Public meetings set to inform voters about UTD effort

HRDC is pleased to announce the Associated Students of Montana State University (ASMSU) recently adopted a proclamation in support of the current petition drive to form an Urban Transportation District (UTD) in Gallatin County.

As stated in ASMSU’s September 2022 proclamation:

Resolved, ASMSU will make a public statement of support for the UTD, lend the logo for marketing purposes, advocate for petition gathering, and partner with the HRDC’s efforts to promote the inclusion of the UTD on May 2023’s special election ballot for the benefit of transportation planning to meet community growth

Resolved, ASMSU recognizes the importance of forming a UTD as a mechanism of continuing the current Streamline Bus Services for MSU Staff, Students, and Faculty, van services for seniors and people with disabilities, transportation planning for anticipated community growth, and the importance of public transportation access to general population.

Additionally, in an ongoing effort to inform residents about the petition drive to vote on the formation of an Urban Transportation District on the Special District elections in May 2023, as well as the benefits to the community in doing so, HRDC is hosting two public meetings during the first week of October. HRDC and community public transportation advocates will present information and host Q&A sessions on Tuesday, October 4th from 10:30 – 11:30 am in the Bozeman Senior Center Community Room, Friday, October 7th from 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the Belgrade Senior Center, and on Wednesday, October 12th from 11:30 – 1:00 pm at the Hilton Garden Inn (prior registration required through Bozeman Chamber of Commerce. Lastly, a virtual public meeting will be held on Thursday, October 13th at 12:00 p.m. on Zoom. The meeting can be accessed at: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87800378855.

Creating a UTD will ensure that our community will continue to receive federal transportation funding and will sustain the vital service HRDC’s Streamline provides to Gallatin Valley residents and visitors. Forming a UTD requires collecting the signatures of 20% of registered voters living within the proposed district which equates to around 13,000 signatures. If sufficient signatures are collected and verified, the Gallatin County Commission will hold a public hearing and place the UTD on the May 2023 Special District election ballot for voter approval as required by law.

The proposed UTD includes Bozeman, Belgrade, and Four Corners and is based on Streamline’s current and projected future service areas. Other regions identified in Gallatin County’s Transportation Development Plan as “future need areas” also are included in the boundaries.

A steering committee of community public transportation stakeholders and advocates is working with HRDC on the petition drive.

HRDC is a private, not-for-profit Community Action Agency focused on building a better community through nearly 50 different initiatives aimed at combating poverty in southwestern Montana. Streamline is a program of HRDC with a proven track record of benefiting all area residents through the provision of public transit. Streamline promotes equity, fosters economic development, and advances sustainability goals.

More information about the petition drive can be found at HRDC’s Streamline can be found at https://streamlinebus.com/utd/
Donors, volunteers, and community members can learn more about HRDC at https://thehrdc.org/