MoBikeFed Top Ten accomplishments of 2005

OK--there are more than ten here. We've had a busy year!

Thanks to all who have supported MoBikeFed this year in any way--we absolutely couldn't have done it without you.


  • Missouri Bicycle Safety legislation passed into law.
     
  • Raised money to hire a legislative lobbyist to represent bicyclists and pedestrians in Missouri for the first time.
     
  • New
    Curved-vane grate on a MoDOT road
    MoDOT policy on bicycle-friendly grates
    has finally come into use. You should be seeing these "curved vane" grates on all new MoDOT construction from now on.
     
  • New, bicycle-friendlier rumble strip design for MoDOT roads. Work remains to be done on the rumble strip issue but the new design (narrower, under the edgeline, stops before intersections) is much better than the previous (wider and right in the middle of the shoulder).
     
  • MoBikeFed Board Member Joe Torrisi has worked to increase the number of school bicycle clubs in Missouri and nationwide, by continuing to expand his middle school bicycle club, keeping in communication with several others around the state in the process of developing their own school bicycle clubs, giving a substantial contribution towards a new soon-to-be-published book about how to start a school bicycle club, and presenting information about start school bicycle clubs at the national level.
     
  • Created a "Ped Committee" to support and coordinate advocacy related to pedestrian and running.
     
  • Increased MoBikeFed membership from approximately 100 to almost 800.
     
  • MoBikeFed Bicycle Education Chair Coy Hart sponsored the first bicycle education instructor training in Missouri in years, more than doubling the number of League Cycling Instructors in Missouri.
     
  • Hired
    Executive Director Brent Hugh
    first Executive Director
    --working towards having a person able to work full time on behalf of Missouri bicyclists and pedestrians, Executive Director Brent Hugh has agreed to donate the first six months of the new half-time Executive Director salary to the organization.
     
  • Participated
    Missouri bicycle map
    in the creation of Missouri's first ever bicycle and pedestrian plan, the "Missouri TrailMap". This plan will be powerful in allowing us to influence state, regional, and local authorities to better accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians.
     
  • Provided first ever professional advocacy training for a MBF leader.
     
  • Released new versions of maps showing (for the first time ever!--yes, it is a theme with us this year) reasonably accurate indications of shoulder availability on main bicycle routes, and the "beta version" of a state bicycle map. (Final version to be released soon).
     
  • Successful in helping MoDOT get started in creating reasonable requirements and job description for new state Safe Routes to School Coordinator.
     
  • Successful
    Possible Missouri River crossing
    in working with local Kansas City groups to move bicycle/pedestrian access across major rivers from a non-issue to one that is receiving positive political attention at the highest levels--a policy shift that is already causing ripples across the state.
     
  • Successful in helping mold MoDOT's bicycle and pedestrian policy and avoid attacks designed to weaken it.
     
  • Many MoBikeFed board members and regular members participated in the "Speaker's Fitness Challenge", meeting politicians and leaders from across the state.

    BikeMO 2005
  • Successfully created the first annual BikeMO, a ride in support of Missouri bicycle advocacy (set your calendars for Saturday, October 14th for the 2006 version of BikeMO!).
     
  • Promoted statewide participation in the annual Ride of Silence (set your calendars for May 17th, 2006).
     
  • MoBikeFed Board Member Jeff Huff is developing a detailed map of current and former Missouri rail corridors, including information about which have been abandoned. This information is vital in developing potential new rail trails in Missouri.
     
  • Helped
    Quad-state trail plan
    re-kindle the Missouri DNR's interest in completing the Katy Trail by connecting it cross-state and making it the hub of a truly statewide (and multi-state) trails system. Collected many hundreds of petition signatures in support.
     
  • Helped educate citizens statewide about arcane but important issues surrounding the Katy Bridge at Boonville controversy.
     
  • Blew the lid off Senator Bond's email box as Missouri citizens asked him to support the "Complete Streets" amendment. Although Senator Bond ultimately opposed the amendment, it lost by only a slim margin. And it will be back.
     
  • Led a successful campaign to request bicycle/pedestrian access on an I-70 overpass at Kingdom City. This has led to increased awareness in MoDOT of the need to consult with bicycle and pedestrian groups in making key decisions.

Remember any other notable accomplishments or happenings in 2005 Missouri bicycling? Add them to the comments section (see below).

Do we need to say it? MoBikeFed needs your membership and financial support to be able to continue with powerful advocacy like this in the future . . .

 

 

What's next?

Join MoBikeFed's Advocacy Network

MoBikeFed is a statewide group of people like you, working together for better bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri. When you join our advocacy network you receive occasional important advocacy alerts and bicycle, pedestrian, and trails news from around Missouri.

Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network:

Want better bicycling and walking in Missouri?
We rely on the support of members like you.  Please join, renew, or donate today.