prevent safe, consistent travel across the city. These network gaps force pedestrians and bicyclists into unsafe situations or make some routes entirely inaccessible.
BPAC’s Recommendations to City Council
In response to their findings, BPAC recommends that the City Council take immediate action to address:
- Traffic separation in high-speed, high-volume corridors
This includes adding protected bike lanes, traffic-calming features, and reducing vehicle speeds where possible. - Crosswalk enhancements at key intersections and corridors
Install high-visibility crosswalks, pedestrian-activated signals, and curb extensions where crashes have occurred or where residents have requested safer crossings. - Targeted infrastructure improvements at crash hot spots
Use the crash maps and severity data to prioritize improvements through the City Engineering Department.
BPAC emphasized that while progress has been made in building out trails and sidewalks, safety must be the next frontier. They encouraged Council members to review the full results of the 2025 community survey and crash heatmaps, which clearly demonstrate the areas where lives can be saved with better design.
Moving Forward: Making Active Transportation a Safe Choice
The community has spoken clearly: People want to walk and bike more, but they need to feel safe doing so. By addressing traffic separation, filling network gaps, and fixing hazardous crosswalks, Billings can reduce crashes and create a safer, more connected city for everyone.
BPAC urges Council to view this data as a call to action—and to prioritize pedestrian and bicyclist safety in upcoming transportation planning and capital projects.