20 FEB 2008: Ask your legislator to support two key bills for Missouri Bicycle Day at the Capitol, February 26th

Over 40 Missourians are planning to come to Jefferson City February 26th for Missouri Bicycle Day at the Capitol.

Our goal is to personally talk with all 197 Missouri senators and representatives February 26th to build support for our legislative initiatives for 2008:

• Complete Streets legislation (HB2206)
  
• Safe Streets legislation (HB2205)

Can you support our Bicycle Day visits by writing your own Missouri senator and representative in support of these two bills?

• You can find your state representative and state senator's contact information by entering your zip or zip+4 code here.
• If you already know the name of your representative and senator, you can find the legislators' email addresses here.
  

Sample letter:

Dear Senator or Representative XXXXXX,

Bicycle Day at the Capitol is February 26th, 2008. I live in your district but I can't attend Bicycle Day in person this year.

I hope you can take time that day to meet with citizens from across the state who are traveling to Jefferson City that day to talk about the importance of making Missouri a better, safer place to walk and bicycle.

Over 2 million Missourians bicycle each year and every Missourian is a pedestrian!

Can I ask your help in moving two important pieces of legislation forward this year?

Complete Streets (HB 2206): This bill will ensure that every street MoDOT builds in our cities is safe for bicycling and walking, for transit users, for the young and the old, for the able and the disabled, for those who can drive and those who can't.

Safe Streets (HB 2205): Over 40,000 Americans are killed and 2.9 million injured every year on our streets and roads.

Too many careless or dangerous drivers injure or kill people and face no consequences. They are back driving a few days later, just as dangerously and just as carelessly. HB 2205 will provide appropriate penalties for drivers whose bad driving injures or kills others, encouraging them to becoming better, safer drivers and more responsible citizens.

That will help make our roads safer for everyone.

Sincerely yours,

Things to consider:

• Your letter doesn't have to be long or complex. Shorter is better!


• Mention Bicycle Day, Complete Streets (HB2206), and Safe Streets (HB2205).
  


• Mention your connection with the legislator's district--you live, work, bicycle, or drive there, for instance.
  


• A quick phone call is easy and makes a big impact. A written letter takes more time but also makes more impact than either email or phone.
  


• Please do write only your own Missouri Senator and Representative at this time (if you have a personal connection with a senator or representative from another district, that would be OK, too).
  


• We would like to reach *every* Missouri legislator--so please forward this message to friends and neighbors throughout the state. (It is especially difficult for us to cover outlying and/or rural districts--if you know anyone who lives in an outlying area please do send them a copy.)

THANK YOU!

As you know, many states across the U.S. have better facilities for bicycling and walking than Missouri. That is because citizens in those stateshave stepped up and asked their elected representatives to do better.

It really does work when citizens talk to their legislators!

Related:

News: Harkin "Complete Streets" Amendment fails; MO Sen. Bond speaks against

News: Complete Streets Roundup: MoDOT trustworthy? Activities around the state

Tips&Stories: Older adults bicycling more

News: MoDOT's opposition to Complete Streets--another response

News: MoDOT lobbying comes under fire; MoDOT influence kept Complete Streets out of major transportation bill