Letter in support of bicycleable Missouri River crossing in Kansas City

The following letter was in the KCStar Monday, in support of creating a bicycle/pedestrian friendly river crossing in conjunction with the proposed Paseo "Signature Bridge."

Paseo Bridge future

The additional $50 million earmarked to turn the proposed Paseo Bridge into a “signature bridge,” as reported last month in The Star, highlights an important but overlooked issue.

Every such signature bridge built in the U.S. in recent history has included bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. The Kansas City area currently has no Missouri River crossing that is safe for bicycle and pedestrian use. Kansas City is one of the very few U.S. cities to remain so divided.

Area bicycle and pedestrian advocates have called for the Paseo Bridge to include a bike/pedestrian crossing separated from freeway traffic and connected to local streets and the MetroGreen trail network.

Metro, state and regional trail plans and bicycle transportation plans, including the Quad-State Trail Plan, call for bike/pedestrian access across the Missouri River.

The cost is very reasonable — no more than 1 or 2 percent of the bridge’s total cost.

At a time when both gas prices and Missourians’ waistlines are at historic highs, transportation officials need to think about the future. The Paseo Bridge may represent the only opportunity for a bike/pedestrian crossing of the river in Kansas City for the next quarter-century.

Brent Hugh
Executive director, Missouri Bicycle Federation Inc.
Raytown

Using KCBikeFed's One Minute Advocacy Action Email System, we have already sent almost 200 emails to MoDOT on this issue:

But I would like to see 500 to 1000 signatures on this online petition.

If you haven't signed this petition, PLEASE do.

If you have family, friends, neighbors, riding buddies, whatever, PLEASE ask them to spend ONE MINUTE making Missouri a better place to ride a bicycle by visiting this web site:

Paseo Bridge bike/ped accommodation online petition

Or simply email I29I35EIS@hntb.com.