News roundup: Cape Girardeau bike routes, Springfield trail re-opening, Blue Springs driver charged with running down cyclist, and more

Recent bicycle and pedestrian news from around Missouri:

• The City of Cape Girardeau recently installed 16 miles of bike lanes and routes, thanks to a grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health.  The city's web site has maps, information, and educational videos. 
  

  Cape Girardeau bike lanes
  
   
• Springfield celebrated the re-opening of the popular Galloway Creek Trail--closed for about three years due a drawn-out period of construction on a MoDOT highway crossing the trail. Ozark Greenways organized a grand re-opening ceremony last weekend:

Terry Whaley, executive director of Ozark Greenways, said he has received numerous inquiries from people wondering when the widely-used trail would reopen.

“On a scale of 1 to 10, it’s been an absolute 10 as far as inconvenience because of the public’s desire to use that trail,” Whaley said.

• Bicycling county roads in the Rolla area.
   
• A recently returned European traveler remarks on how much more Europeans walk and bicycle--and the health benefits this brings.
   
• A Columbia bicycle racer and cancer survivor talks about his reaction to the recent revelations about Lance Armstrong and doping among bicycle racers.
   
• Pedestrian death on Hwy 71; Hwy Patrol reminds drivers to stay in cars after accident/breakdown.  A surprising percentage of Missouri pedestrian deaths are passenger who have left their vehicle after an collision or breakdown.
   
• New trail opens at University of Missouri-St. Louis.
   
• Trailnet's Rides Program Manager Steve Schmidt hit and injured by taxi while commuting from work. Reports are that Steve was seriously injured but is recovering.  UPDATE: As of October 23rd, Steve was released from the hospital, according to Trailnet's Facebook page.  Best wishes to Steve for a speedy recovery.
   
• Blue Springs man charged with running down cyclist.