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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>A couple of notes:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com [mailto:missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Jim McGrath<br>
<br>
</span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:navy'>I would like to NOT weigh in on the dogs question. </span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;color:navy'>J</span><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>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? <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>
missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com [mailto:missoulagov-bounces@cmslists.com] <b>On
Behalf Of </b>Jed Taylor<br>
<br>
</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue'>> 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?</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
color:blue'>> I would appreciate it greatly if someone could explain simply
and clearly what $186k is buying that Missoula doesn't already have.</span><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif"'><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Now this, on the other hand, is
exactly why I got involved.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>$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.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>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 <a
href="ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/packets/council/2009/2009-01-12/Referrals/HKMPeerReviewAmend4.pdf">ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/packets/council/2009/2009-01-12/Referrals/HKMPeerReviewAmend4.pdf</a>
and the response to the RFP for the firm selected to do the work is at <a
href="ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Documents/Public%20Works/Projects/Russell-3rd/Traffic_Engineering_Services_-_Proposals/Kittelson%20&%20Associates/9887_ProposalKittelson.pdf">ftp://www.ci.missoula.mt.us/Documents/Public%20Works/Projects/Russell-3rd/Traffic_Engineering_Services_-_Proposals/Kittelson%20&%20Associates/9887_ProposalKittelson.pdf</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Thanks for your interest,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>J.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Demi Cond","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>*******<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Demi Cond","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Jason Wiener, Alderman, Ward One<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Demi Cond","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>1238 Jackson St.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Demi Cond","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>Missoula, MT 59802<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Demi Cond","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'>(406) 542-3232<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Franklin Gothic Demi Cond","sans-serif";
color:#1F497D'><a href="mailto:jwiener@ci.missoula.mt.us">jwiener@ci.missoula.mt.us</a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
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