Missouri Bicycle News Article

October 18th, 2007, the Kansas City Missouri city council unanimously adopted a resolution in favor of creating accommodations for bicycling and walking on the new Paseo Bridge.

The resolution was introduced by KCMO city council member Russ Johnson, one of the strongest supporters of bicycling and walking in the metro area.

This would create the first good, safe Missouri River crossing for residents near downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

MoBikeFed and other bicycling and walking groups in the Kansas City metropolitan area have been working in support of bicycle/pedestrian river access for the past several years.

Over 2000 area residents have weighed in to support safe bicycle/pedestrian river crossings with MoDOT and other agencies during the planning for the Paseo bridge. (And it's not too late to weigh in with MoDOT on this issue.)

November 14th the contractor will be selected for the design-build of the bridge--a step that will be very important in determining whether the bicycle/pedestrian accommodations are built.

The KCMO City Council's resolution:

RESOLUTION NO. 071092

Expressing the support of the Mayor and Council for the integration of multi-modal accommodations, including bicycle, pedestrian and public transit, into the design of the new Paseo Bridge and directing the City Clerk to distribute copies of this resolution to appropriate officials.

WHEREAS, the Missouri Department of Transportation is in the planning stages for a new Paseo Bridge; and

WHEREAS, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission is scheduled to award the project on November 14, 2007; and

WHEREAS, this new bridge is a special opportunity for the Kansas City area because the project is now funded and will be accomplished; and

WHEREAS, it is essential that the current and future needs of people be considered and integrated into the development of the new bridge; and

WHEREAS, no bridge in the Kansas City area provides safe bicycling or pedestrian access across the Missouri River; and

WHEREAS, every major bridge, planned or built, in Missouri in recent years has included bicycling and/or pedestrian access, these bridges including:

Lexington (Highway 13)

Boonville (Highway 40)

Herman (Highway 19 planned)

Washington (Highway 47 planned)

St. Louis (Page Avenue)

St. Louis (Chain of Rocks Bridge)

St. Louis ( Eads Bridge - walkway)

St. Louis ( McKinley Bridge bicycle lanes)

Cape Girardeau (Emerson Bridge)

Hannibal (I-72 Bridge)

WHEREAS, the St. Louis area has multiple bridges incorporating bicycling and pedestrian access across the Missouri River and Mississippi River, including:

Page Avenue Bridge

Chain of Rocks Bridge

Eads Bridge

McKinley Bridge

Lewis and Clark Bridge

Highway 360 Bridge

WHEREAS, inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian access has become the standard practice in the planning and construction of bridges similar to the new Paseo Bridge throughout the United States; and

WHEREAS, the importance of establishing bicycle, pedestrian and public transit access across the Missouri River for the current development and welfare of the Kansas City area cannot be overstated; NOW, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF KANSAS CITY:

Section 1. That the Mayor and Council strongly urge the Missouri Department of Transportation to incorporate into the planning and construction of the new Paseo Bridge bicycle, pedestrian and public transit access across the Missouri River.

Related:

News: Local planning organizations make bike/ped-friendly streets better than state DOTs

News: Bicyclist killed crossing Paseo Bridge near downtown Kansas City

News: MoDOT to retrofit two major Kansas City bridges for bicycling, walking

News: 1st Bike/Ped Missouri River Crossing in Kansas City to happen much sooner

News: Jobs bill passed by House includes transportation funding