[14 Febrary 2005] St. Louis Regional Bicycle and Walking Plan needs public input

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle and Walking Plan is nearing completion. Unlike the last plan in 1994, which mostly was a facility inventory, this new plan will focus on implementation.

The plan will serve as a manual to municipalities with model ordinances, a guidebook on design treatments for various environments (urban, suburban or rural), a handbook of facts to refute common misperceptions about safety and sharing the road, and a policy document strengthening East-West Gateway's role in awarding federal funds as enforcement of routine accommodations on roadway projects and more resources for non-motorized projects.

To develop the plan, a consultant team led by HNTB conducted surveys of regional citizens (602 respondents, a mix of users and non-users), communities (33 area municipalities from Village of Twin Oaks to St. Louis County), and transit, on-road and off-road facilities (Metro, MCT, Great Rivers Greenway, MoDNR, etc.). Two public meetings were held during plan development. A kick-off meeting at East-West Gateway's offices on October 6, 2004, summarized survey results. A charette on November 30, 2004, at UMSL, helped develop design guidelines for ped-friendly and bike-friendly accommodations in and along roadways for various environments (commercial or residential; urban, suburban or rural).

Beginning tomorrow, the East West Council of Governments will be having six open houses across the eight-county region to facilitate public comment on the draft plan and its policy recommendations. To view plan elements, make on-line comments, and learn more, visit: http://www.ewgateway.org/trans/bikeways/bikeways.htm#BikePlan

The open house schedule follows:

Tuesday, February 15
Mid-County Branch of the St. Louis County Library
Auditorium Room 115
7821 Maryland Avenue
Clayton, MO 63105

Wednesday, February 16
IDOT District 8 Offices
Regional Meeting Room
1102 Eastport Drive
Collinsville, IL 62234

Thursday, February 17
Franklin County Court House
Division II Court Room City Council Chambers
300 East Main
Union, MO 63084

Tuesday, February 22
St. Charles County Admin. Bldg.
201 N. Second Street
St. Charles, MO 63301

Thursday, February 24
Hillsboro City Hall, City Council Chambers
102 Second Street
Hillsboro, MO 63084

Tuesday, March 1
Third Baptist Church of St. Louis, Johnson Hall
620 North Grand Blvd
St. Louis, MO 63103

[From Bob Foster of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation]