Uncategorized
Public transportation brings the region together
Published
12 years agoon
Service may improve between Big Sky, Bozeman, West Yellowstone
By Emily Stifler Explorebigsky.com Managing Editor
The key is to work together.
That’s what was decided during a Jan. 13 Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, as interest groups from Big Sky, Bozeman and West Yellowstone came together to discuss public transportation in the region.
The goal was figuring out how to improve transportation in the region through coordination between the agencies and private operations involved, said David Kack, Skyline’s transportation coordinator.
“Big Sky is unique because it’s a bigger geographic area with fewer players, it’s unincorporated and we deal with two counties,” Kack said. “Today, we’re talking about how to work together for more transportation.”
The meeting included representatives from Skyline, Karst Stage, Shuttle to Big Sky, the West Yellowstone Foundation, and the Big Sky Transportation District Board.
First on the agenda was approving the coordination plan, which the TAC did unanimously.
This plan lays out the committee’s priorities to continue the connection with Bozeman, expand to West Yellowstone, and possibly add a later night service. This plan is part of an application for federal funding and will go next to the board of directors for approval.
The group agreed improving transportation between Big Sky and West Yellowstone is important.
Currently, Karst brings riders once a day from Big Sky Resort to West, but only on a seasonal basis. The nonprofit West Yellowstone Foundation provides a service within West, and travels twice a week to Bozeman.
The WYF would like to expand this service, said Mary Linhoff, the group’s administrator. “We’d like to develop a schedule, some continuity, with predictable arrival and return times” to get riders to Big Sky and Bozeman, she said.
Linhoff, who recently moved from Denver to West, wanted to know why the bus wasn’t dropping skiers off. “Let’s get some ski racks on the bus,” she said. She also suggested people from Bozeman and Big Sky could ride the bus down to ski at the Rendezvous nordic trails.
“How [do we] work together as partners, not competitors?” Linhoff asked. “The great news is this is on the table and we’re moving forward.”
In summer, Big Sky could benefit from national park traffic that goes through West, said Robin Brower-McBride from the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce. She’s been talking to the chamber in West about creating weekly bus routes in the summer, bringing people to Big Sky for the free concert series every Thursday in Big Sky, and from Big Sky to the rodeo in West.
“It’s about enriching guest experience,” Brower-McBride said.
Year round, public transportation is important to residents of West Yellowstone who use the service to Bozeman for medical appointments, Linhoff said.
One option for increasing this service is having a bus drive from West to Big Sky, instead of all the way to Bozeman. There, riders could transfer onto a Skyline bus and ride into Bozeman.
Shortening the trip could save money to help create that connection on a daily basis instead of just twice a week, Kack suggested.
Jan Brown, a representative from Linx also spoke at the meeting. This service shuttles people around the northern Rockies. A co-op, it allows riders to book tickets with different carriers online and ride between places like Salt Lake City, Jackson, Wyo., Yellowstone and Glacier national parks, Denver and the Black Hills.
“Jackson to Bozeman or vice versa is the most frequent request. Without this link in the canyon we don’t have a good product,” Brown said.
The groups are working together to write an annual funding request to the Montana Department of Transportation (MDT). Currently, federal money pays about 56 percent of Skyline’s costs, Kack said. The federal funding flows to MDT, which administers the funds.
Matching local funding is required by MDT and covers most of the rest of the service. The main local supporters are resort tax, the ski resorts, the Big Sky Owners Association, the Yellowstone Club and Madison County.
Marketing the transportation services is also a priority, said Ennion Williams, the Big Sky Transportation District board chairman.
“The transportation board works with large employers like the Yellowstone Club and Big Sky Resort to create efficiencies in getting employees to and from work between Bozeman and Big Sky,” Williams said.
Another goal is reducing traffic in Gallatin Canyon by getting more people to ride the Link bus, Williams said. He wants employees, skiers and visitors all to know about the service.
The TAC typically meets three to four times a year. The Transportation District Board, a separate entity, includes representatives from Big Sky Resort and Moonlight Basin, as well as two local residents. The board is looking to add another Madison County resident.
Megan Paulson is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Outlaw Partners.
Upcoming Events
april, 2024
Event Type :
All
All
Arts
Education
Music
Other
Sports
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before 9/10/2024:
more
Event Details
Children turning 5 on or before
9/10/2024: Kindergarten
enrollment for the 2024-2025 school year can be completed by following the
registration process now.
Children
born on or after September 11, 2019: 4K enrollment is now open for
families that have a 4-year-old they would like to enroll in our program for
the 2023-2024 school year. Please complete the 4K Interest Form to
express your interest. Completing this form does not guarantee enrollment into
the 4K program. Enrollment is capped at twenty 4-year-olds currently
residing within Big Sky School District boundary full time and will be
determined by birth date in calendar order of those born on or after September
11, 2018. Interest form closes on May 30th.
Enrollment now is critical for fall preparations. Thank you!
Time
February 26 (Monday) - April 21 (Sunday)
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm We will combine the heart-opening powers of cacao with the transcendental powers of breathwork and sound. Together, these practices will give us the opportunity for a deep
more
Event Details
Saturday, March 23rd 6:00-8:00pm
Time
March 23 (Saturday) 6:00 pm - April 23 (Tuesday) 8:00 pm
Location
Santosha Wellness Center
169 Snowy Mountain Circle
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a
more
Event Details
We all are familiar with using a limited palette, but do you use one? Do you know how to use a limited palette to create different color combinations? Are you tired of carrying around 15-20 different tubes when you paint plein air? Have you ever wanted to create a certain “mood” in a painting but failed? Do you create a lot of mud? Do you struggle to achieve color harmony? All these problems are addressed in John’s workbook in clear and concise language!
Based on the bestselling “Limited Palatte, Unlimited Color” workbook written by John Pototschnik, the workshop is run by Maggie Shane and Annie McCoy, accomplished landscape (acrylic) and plein air (oil) artists,exhibitors at the Big Sky Artists’ Studio & Gallery and members of the Big Sky Artists Collective.
Each student will receive a copy of “Limited Palette, Unlimited Color” to keep and take home to continue your limited palette journey. We will show you how to use the color wheel and mix your own clean mixtures to successfully create a mood for your paintings.
Each day, we will create a different limited palette color chart and paint a version of a simple landscape using John’s directives. You will then be able to go home and paint more schemes using the book for guidance.
Workshop is open to painters (oil or acrylic) of any level although students must have some basic knowledge of the medium he or she uses. Students will be provided the book ($92 value), color wheel, value scale and canvas papers to complete the daily exercises.
Sundays, April 14, 21 and 28, 2024
Noon until 6PM.
$170.
Time
14 (Sunday) 12:00 pm - 28 (Sunday) 6:00 pm
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome
Event Details
Come join us at Cowboy Coffee as we celebrate a fun night of drinks, games, and meeting others within the community. This event is from 6-8 and all are welcome to come, if you don’t know who to bring come alone this is a great mixer event! This is an event hosted by Big Sky OUT as we work to provide queer safe spaces throughout the community.
Time
(Sunday) 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
Location
Cowboy Coffee
25 Town Center Ave. Big Sky, MT 59716