Scope of Work

The Yellowstone County Board of Planning (YCBP) is the designated Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Billings Urban Area. The MPO has identified the need to conduct a feasibility study to analyze opportunities to develop transportation connections to, from, and within the corridor for non-traditional motorized and non-motorized facilities and identify connectivity opportunities to the existing transportation system in the area. This project is located in downtown Billings along the 5^th Avenue North Corridor between North 32^nd Street and Main Street (approximately 2 miles), including the railroad spur at North 23^rd extending southeast to Montana Avenue. The plan will include review and incorporation of elements from adopted studies/plans and local government goals and should include but may not be limited to:

• Billings City Council Strategic Plan
• Downtown Billings Strategic Plan
• Billings Area Bikeway & Trail Master Plan
• East Billings Urban Renewal District Master Plan
• Exposition Gateway Master Plan
• Hospitality Corridor Study

The Study shall include substantial community involvement and information sharing.

Below is a general outline of the anticipated scope of work. However, the final scope of work will be negotiated with the successful proposer.

This project will require the following Scope of Work and Documentation package to be completed within approximately ten months of contract signing. The Study will include, but not be limited to the following:

Develop a vision for the corridor. The vision should be used to determine the look and feel of the transportation corridor and how it fits into the community. The vision should address:

• Adjacent land uses along the corridor;
• Incorporate environmental justice (EJ) considerations for this planning process. Identify minority or low-income residents adjacent to the corridor that could be impacted by this study. Ensure strategies for participation opportunities for these residents to help influence the transportation planning and decision-making process through enhanced engagement and meaningful input;
• Access management for the corridor;
• Corridor aesthetics;
• Identify and document existing right-of-way and corridor data including but not limited to width, ownership, existing corridor use;
• Identify types of uses adjacent to corridor;
• An update and analysis of existing corridor conditions including opportunities and constraints;
• A description of types of and analysis of the introduction of non-traditional motorized and non-motorized transportation elements within the corridor including options for corridor interaction with street intersections and mid-block crossings;
• Innovative funding options for Study implementation;
• A description of innovative community engagement efforts conducted during the process to coordinate with affected citizen groups and property owners, and a report of citizen views and comments on the Study;
• A website dedicated to the planning process that encourages public engagement and interaction, i.e. MetroQuest or similar;
• Provide a communication link with the public through e-mail, newsletters and social media;
• A minimum of one (1) adjacent property owner meeting. This may be divided up to meet with adjacent property owners at different segments of the corridor;
• A minimum of two (2) public meetings to gather input on the development of the plan and one to solicit comments on the draft plan;
• An implementation section with priorities listed, revise as necessary;

Consultant will be required to inform and solicit comments from the community through the Yellowstone County Board of Planning Public Participation Plan. The public participation plan can be found: https://ci.billings.mt.us/DocumentCenter/View/36538/21353_Billings-Public-Participation-Plan_FinalDraft

PLANNING STUDY DELIVERABLES

During and at the conclusion of the study the following items will be delivered:

• Weekly email updates of project status to City-County Planning Division. Project meetings as needed.
• Attendance at public meetings and meetings with the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Policy Coordinating Committee (PCC) and Governing Bodies are required.
• Planning Study summarizing the study purpose, methods and conclusions. Preliminary maps and drawings that illustrate existing and recommended transportation improvements, pathways, trails and safety improvements are a must. Corridor renderings encouraged to demonstrate before and after views of the corridor.
• A project priority summary, outlining long-term and short-term projects and phasing for improvement of the corridor and15 full color copies of the study as well as electronic submittal of the document and executive summary that includes a friendly, web-based version.