[MissoulaGov] committee update 1-28-09

[Jason Wiener]

A couple of notes:

 

From: missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com
[mailto:missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com] On Behalf Of Jim McGrath




> I would like to NOT weigh in on the dogs question. J


 

Amen. Though I will eventually have to do so, I sure didn't run because
I wanted to spend time regulating the presence, absence or behavior of
small animals. I guess the chicken shit should have tipped me off
though, huh? 

 

From: missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com
[mailto:missoulagov-bounces at cmslists.com] On Behalf Of Jed Taylor




> And speaking of investing money....  The Council voted on Monday to

spend $186k of the public's money on a peer review of the Russell & 3rd
EIS, right?  So what, exactly, are the citizens of Missoula getting for
this expense?  We already know what transportation engineers (people who
love to build roads) favor, and we already know that there's
considerable public sentiment against so much asphalt as well as its
effect on the neighborhood south of 3rd street.  And we already know
that there's a well-considered counter-proposal (the 3+ plan) available.
Is this expense simply a CYA project to protect the decision-makers from
the public fallout that's sure to result if the preferred solution in
the EIS is actually constructed?  Is there a reasonable expectation that
the peer review is going to produce a recommendation that's different
from the EIS?  Will a part of this $186k peer review include an analysis
of the 3+ plan and a compare-and-contrast of the plusses and minuses
amongst the current EIS preferred solution, the 3+ plan, and whatever
else the peer review consultancy comes up with?

 


> I would appreciate it greatly if someone could explain simply and

clearly what $186k is buying that Missoula doesn't already have.

 

Now this, on the other hand, is exactly why I got involved.

 

The purpose of the peer review is to get the enormous volume of comments
received, and the Draft Environmental Impact Statement's analysis,
reviewed by people with the technical expertise to move the prime
consultants and Montana Dept of Transportation to a different solution
and no commitment to the conclusions that have already been drawn. 3+
Plus for Russell has not been examined as thoroughly as the alternatives
in the DEIS; this peer review gives it an equitable review by people who
have no stake in validating or upending the contents of the DEIS. I'll
be riding herd on the review at every step to see that people who do
have that stake don't capture the peer review, bury contrary findings or
constrain the questions so only their answers can come out. If, at the
end, I'm satisfied that a rational and open-minded approach that
correctly balances the competing values at stake is dictating the
design, I'll work to convince others of the same and get that built.
Unless you'd rather put a bond issue on the ballot to build 3+ (and
finance the transit improvements necessary to make it work) without any
federal money, or throw your hands up and keep what we've got, the only
way out of the National Environmental Policy Act process is through it.

 

$186,000 is a lot of money. In a $40 million project, however, it is
less than .5% of the project budget. If even one turn lane drops out of
the preferred alternative, the study pays for itself in eliminated
construction costs. But, obviously, many people are looking for
something more transformational from the peer review. The benefits of
that will be two-fold: first, an improved design for the road, and
second, education for MDT about how to conceive of and construct an
urban arterial that will benefit future projects here and elsewhere.

 

If you want more details on what's going to be delivered, the contract
that passed (attached text omits one amendment from the floor) and its
minute parsing of project costs is at
ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/packets/council/2009/2009-01-12/Referrals/HK
MPeerReviewAmend4.pdf and the response to the RFP for the firm selected
to do the work is at
ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Documents/Public%20Works/Projects/Russell-3r
d/Traffic_Engineering_Services_-_Proposals/Kittelson%20&%20Associates/98
87_ProposalKittelson.pdf.

 

Thanks for your interest,

J.

 

*******

Jason Wiener, Alderman, Ward One

1238 Jackson St.

Missoula, MT 59802

(406) 542-3232

jwiener at ci.missoula.mt.us

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