BOZEMAN — The City of Bozeman has had plans for decades to build out Fowler Avenue, but some residents would rather not have a road next to their property.
“The first night we moved into the house—you know, we built it in ‘94—we opened up the windows and you have this sound in your backyard. I think this is what the residents don't want to lose out here,” says Bozeman resident Ted Hodgson.
Hodgson’s home backs up to a small strip of field right along a stretch of Fowler Avenue.
“We don't necessarily want a street on our property line,” says Hodgson.
He and other neighbors who live near Fowler are worried about the expansion.
“We'd prefer to keep it the way it is. It’s a quiet subdivision,” says Hodgson.
Tuesday night, city leaders and the City of Bozeman's transportation director, Nick Ross, provided residents with an update on 30 percent of the project, which included a scaling down of the size of the road.
“[City Commisioners] did instruct staff to remove the median or that third lane in the northern part of the project. So, from Huffine all the way up to Oak, it'll be a two-lane street. There may be turn lanes at intersections,” says Ross.
Residents have concerns about what will happen to the paths and nature around the corridor. Ross says the ditch will remain above ground next to Fowler.
“There will be a shared use path all the way from Bozeman Pond Park up to Oak Street,” he says.
Hodgson says he's still not opposed to more scaling down as the project moves forward.
“If it is to be done, and then have the impact on the existing subdivision to be as small as possible,” says Hodgson.
Ross says they expect to provide a 60 percent update on the project later in the year, moving the project closer to construction.
“If we're able to break ground in spring of 2026 we will be in the construction, for the northern segment, from Durston up to Oak,” says Ross.
