Wheels and Heels - October 2002

Email news from MoDOT Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator Caryn Giarratano

Greetings Windbenders!

The first week of September, I spent in St. Paul, MN, at the
ProBike/ProWalk conference to learn more about bike/ped access, issues,
facilities and ADA guidelines. I left Minnesota with my self-confidence
renewed, my focus broadened and my resolve to make my state a better place
to walk and ride bolstered.

It has become apparent that some of the MoDOT policies are vague and need
to be rewritten. I am working with MoDOT staff to rewrite the grate policy
in the Standard Plans and the Project Development Manual to allow only
bike-safe curved-vane grates on roadways and shoulders. It's looking good
for bike-friendly changes in six months!

The MoDOT rumblestrip policy needs to be rewritten also. I am collecting
other states' policies and working with a research team at UMR towards this
pursuit. What I think would work best is a narrow rumblestrip outside or on
the edge line to provide a barrier between the motorists and bicyclists.
This would allow smooth, wind-swept pavement two feet to the right of the
edgeline for experienced cyclists, and the rest of the shoulder towards the
ditch for those not comfortable riding close to traffic.

Our Share the Road policy needs attention and is waiting for me to have
time to address it. I have begun the process of identifying six bicycle
transportation corridors in our state. We already have three national
routes identified by Adventure Cyclists: Mississippi River Trail (along the
eastern edge of the state that connects Minnesota with Louisiana),
TransAmerica Trail (along the southern part of the state that connects the
west coast to the east coast) and the Lewis and Clark Trail that follows
the Missouri River from St. Louis to Oregon. I would like to identify three
more corridors to form three east-west and three north-south routes upon
which we may build to create an efficient infrastructure.

My first task in the area of safety is to sort the many flyers I have
collected. I plan to work with other state agencies to create a bike-safety
packet and a pedestrian-safety packet. Speaking of pedestrian safety, I am
working with the Department of Health to help expand the Safe Routes to
School program.

Bridge access is a burning issue for bicyclists. I have been granted
permission and given the funding to make the northbound bridge over the
Missouri River at Jefferson City bike-accessible by restriping the lanes to
provide a seven-foot wide outside shoulder and by replacing the grates with
bike-safe ones. My next pursuit is to gain bike/ped access on the
southbound bridge to allow those who ride over the bridge to ride back!

Last month, I began receiving requests from bicycle clubs, city government
groups and civic organizations to speak to their groups regarding bicycle
and pedestrian issues. I have been traveling all over the state! I love the
idea of creating a communications network, so we may reach consensus of
what we want, and then go for it!

It would be my recommendation for all bicyclists in the state to attend the
Missouri Bicycle Federation annual business meeting and election of
officers Sunday, November 11, from 1-4 pm in the Viewpoint Conference Room
at the Capital Region Medical Center in Jefferson City. I have been lining
up some high-powered speakers to discuss bicycle facilities, share the road
policy, national bike routes that cross Missouri, a Missouri Bike Map,
rumblestrips, grates, funding and bridge access.

My plan is to create a communications network in Missouri to advance
bicycle and pedestrian safe access. Please help to make Missouri a better
place to walk and ride!

Please forward this newsletter to anyone you feel may be interested. If you
are not on the mailing list and would like to be added, please email me
your wish.

Tailwinds, Caryn

Caryn Giarratano, PhD
MoDOT Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator
573-522-9297
giarrc1@mail.modot.state.mo.us

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