Residents in Bozeman’s Flanders Mill neighborhood are raising concerns about traffic, parking and pedestrian safety near Gallatin High School as the city considers changes to neighborhood parking.
Courtney Johnson, who has lived in the neighborhood with her family for nearly five years, said she loves the area’s proximity to the school but worries about reckless driving and student vehicles filling residential streets.
“I’ve sat on the curb outside my house with kids crying after car accidents,” Johnson said.
She said near misses are also a concern, including an incident where she said a fourth grader nearly was hit at a crosswalk in the nearby Meadowlark area.
“Access, use and safety are our biggest concerns,” Johnson said.
Johnson and other residents have brought their concerns to Bozeman City Commission meetings, seeking solutions to address parking and traffic in the neighborhood.
Bozeman Police Capt. Ben King said the department has received multiple calls about the area and has increased enforcement efforts.
“With the high traffic comes high traffic violations,” King said.
King said the department’s new traffic enforcement unit has been patrolling the area regularly.
City officials are also considering longer-term solutions to address parking concerns near the school.
Benjamin Bailey with the city’s Neighborhood Services and Code Compliance team said the problem has been discussed for several years.
“There’s a lot of cars over by the school, on Annie Street and on Flanders Mill,” Bailey said.
Bailey said it is his understanding that parking lots on the Gallatin High School campus are reserved for staff, juniors and seniors.
In a statement, Bozeman School District 7 Superintendent Casey Bertram confirmed that on-campus parking lots are designated for staff and juniors and seniors. He said school administrators and school resource officers spend significant time communicating with students and parents about parking and safe driving.
The city’s Transportation Advisory Board has recommended exploring additional parking, changes to traffic patterns and collecting data on parking occupancy.
One option under consideration is a residential parking permit district, which could restrict who is allowed to park on certain neighborhood streets.
Before moving forward, the city plans to distribute surveys to residents within the proposed district to gather feedback.
Bailey said discussion of the proposed district has been moved up from Dec. 1 to Nov. 17. The city plans to review survey results and parking occupancy data as it considers next steps.
“We were able to move it up a couple weeks, so I hope it works out for everyone,” Bailey said.
For Johnson, the goal is to find a solution that improves safety and addresses residents’ concerns without placing blame on students.
“It’s not a kid problem. It’s not a parking supply problem. It’s a parking management problem,” Johnson said.
Johnson said she ultimately wants to see action and implementation happen soon, rather than allowing the concerns to continue without a resolution.
