Laura Fay, David Kack and Natalie Villwock-Witte (PI) recently traveled to the Jasper, Texas area for six meetings related to the Deep East Texas Council of Governments (DETCOG) transportation voucher program. This pilot project will show how transportation vouchers can be used to provide basic mobility to those who have limited options. Meetings were held in Jasper, as well as Ivanhoe, Newton, Pineland and San Augustine. View Full News Post »

For the second time in less than six months, TR News magazine has selected a WTI project for its “Research Pays Off” section, which highlights research that has produced tangible and valuable benefits.  “Wyoming Intercity Bus Service Study: Finding and Filling the Gaps in Rural Areas” is featured in the March/April 2018 issue of TR News, published by the National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board.  Authored by Principal Investigator David Kack, the article describes a project conducted for the Wyoming Department of Transportation to identify potential Intercity bus routes that would increase access for underserved communities. View Full News Post »

David Kack, WTI’s Mobility and Public Transportation Manager, traveled to Washington D.C. last week to participate in the First Annual National Mobility Summit. View Full News Post »

Semi Trucks and other vehicles travel along HWY 191 alongside the Gallatin River on the way to Big Sky.From MSU News– BOZEMAN – A proposal written by researchers at Montana State University’s Western Transportation Institute has resulted in a $10.3 million federal grant for improving safety and traffic flow on the road leading to the Big Sky community. View Full News Post »

The Spring Commute-A-Thon kicked off on Monday March 26, and will continue through Friday, April 6. Coordinator Dani Hess was interviewed by KBZK-TV while promoting the event on the MSU campus on Monday. Watch her interview and the full new story on the KBZK website. View Full News Post »

Streamline bus with front mounted bike rack and wheelchair loading ramp deployed. Thank you to MSU News Service, which is helping to publicize and promote the upcoming Spring Commute-A-Thon March 26th-April 6th. Last week, MSU News published a feature story about the event that has been highlighted on the MSU website. View Full News Post »

Log your sustainable commutes to win prizes, save money, and find carpool buddies during the two-week Spring Commute-A-Thon March 26th-April 6th. With the MSU semester still underway, and snow still on the ground, there’s no better time to give carpooling, or the Streamline bus a try! Log your bike, walk, carpool and bus trips on the new website, BozemanCommute.org. View Full News Post »

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle recently reported that the City of Bozeman will provide an additional $64,000 to grow services on a busy Streamline bus route that serves both Montana State University and popular shopping districts.  In the article, WTI’s Mobility and Public Transportation Program Manager, David Kack, discusses how ridership has increased over the last three years, and options for funding future expansions.  The full article is available on the Chronicle website. View Full News Post »

The Upper Great Plains Institute at North Dakota State University has released a report that provides information about transit service availability and cost to help the transit industry in the United States meet rural community mobility needs. The information in this report may help managers and lawmakers with policy making, planning, managing operations, and evaluating performance. This report also serves as a national resource for statistics and information on rural transit in the United States. View Full News Post »

TRB’s National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Research Report 861: Best Practices in Rural Regional Mobility addresses the role of state transit program policies and regional planning agencies in the development of rural regional services. The report provides lessons learned on how to address needs for rural regional mobility, and includes a checklist for developing a rural regional route. It also highlights best practices from a number of states, including Montana. View Full News Post »

WTI will provide technical assistance to three rural communities and regions to identify and evaluate expanding transportation options, thanks to a new partnership with the National Association of Development Organizations (NADO)’s Research Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). View Full News Post »

Research Engineer Natalie Villwock-Witte and Research Associate Karalyn Clouser have completed a study for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which compares the travel preferences of Millennials, Generation X, and the Baby Boomer generation. View Full News Post »

Steve Albert leads closing session on the future of transportation in public lands The Western Transportation Institute played a prominent role in the recent Transportation Research Board (TRB) Conference on Transportation Needs of National Parks and Public Lands, held in Washington, DC from September 11 -13. Steve Albert and Natalie Villwock-Witte served on the planning committee for this national conference, which brought together practitioners from around the country to exchange ideas on how to enhance mobility, environmental stewardship, and visitor expericence in public land settings.  Several researchers were invited to present their work during the three day forum: Tony Clevenger co-led a workshop on wildlife crossings in Banff National Park, Rebecca Gleason and Taylor Lonsdale presented guidance on improving safety on rural roads with both vehicle and bicycle traffic, and Natalie Villwock-Witte gave presentations on both collaborative approaches to road safety plans and generational interest in visiting US Fish and Wildlife Refuges. View Full News Post »

On August 15, the Gallatin County Commission approved $68,500 in funding for the Skyline bus service in Big Sky, Montana, for fiscal year 2018.  This is the second year in a row that the Commission has invested in the service, according to WTI Program Manager David Kack, who also serves the Big Sky Transportation District Coordinator. The new funding was mentioned in a feature article about the growth and development of the region on the website of Explore Big Sky magazine. View Full News Post »

The Skyline bus service from the Bozeman area to Big Sky is not just for skiers anymore.  Ridership grew by almost 9% last year, or an additional 16,000 rides, and a lot of the riders are traveling to Big Sky for work, not play.  In an interview on KBZK TV, WTI Program Manager David Kack (who is also the Coordinator for the Big Sky Transportation District), explained that 83 % of the Big Sky workforce commutes from surrounding communities like Bozeman and Belgrade, which likely accounts for part of Skyline’s growth in ridership. View Full News Post »

Last week, the National Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP) highlighted a report by the Small Urban and Rural Livability Center (SURLC) in its online newsletter. The “Intercity Bus Stop Analysis,” authored by WTI’s Karalyn Clouser and David Kack, analyzed demographics in each of the forty-eight contiguous states, and provided an analysis of the number of rural and small urban communities that have access to the Greyhound intercity bus service network. RTAP described the publication as a resource that “should help state DOTs as they determine whether intercity bus service needs are being met in their states. View Full News Post »

Another Montana Commuter Challenge is in the books, and WTI made a solid showing in this year’s standings. Logging 781 miles over 98 trips, we just barely missed the top ten, falling in line behind Bangtail Bikes with 101 trips. Together we saved 765. View Full News Post »

A WTI project on developing viable transit options in Wyoming is the subject of a feature article in the Spring 2017 issue of Rural Connections Magazine. David Kack, Jaydeep Chaudhari, and Taylor Lonsdale authored “Exploring Transit Feasibility in Park County, Wyoming,” which highlighted their collaboration with the Powell Economic Partnership, Inc. and the Forward Cody, Inc. View Full News Post »

Craig Shankwitz spoke to the Montana Traffic Educators Association conference in Great Falls, Montana last week, delivering a presentation on emerging vehicle technologies.  In his remarks, he stated that the connected vehicle technologies are more likely to be widely deployed before autonomous (or driverless) vehicles. Connected vehicles communicate to other vehicles or to roadside infrastructure, which enables important updates and alerts about safety, traffic, or road conditions that can be sent directly to one’s car. View Full News Post »

Got your bike, walking shoes, or bus schedule ready? May 1 is the first day of the Bozeman Commuter Challenge. Special thanks to the Montana State University News Service for highlighting the event last week in a story on the MSU website.  WTI will use Bike Walk Montana’s Commuter Challenge website to keep track of miles and compete both statewide and locally. View Full News Post »

Montana State University is highlighting WTI research on its website this week.  MSU News posted a feature article about Natalie Villwock-Witte’s research on the transportation preferences of rural Millennials, and the publicity it has received by national publications including Wired Magazine. If you missed it, you can read the article here. View Full News Post »

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has announced the release of the final report for“Mobility Mindset of the Millennial in Small Urban and Rural Areas.” Authored by P.I. View Full News Post »

Last week, WIRED magazine published a feature article on its website about one of WTI’s projects documenting Millennial transportation trends. “Rural Millennials Still Dig Driving. They Have No Choice” highlighted the findings of WTI’s survey of Millennials in four states (Minnesota, Montana, Washington, and Wisconsin) to determine whether there are differences in transportation preferences between Millennials in urban and rural areas. View Full News Post »

Thanks to the WTI staff members who shared photos from the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting, held in Washington, D.C. last week. View Full News Post »

The USDOT Federal Highway Administration has released “Small Town and Rural Multimodal Networks,” a report developed by the Small Urban and Rural Livability Center (SURLC) at WTI, Alta Planning and Design, and the National Association of Counties through SURLC’s Street Guide Project.  The report is intended to provide ideas and guidance to small towns and rural communities who wish to enhance active travel networks for modes such as bicycling and walking.  The guide also provides innovative examples of successful projects that are applicable to rural communities. View Full News Post »

Small Urban, Rural and Tribal Center on Mobility (SURTCOM), led by WTI was selected by USDOT as Tier 1 University Transportation Center, and will receive approximately $1.5 million a year for up to five years to lead research that improves the mobility of people and goods. Montana State University published a feature article about the selection on its website, and the story was also picked up by the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. View Full News Post »

The Journal of Transport Geography has published an atricle by Yiyi Wang and her colleagues: “Does bicycle network level of traffic stress (LTS) explain bicycle traffic behavior?” The article summarizes a case study in Oregon, and draws on census data, mode choice, and regional household travel survey data to investigate the relationship between the varying levels of traffic stress (LTS) routes and bicycle travel behavior. Citation: Wang, H., Palm, M. View Full News Post »

After a highly competitive selection process, the U.S. Department of Transportion has announced that WTI has been selected as a Tier 1 University Transportation Center. View Full News Post »

Hello Friends and Constituents, The Montana Department of Transportation is conducting a corridor study of the Frontage Road between Belgrade and Bozeman. This study will help to develop a comprehensive, long-range plan for managing the corridor and determining what improvements could be made to improve the corridor based on identified needs and financial constraints. Please click, or copy and paste the following link to add your commentary to anywhere on the comment map on the study “Wikimapping” website. View Full News Post »

Last week, MSU, WTI and the City of Bozeman announced that they will team up to address local traffic growth. WTI will implement a transportation demand management initiative to address Bozeman’s significant growth in population and subsequent increase in the number of vehicles on the road and resulting traffic. Transportation demand management programs focus on changing or reducing travel demand, particularly at peak commute hours, instead of increasing roadway supply, making more efficient use of the current roadway system. View Full News Post »

WTI’s Taylor Lonsdale will be a presenter for the September Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Webinar: Safe Routes to School in Small Rural Communities: Challenges and Strategies to Accessing Funding. Taylor will be highlighting the work on pathways in Highwood, MT which will be included in an upcoming publication from the SRTS National Partnership. Date: Tuesday, September 20, 2016 11:00am MST To register: https://attendee. View Full News Post »

WTI’s David Kack, Skyline Bus Coordinator, went before the Gallatin County Commision to request $75,000 in support of the bus service connecting Bozeman and Big Sky. Skyline has made budget requests for the last seven years, but never had any funding approved by the Gallatin County Commission. In a split vote, the commission approved a one-time $50,000 expenditure for new buses. View Full News Post »

Need to attend a meeting on campus? Need lunch from Town and Country? Need to run an errand downtown? Need some exercise and fresh air? Hop on a WTI BikeShare bike! The five bike fleet can be found on the bike racks below the WTI building and they are marked with yellow tape or WTI signage. No need to sign them out – just return to the WTI building bike rack. Helmets, pumps, or other tools are available on the 3rd floor if you need them (contact Taylor Lonsdale ex. View Full News Post »

The Helena Independent Record included quotes in Sunday’s edition from WTI’s David Kack in “More and more Montanans depending on rural public transit.” The article highlights the vital role public transit plays in improving access to employment and medical facilities for those who live in rural areas of the state. Read the article here:http://helenair. View Full News Post »

Special thanks to Taylor Lonsdale who assisted Case Managers at the Human Resources Development Council (HRDC) and the Bike Kitchen with a Road Etiquette and Bike Safety Workshop for youth in Bozeman last week. The workshop sessions included bike safety, bike maintenance and repair, and a trip down the local city trails. Some of the youth participants were awarded free bikes for attending the workshop. View Full News Post »

The Small Urban and Rural Livability Center (SURLC) at WTI will sponsor and host a “Green Drinks” event on Wednesday, July 20, from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 in the WTI Classroom. View Full News Post »

Congratulations to Rebecca Gleason and Taylor Lonsdale, who along with teammates Kristin Blackler, E. J. Hook, and Candace Mastel, were awarded a 2016 Celebrating Excellence in Service and Employee of the Year award. View Full News Post »

The Bozeman Area Bicycle Advisory Board (BABAB) and WTI are sponsoring Bozeman’s 5th annual Commuter Challenge, May 1-31, 2016. If you haven’t already registered, sign up today. This month-long friendly competition between workplaces encourages people to park the car and walk, bicycle, or take a bus to work during May. View Full News Post »

The City of Bozeman is planning a major reconstruction project for Kagy Boulevard, an arterial street that serves as a principal corridor for accessing the MSU campus (and WTI headquarters).  Several WTI Researchers are actively involved in ensuring that the reconstruction proposals consider the needs of alternative modes of transportation, particularly bicycle and pedestrian users.  On Saturday, a Bozeman Daily Chronicle article about an upcoming public meeting cited a letter by WTI’s Small Urban and Rural Livability Center Director David Kack, which recommended that the reconstruction project include safety measures to protect walkers and bikers. View Full News Post »

The U.S. Federal Highway Administration and Montana Department of Transportation have awarded $167,000 to improve crossings on the West Side Trail in Bozeman, Montana; the trail connects Bozeman Pond Park to Gallatin County Regional Park. View Full News Post »

Prospera Business Network has awarded WTI’s David Kack with the Business Excellence Award for economic leadership. David was recognized for his work as board chair of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC). In his always humble manner, David emphasized the team effort and the many HRDC members that share this award. View Full News Post »

WTI and the Moscow State University for Transport Engineering (MIIT) in Russia received Contract Funding from the Eurasia Foundation’s University Partnership Program for collaborative activities aimed at establishing resource sharing mechanisms and a joint course. Shared resources and coursework will focus on enhancing mobility and equitable access to transportation services for persons with disabilities. (Susan Gallagher and David Kack). View Full News Post »

WTI will be working with the City of Bozeman on the development of a Travel Demand Forecast Model (TDM) as the City has just begun working on an update to their Transportation Master Plan (TMP). WTI will develop a TDM that the City of Bozeman can utilize to more frequently evaluate transportation investments and will parallel the work being done for the City by Robert Peccia and Associates and MDT. The goal is to develop a model and methodology that will enable the city to incorporate the use of a TDM into development review, as well as annual capital planning for transportation. View Full News Post »

Need to get to campus during the day? Don’t want to drive? The WTI Bike Share is at your service. Bikes are marked with yellow tape on the racks in front of the building. WTI’s Taylor Lonsdale has worked hard to build this fleet equipped with accessories including racks, baskets, and fenders. View Full News Post »

Livability Webinar – Last week, David Kack led a webinar for the Sonoran Institute entitled “Livability and the Connection Between Housing and Transportation.” More than 130 people participated in the webinar, which is part of a series from the Institute’s Community Builders project. David provided an overview of the six principles of livability, with a focus on the interrelationship between housing locations and employment locations, and the cost impacts this can have on a family’s budget. View Full News Post »

(Article from WTI eNews April 2011) As winter comes to a close and the days become longer, summer travelers begin looking for places to wander. Despite the recession, or maybe because of it, national parks stand poised to receive yet another summer of near record visitors. A National Park in the Colorado Rockies is investigating whether drivers with more information about their transportation options will change how they travel to and through the park, and ultimately, reduce traffic and delays on popular roads and have a better visitor experience. View Full News Post »

More and more cities around the country are considering bike sharing to help achieve environmental, public health, and transportation related goals, while also improving a community’s livability. The Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals (APBP) presented a 90 minute webinar on Bicycle Sharing Programs on January 19. WTI served as a host site for the event with members of the Bozeman community in attendance. View Full News Post »

NRITS sessions NRITS_2006_Agenda Al_Kaisy_A1 Allemeier_D1 Allen_B3 Askelson_E4 Ballard_Vanderbilt_G3 Blaine_E3 Boselly_C1 Brindell_F2 Burrows_D4 Cameron_A4 Campbell_E3 Churchill_H2 Couch_A3 Danczyk_A4 Danczyk_B2 Danczyk_B2_wvideo Davies_F4 Dgrabow_B1 Douglas_G3 Eidswick_A2 Flanigan_G1 Foderberg_H3 Franklin_F3 Frevert_E4 Funke_E2 Gaddy_H2 Galarus_A4 Galarus_B4 Galarus_G2 Galarus_H2 Gerfen_B3 Gilbertson_C3 Gilbertson_Fowler_D2 Grabow_B1 Gregory_B4 Gross_B3 Gulen_E1 Hansen_D3 Hansen_E2 Hansen_H1 Hanson_B1 Hardy_E1 Haskins_Hanson_C1 Hershey_B1 Hodges_G4 Huft_C2 Huijser_E1 Ivanovic_C3 Kack_A3 Kack_C4 Klatt_B2 Krause_A3 Kumar_A1 Kumar_D3 Kumar_G2 Laragan_D4 Legg_C2 Loftus_Otway_F3 Mann_H1 McCormack_D1 McGinnis_E2 McGinnis_H1 Murphy_C1 O’Keefe_A1 Osborne_B1 Parkany_G4 Parry_B2 Powell_C3 Redd_D1 Rosenbohm_E4 Ryen_C2 Sanddal_G1 Schneider_C3 Schopfer_G4 Scott_H3 Shaw_H3 Shi_A1 Shi_C1 Smadi_E3 Stanley_E1 Starr_C2 Stickel_B4 Stickel_E4 Stickel_H1 Strong_B2 Strong_F4 Thompson_B4 Thompson_D2 Turnbull_H4 Virshbo_E3 White_A2 Wolff_A4 Young_A2 Young_C4 Zhang_F4… View Full News Post »