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posted by Brent Hugh at 7/29/2005 12:51:00 PM
Safe Routes to School, other programs to bring safer streets, paths
Full bill text of the final, approved bill is online here. The final federal transportation bill set for approval by both the House and Senate will launch a new Safe Routes to School program, and strengthen existing programs that will make it safer and easier for millions of Americans to bicycle and walk. This bill will help states provide substantial benefits for adults and children who ride bicycles, and this will benefit America as a whole by helping people avoid traffic congestion, by producing less air pollution, and by helping more Americans lead active, healthy lives, says Andy Clarke, President of the Board of America Bikes and Executive Director of the League of American Bicyclists. The new Safe Routes to School program, championed by Representative James Oberstar of Minnesota, is funded at $612 million over 5 years and will help make it safe and convenient for children to walk to school. Grants administered by state Departments of Transportation will allow communities to build sidewalks, fix hazards, and slow traffic near schools while increasing safety through focused enforcement and education programs. A smaller new program, the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program, will grant each of four designated communities $6.2 million annually over 4 years to develop comprehensive networks for bicycling and walking. The intent is to demonstrate the potential of such networks to shift travel patterns. The bill, known as the Transportation Equity Act-Legacy for Users (TEA-LU), also strengthens three existing programs of importance to bicycling: Transportation Enhancements, Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ), and Recreational Trails. The Transportation Enhancements program has been a primary source of funding for multi-use trails and other facilities, and funding for the program is set at approximately $3.5 billion over 5 years. CMAQ helps communities improve air quality with non-polluting solutions. This program will be available in more communities and funding is set at about $8.6 billion over 5 years. The Recreational Trails program uses off-road vehicle fuel taxes to build trails; it will receive a higher portion of the revenue from those taxes, receiving $370 million over five years, $100 million more than the original allocation in the last bill, TEA-21. Everyone who contributed funds or contacted their members of Congress bicycle suppliers, shop owners, advocates, club riders should be proud that our efforts convinced members of Congress that when America bikes, America benefits, says Tim Blumenthal, Executive Director of Bikes Belong, the coalition representing the bicycle industry that has provided primary funding for America Bikes. As in any legislation, the final bill fell short of reaching all of America Bikes goals. In the final days of House-Senate negotiation the Senate s Fair Share for Safety provision was removed, which would have required states to spend their safety funds in proportion to bicycle and pedestrian deaths. Today most states spend only a tiny fraction of those funds on non-motorized safety, despite bicyclist and pedestrian fatality rates averaging 13 percent. Another disappointment was the Senate s defeat, by a slim margin, of a provision that would have required the construction of complete streets roads that safely serve all users. Despite these disappointments, we are confident that we have established bipartisan momentum for doing more to make all of our streets safe for bicycling and walking, says Clarke. A number of other provisions will also help improve the environment for people who bicycle and walk; please check out our website regularly for additional information on all the provisions. This information will be updated as details become available.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/29/2005 11:37:00 AM
Today's Kansas City Star has an excellent overview of bicycling and bicycling accommodation in the Kansas City area.
Note the following, which clearly points up the need for bicycle advocacy. We need to speak up, folks! Many city planners said their on-street strategy largely involved re-striping to widen outside lanes by a foot or two, and only on certain streets.Bicyclist Jeremy Wilson is right on target when he says: “We need educational campaigns for both drivers and bikers. We need to tell people to share the road.”The need for more bicycle education is one reason the Missouri Bicycle Federation has strongly supported the effort to train more BikeEd instructors in Missouri--a recent training workshop more than doubled the number of BikeEd instructors in the state. In addition, bicycle and motorist education will be a primary focus of the soon-to-be-launched "Missouri Bicycle Foundation, Inc.", a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation that will be associated with the Missouri Bicycle Federation. The article also highlights the recent changes to Missouri bicycle law--changes spearheaded by the Missouri Bicycle Federation and made possible by the support of its members and member organizations across the state.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/29/2005 11:09:00 AM
Bob Foster of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation forwarded the following announcement today:
The St. Louis cycling community will be riding in memory of Michael Katz Sunday, July 31. Michael was active in the cycling community and a passionate rider. Hewas struck and killed by a motorist Monday, July 25, on Olive Boulevard, near Pavillion Drive in Creve Coeur, MO. Michael was riding a recumbent.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/29/2005 11:08:00 AM
The federal energy bill coming to a congressional vote soon, and expected to pass, includes this provision:
And tucked away deep in the legislation is an authorization for $10 million to promote riding bicycles to work as a way to save energy. It would still be subject to Congress actually appropriating the money.[Thanks to Jeff in STL for the tip.]
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/29/2005 12:07:00 AM
Senator Kit Bond's office announced today that as part of the TEA-21 renewal bill soon to pass both chambers of Congress, four communities were chosen to receive funding to complete an entire, interconnected network of sidewalks and trails. The four cities are an experiment to see if making the whole city bicyclable and walkable will have tangible benefits in lowering congestion and pollution.
One of the three cities selected for this experiment is Columbia, Missouri. Columbia will receive $25 million in federal funds that will be used to complete their already planned system of sidewalks, paths, bikeways, and pedways. Columbia also recently approved a major update to the major street plan to make all streets more walkable and bicyclable. It couldn't have happened to a nicer city--Columbia is already one of the most bicyclable, walkable cities in Missouri. Columbia already has tremendous public support for bicycling and walking, an active, influential advocacy group, and a very supportive mayor. If anyone can make a success of this, Columbia can! The following articles have information about this project along with moredetails of the TEA-21 renewal bill that will soon pass, and which will set federal transportation policy for the next several years:
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/25/2005 02:05:00 PM
One question of importance to the effort to use the Boonville MKT Bridge as part of the Katy Trail--how much will it cost?
The Save the Katy Bridge Committee has released a report with a new estimate of the cost, reported in the Boonville Daily News: Breaking the project into two phases, Allstate Consultants has estimated the total budget for the work at $800,000 to $1,150,000. This figure takes into account design, architecture and inspection fees, as well as any contingenies.The Missouri DNR replied to this estimate in a press release. (Please note that this release claims to be correcting inaccurate statements--however it contains several inaccurate and misleading statements of its own. Important facts can be checked by consulting the original documents that created the Katy Trail, which the Missouri Bicycle Federation has made available here.) The case number for the lawsuit filed by Jay Nixon is "05CO-CC00023". You can browse the case docket by going to http://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet and typing in the case number. (Note: If you want to support the Katy Trail and the effort to save the Katy Bridge at Boonville, the best thing you can do right now is to support the Katy Trail as a whole by participating in MoBikeFed's Complete The Katy Trail email campaign.)
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/25/2005 01:48:00 PM
The lawsuit over the fate of the Katy Bridge at Boonville continues to develop. Local residents want to make the bridge part of the Katy Trail and a tourist attraction. Union Pacific wants to move the bridge and use it elsewhere. Katy Trail supporters worry that removing the bridge will remove a margin of safety for the legal status of the entire trail.
(Note: If you want to support the Katy Trail and the effort to save the Katy Bridge at Boonville, the best thing you can do right now is to support the Katy Trail as a whole by participating in MoBikeFed's Complete The Katy Trail email campaign.) Last week's Pitch Weekly had a long article about the bridge lawsuit. The article doesn't exactly mince words: Although the path doesn't go over the bridge, it's still part of the railroad's right of way. And the state has held its owner, Union Pacific Railroad, to an agreement that prevents the company from doing anything with it.Several news outlets, including the Columbia Tribune, reported that the judge in the lawsuit has granted a change in venue. This may be bad news for supporters of the lawsuit--it moves the suit to less friendly territory in Jefferson City and also includes a ruling that the case does not revolve around property rights--an issue that may be important to the technical details of Attorney General Jay Nixon's argument that DNR Director Childers cannot simply give away the state's rights in the bridge: Kramer said "the bottom line" is that the lawsuit filed in May isn’t about real estate or whether the state has an easement on the 73-year-old railroad bridge over the Missouri River.Finally, DNR Director Doyle Childers issued a statement outlining the DNR's position about the Boonville Bridge, reported in today's Kansas City infoZine: The State of Missouri cannot afford the liability and financial responsibility for the bridge. The Department of Natural Resources made the decision over a decade ago to not use the bridge because the cost of refurbishing the bridge, and the long-term fiscal liability of operating and maintaining the bridge over the navigable channel of the Missouri River, is too expensive and cannot be justified when there are trail needs more pressing than duplicating an existing trail.(Please note that this release contains several inaccurate and misleading statements of its own. Important facts can be checked by consulting the original documents that created the Katy Trail, which the Missouri Bicycle Federation has made available on its web site.)
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/20/2005 05:31:00 PM
To celebrate our recent successes--meeting our membership and fund raising goals, and the signing of the Bicycle Safety Legislation by Governor Blunt--here is a special membership offer, July 19-25, 2005, only: Join or renew your MoBikeFed membership online before July 25th and receive a free 5-LED rear blinky light. These normally cost $8-$15 in stores, so that takes a big chunk out of your $20 MoBikeFed membership . . . 
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/20/2005 05:26:00 PM
Now that Governor Blunt has signed the 2005 Bicycle Safety Bill, we are updating our compilations of Missouri Bicycle Law to reflect the recent changes.
These two resources have been updated with the most recent changes to Missouri law: Note that HB487, one of two bills containing the bicycle safety language, became effective as soon as it was signed by the governor. So the laws listed above are effective already.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/20/2005 09:50:00 AM
According to a Kansas City Star article:
Bicyclists seem to love Shawnee.Shawnee, a city in the Kansas City metropolitan area, is currently the only city in Kansas or Missouri to receive the LAB "Bicycle Friendly Community" designation. However, Springfield, MO, recently was awarded Honorable Mention in the LAB's Bicycle Friendly Community program--indicating that within a year or two, Springfield may receive the Bicycle Friendly Community designation.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/18/2005 04:20:00 PM
Missouri Bicycle Federation Members and Supporters,
It's time to celebrate! The 2005 Missouri Bicycle Safety Bill, promoted by the Missouri Bicycle Federation and other key bicycle/pedestrian groups across the state and passed by the Missouri General Assembly in May 2005, has now been signed by the governor. It's the law! A summary of the newly passed provisions is below. But hiring Jim Farrell this year to represent bicyclists in Jefferson City and get this legislation passed has been even more helpful than simply the list of changes to Missouri law would indicate. Passing this legislation has given the Missouri Bicycle Federation credibility in Jefferson City. Legislators, staff, journalists, and policy makers now know us and listen to us. This is the kind of clout we need to move bicycling forward in Missouri. Many thanks to you all who have supported MoBikeFed in moving this legislation forward! Links to complete bill texts: SB372, HB487. (Note that both bills have identical text, except that HB487 has one important provision that SB372 lacks--the penalty provision for failing to pass bicyclists safely.) When does the new law take effect? HB 487 was passed with the "emergency clause", so it took effect as soon as the governor signed it. Thanks to Senator Kevin Engler, the bill's sponsor in the Senate, and Mike Sutherland, the sponsor in the House and to the bill's many cosponsors in both the House and the Senate. Special thanks goes to House Speaker Rod Jetton, whose support was crucial in moving the legislation forward in the House this year, and to Senator Joan Bray, who sponsored or cosponsored the bill for the past three years, and whose support over the years has been crucial in keeping the Bicycle Safety Bill alive. Summary: What is in the new bicycle safety law, SB372/HB487? * Motorists shall leave a safe distance when overtaking bicyclists. There is a penalty for those who pass unsafely, and a more severe penalty when passing too close results in a collision. Having a specific offense for passing too closely will also make it easier to escalate to higher penalties when that is appropriate (for instance, when a driver purposefully passes too close in order to harass or intimidate).See previous coverage of the Bicycle Safety Legislation here.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/14/2005 03:29:00 PM
Our campaign to blast Missouri Dept. of Natural Resources Director Doyle Childers with mail and email continues. The campaign urges Childers to support a complete Katy Trail, from St. Louis to Kansas City.
Right now, Childers needs to put his full weight behind negotiations to create a trail connection between the Katy Trail and the Kansas City metro area. To help in this campaign we have created a Complete the Katy Trail Printable Postcard [PDF]. You can print the postcards and distribute them at rides, club meetings, events, bike shops, etc. Supporters can write their own message on the back of the postcard and send it in to Director Childers. You can help the campaign by mailing or emailing the DNR chief: To: Doyle Childers, Director, Missouri DNRA complete cross-state Katy Trail network is an important step in creating the Quad-State Trail Plan connecting St. Louis to Kansas City, St. Joseph, Omaha, Lincoln, and beyond.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/11/2005 11:41:00 PM
MoBikeFed members & friends,
I hope you will join us in celebrating YOUR achievement--MoBikeFed's membership and fund raising drive has now wrapped up and we have EXCEEDED our goals:
Thank you for putting up with the annoying mail and email associated with the campaign. (Believe me, it drives me crazy, too . . . during this period it has simply been a necessary evil.) The very good news is:
We know and have tested techniques now for growing our membership. We can solicit new members in a way that is a net positive for our bank account (a rarity in the nonprofit world, where most membership drives actually lose money in the first year). But it takes a certain reserve of funds to make it all work--and now, thanks to you, we have it. What this means to *you* is that MoBikeFed will be able to move forward with its goal of 1000 new/renewing members this year WITHOUT continually pestering our current members. (We've pestered you ENOUGH for now!) 1000 members by the end of this year is MoBikeFed's goal, because it is the number we consider necessary to
We have already added over 350 new/renewing members this year. With the experience we have now, using these same techniques to find the remaining 650 needed to reach our goal of 100 new members by the end of the year is quite possible. So once again, THANK YOU for your strong and continuing support of MoBikeFed during this crucial time. It really HAS made a difference! MoBikeFed's goal is the same as yours--more, better, and safer roads, and trails for more, better, and safer bicycling in Missouri. Thanks to your help and the help of hundreds of Missouri Bicycle Federation members like you, we are making it happen now. --Brent
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/06/2005 01:11:00 PM
Yesterday Steve Patterson's Urban Design-St. Louis blog documents a dangerous bicycle lane design on Broadway in St. Louis.
Broadway is a popular route for cyclists heading South from downtown St. Louis. In the last week I've ridden it three times. This last time I stopped to get photos of a dangerous situation that needs to be corrected immediately.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/06/2005 12:04:00 AM
Sunday's Kansas City Star had a long article about the MKT Bridge at Boonville situation.
This is one of the first articles to squarely address what MoBikeFed believes is the critical issue: will removing the bridge endanger the entire Katy Trail? As information and documents recently posted to MoBikeFed.org show, removing the bridge may not instantly dissolve the railbanked status of the line, but will remove a margin of safety. As lawyer, trail advocate, and Columbia Mayor Darwin Hindman has said, it give trail opponents an opening to attack the trail. Whether such an attack might succeed is an open question. The KCStar article reads: Anyone who sets foot on the old metal railroad bridge here will hear it, says Brent Hugh.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/05/2005 11:52:00 PM
A column by Senator Kevin Engler in the Ste. Genevieve News recently summarized the Bicycle Safety Legislation recently passed by the Missouri General Assembly. Senator Engler was Senate sponsor and Rep. Mike Sutherland was House sponsor of the bill, which was supported by the Missouri Bicycle Federation, bicycle clubs around the state, and many invidual Missouri bicyclists.
Senate Bill 372, which I sponsored, was delivered to Governor Blunt in late May and awaits his signature. The legislation includes a number of measures relating to bicycle safety as well as the duties owed to bicyclists by motorists.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/05/2005 07:02:00 PM
A recent study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project (STPP) shows that regions like Missouri that have invested little in transportation alternatives are now reaping the rewards in the form of higher transportation costs.
Kansas City is the second highest in the nation (behind only Los Angeles) for the amount of money lost to households due to increasing gasoline costs. So far in 2005, Kansas Citians have lost over $215 million due to increasing gasoline costs. The effect of higher gas prices is offset in cities with many transportation alternatives. Cities with few or no alternatives end up paying the most when gas prices go up. According to the report: Households in regions that have invested in public transportation reapThe Missouri Bicycle Federation urges that cities, regions, the state, and the nation work together to promote real transportation choice, including far better accommodation of bicycling and walking. The full report "Driven to Spend" is available in PDF format.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/02/2005 09:56:00 PM
A Missouri motorist made national news this week by dousing a competitor in the Race Across America (RAAM) with gasoline as he rode near Camdenton:
A tired but happy David Haase rolled in to Atlantic City shortly after the awards banquet finished on the night of the 29th. Dozens of RAAM finishers came out to welcome him in, in one of the most rousing receptions of the race. Haase finished with a time of 10 days, 12 hours and 41 minutes. At 6.28 a.m. Valentin Zeller of Austria crossed the line after a ride, the low point of which was almost certainly being dowsed with gasoline by passing motorist near Camdenton, Missouri. Zeller’s finishing time was 10 days, 20 hours, 25 minutes. Almost exactly four hours later, the Swiss rider Pius Achermann finished – like Haase at his second attempt in two years – with a time of 11 days and 26 minutes. In the early afternoon, 1.13 p.m. to be precise, Ben Couturier of Eagle River, Alaska, became the youngest rider to finish RAAM. Aged only 18, Couturier beat the record set by Chris Kostman in 1987 at 20 years of age. Couturier’s finishing time was 11 days, 3 hours and 10 minutes. Alexander Gepp of Austria, Chris Hopkinson of Great Britain, and Jim Trout of Seattle, Washington, are expected to finish inside the official cutoff time of noon July 1st. Mark Metcalf of Duncanville, Texas, would need to increase his speed to do so.Read the rest of the RAAM results at RaceAcrossAmerica.org.
posted by Brent Hugh at 7/01/2005 02:25:00 PM
Ross Greathouse has long been advocating a "quad-state trail" to link St. Louis to Kansas City, Omaha, and Lincoln.
The "Complete Katy Trail" linking Kansas City to St. Louis is just the first step in the Quad-State concept.  Here is Greathouse's explanation of the proposed Quad-State route: Quad-state Trail Map a courtesy of Laurie Chipman. Related news item: What the Katy Trail Connection to Kansas City would look like Recent Posts in Missouri Bicycle News
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