Many of our readers know of this fine organization, but if the Missouri Bicycle Federation is not on your radar, take a look at what these folks do for two wheel advocacy Click below on read more for latest news from the Missouri Bicycle Federation, mobikefed.org.
MISSOURI BICYCLE FEDERATION NEWS #9, March 2006 ___________________________________
This is the monthly e-mail newsletter of the Missouri Bicycle Federation. We are sending this to keep you up-to-date about bicycle/pedestrian issues in Missouri and the surrounding areas.
The Missouri Bicycle Federation is the political voice for Missouri bicyclists and pedestrians with 10 years of experience providing legislative and advocacy efforts to improve the cycling and pedestrian environment. MoBikeFed is the only statewide organization representing the welfare of all types of bicyclists and pedestrians throughout Missouri. MoBikeFed promotes bicycling and pedestrian access, safety and education in Missouri.
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CONTENTS
1. Rep. Sutherland sponsors Walk/Bicycle to School Day/Safe Routes Resolution
2. Missouri Safe Routes to School Coalition announced
3. KC River Crossings Policy: update and next step
4. Missouri Blueways Report–how to identify and convert Missouri rails to trails
5. Rails-with-Trails safer than just Rails
6. Boonville bridge cost estimate controversy
7. Tour of Missouri professional stage race to become a reality in
2007
8. Tour of California breaks attendance records
9. Ozark Greenways looks to the future 10. Reasons to support KC’s MetroGreen plan
Links shown below can be copied and pasted into your browser address window.
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1. REP. SUTHERLAND SPONSORS WALK/BICYCLE TO SCHOOL DAY/SAFE ROUTES RESOLUTION
Representative Mike Sutherland, one of the biggest supporters of bicycling and walking issues in the Missouri General Assembly, is set to introduce a resolution in support of Walk/Bicycle to School Day and the Safe Routes to School program in Missouri.
Rep. Sutherland has also introduced a bill that will make it easier for groups that build trails to work with Missouri State Parks to create and maintain trails.
If you would like to drop Rep. Sutherland a quick email of thanks and encouragement, that would be great:
Representative Mike Sutherland
573-751-2689 (Capitol office)
E-Mail: Mike.Sutherland@house.mo.gov
Link:
http://www.mobikefed.org/2006/03/rep-sutherland-sponsors-walkbicycle–
to.php
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2. MISSOURI SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL COALITION ANNOUNCED
The Missouri Safe Routes Coalition is dedicated to moving Safe Routes to Schools forward in Missouri. Safe Route to School is a program to encourage children to walk and bicycle to school more often through encouragement, education, and better facilities.
Kids that walk or bicycle to school more often are healthier and do better academically.
MoDOT has hired its Safe Routes to School Coordinator and formed a Safe Routes to School Advisory Committee. The Committee will meet for the first time April 13th.
For more information:
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3. KC RIVER CROSSINGS POLICY: UPDATE AND NEXT STEP
Our best guess is that in the past three weeks over 1000 people have written KDOT in support of better accommodation of bicyclists and pedestrians. Thanks to all who have done so–if you haven’t you can still do it, it less than 2 minutes, here.
This has had a big impact on KDOT and, indirectly, on MoDOT. Here are some results so far:
I just received the draft River Crossings policy which considers input from a variety of sources including MoDOT and KDOT. It is a very good policy–providing for bicycle and pedestrian accommodation on major river bridges whenever bicycles or pedestrians are allowed to operate on the roadway and any traffic generators (neighborhoods, businesses, schools, etc.) are nearby, within 1 mile.
The draft policy addresses a number of KDOT and MoDOT’s legitimate concerns. I believe MoDOT will accept this policy, but it is still debatable whether KDOT will. That is where your emails have helped a lot.
Link:
2006_03_01_advocacyalertsarchive.html#114136663366984938
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4. MISSOURI BLUEWAYS REPORT—HOW TO IDENTIFY AND CONVERT MISSOURI
RAILS TO TRAILS
MoBikeFed Trails Chair Jeff Huff has recently completed a monumental
report on rail corridors in Missouri, Missouri Blueways Report
(available in PDF format or MSWord format).
This report outlines how to identify potential rail corridors for
conversion to trails and then how to go about turning that corridor
into a trail. It covers practical and legal issues. The report also
includes a map of all known Missouri rail corridors–both those
currently in use and corridors that are abandoned.
One of the reasons that recreational trails built upon abandoned
railroad corridors have been so successful is the fact that they have
low grades or inclines and smooth surfaces on which to ride and walk.
Since making a healthy lifestyle change requires repetition,
rail-trails offer exactly the terrain needed for success in walking or
riding a bicycle as part of that change. In southeastern Missouri, 55
percent of trail users (who responded to the Bootheel and Ozark Heath
Projects survey) are exercising more than before they had access to a
trail (Health and Wellness Benefits). . . .
Link:
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5. RAILS-WITH-TRAILS SAFER THAN JUST RAILS
In Missouri there are several interesting opportunities for Rails with
Trails projects–trails built adjoining active rail lines.
The objection to these facilities is naturally that they will increase
the danger of accidents on the rail line–won’t they?
According to recent research on rails with trails in the U.S., the
answer is a resounding no. In fact, trails along the rail lines may
actually improve safety.
Link:
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6. BOONVILLE BRIDGE COST ESTIMATE CONTROVERSY
According to a Columbia Missourian article, the Missouri Department of
Natural Resources disputes the figure given by bridge advocates for
converting the Boonville lift bridge for trail use:
Retrofitting the old Boonville railroad bridge for pedestrian use could
cost from $1 million to more than $11 million. It all depends on who
you ask.
The Save the Katy Bridge Coalition, which has been raising money to pay
for renovations to the steel bridge, received a bid from Phillips
Grading & Construction this month that confirms its estimate of $1
million for the project.
The state Department of Natural Resources, however, maintains that
renovating the bridge for pedestrian use would cost $11.5 million, not
including maintenance and insurance.
Link:
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7. TOUR OF MISSOURI PROFESSIONAL STAGE RACE TO BECOME A REALITY IN
2007
For a year or so we have heard rumors that a group has been working to
get a pro-level "Tour of Missouri" multi-stage bicycle race organized.
The idea is that it would be a multi-day, multi-stage race similar to
the Tour of Georgia or recently completed Amgen Tour of California.
Well, what do you know—the idea is a go. The governor’s office and
others are behind it and it is moving forward.
We’re hoping that groups like MoBikeFed, MOBRA, and other key Missouri
bicycling groups will be involved with planning the tour. No details
have been decided at this time except a probable 2007 starting date.
The Tour will give Missouri national prominence–note for instance,
press coverage of the Tour of Georgia.
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8. TOUR OF CALIFORNIA BREAKS ATTENDANCE RECORDS
A Kansas City infoZine article recently summarized the success of the
new Tour of California:
The recently concluded Amgen Tour of California, an eight-day
professional cycling road race, drew more than 1.3 million spectators
from February 19-26, 2006, setting records in attendance for any single
sporting event in California, as well as for any cycling event in the
U.S. The inaugural event, which covered 600 miles of California roadway
from San Francisco to Redondo Beach, received praise from its host
cities, teams and sponsors, as well as from the Union Cycliste
International (UCI), the international governing body of cycling.
Meanwhile Utah hopes to add a major tour to the racing circuit.
Link:
http://www.mobikefed.org/2006/03/tour-of-california-breaks–
attendance.php
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9. OZARK GREENWAYS LOOKS TO THE FUTURE
A recent issue of the Springfield News-leader had a very good article
about Ozark Greenways. Bruce Adib-Yazdi, who is an alternate board
member with the Missouri Bicycle Federation, has been named President
of Ozark Greenways.
With a new leader gazing into an expansive future, Ozark Greenways is
sprouting ideas that include carving more new trails and promoting
Greene County as a trail-seekers destination,
If, for instance, a typical trail user like John Schweighardt wants
more trails, he’ll get them from the volunteer organization, even as it
moves to strengthen other efforts, such as linking tourism and trails
and preserving more open space around Springfield.
Link:
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10. REASONS TO SUPPORT KANSAS CITY’S METROGREEN PLAN
MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh’s article in Friday’s Kansas
City Star outlines the reasons for supporting KC’s MetroGreen trails
and greenways initiative:
Trail plan deserves to advance, not to die
By Brent Hugh
Special to The Star
It is deeply disappointing and a blow to the entire area that a few
city leaders are trying to scuttle an effort to create a truly
metrowide, coordinated program to build the proposed MetroGreen
greenway and trails network ("Planners revise bistate tax proposal,"
1/28).
The original proposal was to make MetroGreen funding a small but
important part of the regional SmartMoves transit funding proposal. Now
some leaders want to pull MetroGreen from the larger proposal.
This is not a smart move. Here is why:
* MetroGreen has proven strong support throughout the metropolitan
area. It brings a balance to the overall proposal — a balance that will
be sorely needed when it comes time to ask voters to actually pass a
tax referendum.
Link:
http://www.mobikefed.org/2006/03/reasons-to-support-kcs-metrogreen–
plan.php