Bicycle-related projects, legislation, funding requests, that would benefit from your action in contacting public officials, media, and other cyclists.
Send an email message in support of these issues in as little as two minutes:
Advocacy:
Paseo Bridge Bike/Ped Access: MoDOT is building a new quarter billion dollar bridge in the heart of Kansas City. It could provide the first safe bicycle/pedestrian crossing of the Missouri River near downtown Kansas City. We've been working on this for years and now it's going to move or die forever in the next month or so.
Advocacy:
Hwy 45 Bike/Ped Access: MoDOT is building a new highway through Parkville, Missouri. Guess what--their plans for accommodating bicycling and walking are inadequate, plus they forgot to include any funding for them.
Advocacy:
Bicycling License Plate: Many other states have 'Share the Road with Bicycles' license plates. Why not Missouri, too? In 1 minute you can show your support.
Important meeting about St. Louis-area cycling projects March 6th
Monday, February 24, 2003
The following is from MoBikeFed Chair Bob Foster:
East West Gateway Coordinating Council [St. Louis-area council that makes decisions about federal transportation funding] has selected the next round of "Enhancements Projects" which include bicycle/pedestrian projects as well as street lighting, landscaping and transportation museum type projects.
Unfortunately, the East West Gateway CC's Bicycle Pedestrian Committee is in a sort of limbo right now, and there was NO OPPORTUNITY to review the proposals prior to draft selection.
We can fix this! On March 6 at 4:00 8:00 the East-West Gateway Coordinating Council will be holding a public meeting to receive public comment on the draft projects. You are more than welcome to attend to lend your support! Their offices are located at 10 Stadium Plaza.
This is your opportunity to speak up on whether the federal funds that the area gets goes to Bike and Pedestrian projects or other "stuff."
Example: A proposal for St. Louis City to develop Bike St. Louis, a network of onroad bike routes has been approved in draft 1. We need to support it.
Example: St. Louis County submitted a proposal to review all its arterial roads and determine how to optimize them for bike travel! This needs to be approved! (I don't know if EWGateway signed off)
Example: St. Louis County also submitted a $1.1 million proposal to build little trams at the Museum of Transport. (I don't know if EWGateway signed off)
This is your chance to help shape the way bikes get around St. Louis or whether daffodils are planted along the roads. Mark your calendar. Bikes are allowed inside.
ACTION ALERT - 1 short phone call to help bicycling!
Dear Metro East bicyclists,
Your help is needed now to pass a bill that affects bicycling conditions throughout Illinois. You may know of CBF and LIB's "Boub legislation" from past newsletters, e-mails, etc. We have new bills this year. House Bill 1248 and Senate Bill 275 would correct the negative impacts of the 1998 Illinois Supreme Court Boub vs. Wayne decision, which has been a disaster for on-road cycling in the state. Until the bill gets passed:
· Towns that want to improve on-road bike safety through signage or bike lanes are penalized with liability, towns that do nothing get immunity;
· Bicyclists do not have any liability protection, as motorcyclists and motorists do, and bicyclists in other states do;
· Long-distance bikeways like the Grand Illinois Trail and Mississippi River Trail, and MANY other local plans, are being stalled;
· We're the only state with this bizarre and powerful disincentive for improving bike safety.
Last week, our House bill won an impressive 13-4-1 victory in the House Judiciary Committee - thanks to lots of calls and faxes from cyclists which swung a number of the votes. Rep. Jay Hoffman was a big supporter.
THIS WEDNESDAY the 26th, we face our toughest test, in Senate committee. There are TWO key committee members from your part of Illinois. WE NEED YOUR HELP!! Those opposed to the bill have mobilized and become very vocal after our House victory. If you live in the following towns, please call BEFORE THIS TUESDAY (the 25th):
Senator William R. Haine 618-465-4764 (Fax number 618-465-4816): Most or all of Alton, Collinsville, Glen Carbon, Bethalto, Edwardsville, Wood River, Roxana, East Alton, Madison, Maryville; north and east Fairview Heights; south Godfrey; north and east Granite City; west O'Fallon.
Senator James F. Clayborne, Jr. 618-875-1212 (Fax number 618-274-3010): Most or all of East St. Louis, Caseyville, Belleville, Shiloh, Centreville; south Granite City; west and south Fairview Heights; south O'Fallon; west Mascoutah; north Millstadt, east Cahokia.
[If you're unsure, check www.biketraffic.org/boub_search.html If you have a different senator (not on the committee), a call there would be helpful, too.]
Identify yourself as a bicyclist in the district and ask for support of SB275. Use the points above if you wish. It's fine to call and leave a message (or fax) during the weekend or evenings.
Please make this very short call and forward this to your biking friends. The voices of individual bicyclists are very important in passing the bill, just as this bill is critical to improving bicycling in the state. THANKS!
Ed Barsotti, Executive Director
League of Illinois Bicyclists 2550 Cheshire Dr.
Aurora, IL 60504
630-978-0583
ed@bikelib.org
If you have questions about the Envision Olathe Downtown plan, use the online feedback form on downtown website, or call the city's Development Services Department at 913-971-6250 and ask for Sara Copeland.
Here are a few bicycle-related ideas suggested by Olathe Cyclist Dale Crawford. Feel free to mention these when you write, call, email, or fill out your survey form:
a.) bicycle parking (racks and long term lockers) throughout downtown
b.) Wide lanes and bicycle lanes as appropriate on Northgate, Kansas Ave, Poplar St., Park St., Loula, St., Elm St.
c.) Rail & Trail on BNSF spur line from south side of downtown to Waterworks Park and Frisco Lakes.
d.) Curb flares at all intersections to narrow road width at crosswalks.
e.) Mid-block pedestrian crossing on Kansas.
f.) Automatic ped signal with time counter and audio signal on all signalized crossings.
g.) transit pull outs with shelters & bike lockers
h.) Street trees to shade sidewalks
i.) Pedestrian scale lighting
j.) Town square park at old courthouse block as social/cultural/economic hub of downtown
k.) Central community center downtown as catalyst for evening activities
l.) Extension of Mill Creek Trail to KS School for Deaf and Waterworks Park.
m.) Continuous sidewalks throughout downtown and surrounding neighborhoods
n.) Parking garages with retail or open space at street level, not surface parking lots
o.) No dedicated right-turn lanes with Downtown area (high pedestrian conflict).
The following alert came from Ed Barsotti, Executive Director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists (ed@bikelib.org):
ACTION ALERT - please take a few minutes to help bicycling!
Attention all cyclists (please forward this to other cyclists, too), Your help is needed now to pass a bill that affects bicycling conditions throughout the state. You may know of CBF and LIB's "Boub legislation" from past newsletters, etc. We have new bills this year, and the House bill is scheduled for committee this Thursday the 20th! House Bill 1248 and Senate Bill 275 would correct the negative impacts of the 1998 Illinois Supreme Court Boub vs. Wayne decision, which has been a disaster for on-road cycling in the state. Until the bill gets passed:
· Towns that want to improve on-road bike safety through signage or bike lanes are penalized with liability, whereas towns that do nothing get
immunity;
· Bicyclists are discriminated against by not having the on-road liability protection that motorcyclists and motorists have;
· Long-distance bikeways like the Grand Illinois Trail and Mississippi River Trail, and MANY other local plans, are being stalled;
· We're the only state with this bizarre and powerful disincentive for improving on-road bike safety.
PLEASE CALL YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS BY TUESDAY THE 18TH OF FEBRUARY 2003!
Identify yourself as a bicyclist in the district and ask for support of HB1248 and SB275. Use the points above if you wish. You may leave a message during non-business hours, if necessary.
Please make this very short call and forward this to your biking friends. The voices of individual bicyclists are VERY important in passing the bill, just as this bill is critical to improving bicycling in the state.
Thank you!
If you live in Illinois or cycle there regularly, your input is especially important. But remember that a national and even international outcry was in large part responsible for the defeat of a recently proposed law prejudicial to bicyclists in North Dakota.
Kansas City Walkability Plan--Important Meeting Tues., Feb 18th
Monday, February 10, 2003
I received the following message from KCMO's Lynnis Jameson today:
Walkability Friends:
Remember that a public hearing before the City Plan Commission on the adoption of the Kansas City Walkability Plan will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 18 at 9:30 a..m. on the 26th Floor of City Hall, 414 E. 12th Street (southeast corner of 11th and Oak). The hearing will start promptly at 9:30 a.m.
You all have expressed interest and support for Walkability in Kansas City. Now is the time to express your opinions formally as the adoption process begins. I know that the time and place may be very inconvenient for those of you who live and work far from downtown, but public input at the two public hearings in the adoption process is crucial if the plan is to be adopted. If the City Plan Commission recommends approval of the Walkability Plan, the second public hearing will be held some time in March before the Planning Zoning and Economic Development Committee of City Council. That will be an afternoon hearing.
I would most appreciate an e-mail from you letting me know whether to expect you at the City Plan Commission hearing. Let me know also whether you have further questions or concerns.
Lynnis Jameson, Senior Planner
City Planning and Development Dept.
Public meeting scheduled for KC-area I-35 interchange, Thurs 13 Feb
Sunday, February 09, 2003
The City of Olathe has scheduled a public information meeting regarding the I-35 and Lone Elm Interchange Project for Thursday, February 13 from 6-8:30 p.m. at Olathe City Hall, 100 East Santa Fe.
The public is invited to attend the open house style meeting anytime between 6 and 8:30 p.m. A brief introductory presentation will be offered at 6:15 p.m.; otherwise it is an informal open house. The session will introduce the project team and provide background information about the project. The proposed interchange at I-35 and Lone Elm Road will provide better access to the 159th and Lone Elm Road area in southern Olathe. Currently access to I-35 is provided through local roads that connect at 151st or 175th Streets.
"This area of Olathe is growing very quickly and with the high traffic volumes, an additional access point will provide safer, more convenient travel," said Dave Nolte, project manager with the City of Olathe. "We have anticipated the need for this access point through our planning processes and are now ready to design an interchange that will serve the community." The need for an interchange at this location was determined through a number of regional and local transportation plans including the Comprehensive Arterial Road Network Plan (CARNP) for Johnson County, the City of Olathe's Capital Improvement Program, Land Use Plans and Street Network Study, and the Mid-America Regional Council's (MARC) 2020 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP).
The interchange proposed for I-35 and Lone Elm Road is a folded, or half diamond interchange which will provide complete access to both northbound and southbound I-35. The City of Olathe has hired HNTB Corporation to design the proposed interchange. The design phase of the project will take approximately two and half years. Construction could occur in 2006-2007 depending upon availability of funding.
The project team welcomes questions and comments from residents, businesses and the traveling public. Three additional public meetings will be held to provide updated information as the project progresses. For more information please contact Dave Nolte at (913) 971-8570, (dnolte@olatheks.org) or check the City website's page about the interchange.
Dale Crawford, a cyclist from Olathe, adds that Lone Elm has been a cycle-friendly road, very often used by cyclists. The interchange work has the potential to add a lot of heavy truck traffic to the road, making it much more difficult for cyclists to use. He suggests these ideas for making the interchange project more bicycle-friendly; feel free to mention these, or similar ideas, when you write to Olathe with your feedback about the project:
a.) Bike lanes on Lone Elm from Dennis Ave. Bike Lanes south, through the overpass on I-35 at 159th, and continuing to 175th are needed. This will allow the safe, continued use of Lone Elm Road by road bicyclists riding and maintain current routes as designated in the Johnson/Wyandotte County Bicycle Transportation Plan. I'm recommending bike lanes due to the existence of two major parks along this corridor and the likelihood of increased on-road bicycle traffic generated by these parks.
b.) Provide for the extension of the proposed Cedar Lake/Cedar Creek Trail through the interchange as a separate 10'-wide bike/pedestrian facility to provide recreation cyclists, children cyclists and pedestrians accommodation. This will allow the linkage of two of Olathe's major parks, Cedar Lake and the new Lone Elm Park at 167th Street. Lone Elm Park, which will be a significant traffic generator due to the proposed 13 softball fields (5 in Phase 1, under construction) and 8 soccer fields (under construction). Designing the new roadway system to accommodation all types of users will help alleviate conflict and congestion. The trail can be designed with underpasses under access ramps and separation from driving lanes similar to Adams Dairy Road & I-70 in Blue Springs.
c.) Provide full pedestrian accommodation on both sides of Lone Elm Road and 159th Street. Take measures to minimize pedestrian/vehicular hazards by provide upgrade pedestrian accommodation throughout the interchange area through median refugees, signage, signalization with adequate pedestrian crossing timing, etc.
This came from the Thunderhead Alliance, a national federation of bike advocacy groups, and is very important.
Please take a minute to complete the 2nd Annual Bicycling Magazine survey on voting, bicycling usage, and demographic information. Go to www.bicycling.com and on the right-hand side, in the middle of the column, you'll find the "Take our Political Survey and Sound Off" link.
This survey is really important. We're going to use the data collected as part of the National Bike Summit on March 5-7. The data collected in the survey quantifies bicyclists as voters, tax payers, and users of roadways who want federal funding to continue for bike lanes, bike trails, and better education for both bicyclists and motorists. Last year, nearly 1800 people took the survey. This year, we want to hit DC with responses from 5000 cyclists across America.
Our message to Congress, delivered in person through hundreds of meetings at the National Bike Summit with every member of Congress, and backed up with the survey data in hand, is that cyclists are a huge constituency of voters who spend our incomes to use bicycles for transportation, recreation, and sport. We want continued federal funding for bicycle facilities (more than $2 billion since 1991), routine accommodation (safe bike access on any roads or bridges built), and Safe Routes to School programs (so our children grow up riding bicycles). As voters, taxpayers, and small business owners, we demand no less.
Please take a minute to complete the survey so we'll have powerful data for the National Bike Summit. I'd also like to thank our friends at Bicycling magzine for hosting this important survey.
And if you haven't endorsed the America Bikes agenda (www.americabikes.org.) please do this as well. These are two easy ways for you to speak out about your passion for bicycling. Thanks!
Gary Sjoquist
Quality Bicycle Products
Bikes Belong
America Bikes
Overland Park, KS, discusses bike trail, traffic calming Feb 3rd
Sunday, February 02, 2003
Overland Park is holding a meeting Monday February 3rd at 7:30PM in the council chamber at City Hall, 8500 Santa Fe Drive, to discuss a bike hike trail and other capital improvements, and the implementation of traffic calming measures in various areas of the city.
Traffic calming measures would help make city streets friendlier for pedestrians and cyclists.
If you wish to submit email comments about these issues, send them to city@opkansas.org.
For more information, call (913) 895-6000 or visit the city's web site at www.opkansas.org.
