BILLINGS — A total of 455 people weighed in online on the possible conversion of some downtown Billings streets from one-way to two-way traffic, along with other traffic changes to the downtown area.
A city study looked at a 28-block wide area east to west from Division Street to Main Street and an eight-block area north to south from Sixth Avenue North to First Avenue South. The study looked at converting some downtown streets from one-way to two-way.
It also looked at adding "road diets" to some streets, where people were asked about the addition of bike lanes and widened sidewalks with a reduction in vehicle traffic to the streets.
The online survey received 2,300 unique users who completed 455 surveys. The data indicates that many didn't entirely complete the survey.
The general theme from the survey answers is that about 60 percent were in favor of what the study proposed.
When asked if Second and Third avenues north should be converted to two-way streets, of 442 answers, 61 percent surveyed were in favor.
People were asked if a slew of north/south streets in downtown should be converted to two-way traffic. The north/south streets in question are generally on the west side of downtown and are pictured in green in the photo below.
Of 2,167 answers, 65 percent were in favor of the north/south streets to be converted to two-way traffic.
Another survey question asked if Montana Avenue should be reduced to two lanes in some sections to allow for the addition of a bike lane. Of 1,326 who answered the question, 60 percent were in favor of the bike lane addition.
The study cost the city $50,000, 60 percent of which was paid for with the help of a federal transportation planning grant, according to the city council agenda.
To view the study in its entirety, click here.
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