Last day to submit comments/suggestions on MoDOT's statewide project list for August 5th election; Over $5 billion at stake

On MoDOT's "Moving Forward" page you can view the draft project list and make comments or suggest projects until 5pm today, July 3rd, 2014. 

At stake is over $5 billion in proposed funding for Missouri transportation.  Voters will approve or reject the transportation funding plan on August 5th.  The plan is the first in Missouri history to allow state transportation spending on biking, walking, transit, ports, airports, and all other transportation needs in addition to roads and bridges.

Columbia's PedNet Coalition has created a helpful page explaining the proposed transportation funding plan, what it does, how it is funded, why it is needed, and so on.

MoBikeFed and other bicycle, pedestrian, and transit groups across the state, have been very active since the draft project list was released several weeks ago in provided feedback, helping guide MoDOT to identify the most importan and most needed projects, and ensuring that the top priority and most needed bicycle and pedestrian projects are included--along with the highest priority road, bridge, transit, and other projects, of course.

Suggested comments

Suggested comments for submission to MoDOT (bottom of page):

  • I support the inclusion of important bicycle, pedestrian, and transit projects on MoDOT's list.
  • If you see bicycle, pedestrian, or transit projects in your area on the list, as almost all areas do, please specifically mention that you strongly support them.  (MoDOT receives many comments from individuals who strongly oppose bicycle, pedestrian, sidewalk, and transit projects--making it doubly important for them to also hear from people who strongly support these projects)
  • In road & highway projects on the list, please include shoulders with 3 feet or greater clear space where possible and where needed based on traffic. Include these wider shoulders everywhere it can be done economically--where right-of-way, topography, and drainage allow.
  • Please continue to repair sidewalks and bring them up to ADA standards whenever working on the adjacent roads--but also please evaluate needed sidewalk extensions and pedestrian crossings. Please evaluate the need for sidewalks and pedestrian crossings along all MoDOT roads through populated areas and work systematically to address these barriers to pedestrian safety and access.
  • Mention any particular high-priority bicycle or pedestrian project in your area that is not on the list.  Most likely to be strongly considered by MoDOT are:
    • Needed sidewalks or pedestrian crossings on MoDOT roads (MoDOT roads are state or federal numbered or letters routes like Route F, 350 Hwy, 40 Hwy, I-44)
    • Needed shoulders on MoDOT roads

What's going on in each MoDOT District - suggested comments

St Louis District

  • The district is varied, with St Louis City's list excellent, St Louis County's moderate, and St Charles, Jefferson, and Franklin Counties listing no bicycle or pedestrian projects of note in the initial draft list
  • Thanks to feedback from bicycle & pedestrian groups and individuals, these counties have added a number of bicycle and pedestrian projects to the list (not yet shown on the draft lists on MoDOT's web site)
  • A major additional project is a new bike/ped crossing of the Missouri River on or near the I-70 bridge near St Charles, connecting St Charles & St Louis county trail networks & the Katy Trail
  • MoDOT has also committed to implement the Gateway Bicycle Plan elements as far as possible within the scope of any road projects listed in the plan
  • The plan includes major upgrades to I-170 and other freeways in the region; MoDOT has committed that the interchange improvements and the project as a whole will facilitate bike/ped access through these interchanges (and to do better than they did on the 64/40 projects, where bike/ped access across the freeway interchanges often suffered)
  • The plan includes a number of key transit projects--Citizens for Modern Transit recently endorsed the ta
  • It would be very appropriate to list and ask for any bicycle/pedestrian needs that are missing, particularly bike/ped needs on the road projects listed in St Charles, Franklin, and Jefferson Counties and in south, west, and mid St Louis County--where the initial draft list showed a clear lack of bike/ped projects.

Kansas City District

  • The list now includes a significant bike/ped fund for the Kansas City metro area that will be administered by MARC to implement the regional bicycle & pedestrian plan.
  • It also includes a portion of the funds needed to acquire and build the Katy Trail connection from KC to Pleasant Hill on the Rock Island rail corridor.  (Cities, counties, etc will supply the rest of the funds--but the major contribution from this state transportation tax should be enough to ensure that this key project becomes reality!)
  • It also includes needed bicycle & pedestrian portions of the proposed new Broadway Bridge, to create a major new bicycle/pedestrian crossing of the Missouri River near downtown KCMO
  • The plan also includes major support for transit improvements in the region
  • BikeWalkKC has been working hard to ensure that bicycle & pedestrian improvements in the region receive their fair share of attention and funding; many individuals have also contacted MoDOT to request bike/ped projects in the plan.  It would be very helpful to thank MoDOT for including these elements in their final list, as they have now agreed to do.
  • RURAL KC DISTRICT: Bicycle & Pedestrian elements in the rural portions of the KC District (Marshall, Warrensburg, Concordia, Higginsville, etc) are a bit sparse.  If you know of any key bike/ped needs in this area it would be very important to suggest them.

Northwest District (St Joseph, Chillicothe, Maryville, etc)

  • This district was originally very light on any bicycle or pedestrian projects
  • Particularly, the St Joseph area's identified priorities were very much absent from the project list.  The St Joseph metro area has over 40% of the region's population and will generate the vast majority of the sales tax funds in the region, so this is a particularly problematic situation.
  • The MoDOT District has now assured us that St Joseph will receive it's share of funds.  However if you make a comment, please reinforce the importance of providing funding to this part of the district.
  • The District has also increased its funding for bike/ped projects throughout the district.  However they are still planning to spend just 1.2% of funding on bike/ped improvements; fully 3.6% of traffic fatalities in the district are pedestrians.
  • We are suggesting that the District increase its nonmotorized/sidewalk fund to at least 2% of the total.

Northeast District (Kirksville, Hannibal, Warrenton, etc)

  • Like the Northwest District, this large, rural district's was originally very light on bicycle & pedestrian projects.
  • The District has been responsive to local requests to add important specific projects.
  • We are specifically suggesting that the District increase its nonmotorized/sidewalk fund and investments to at least 2% of the total funds and also specifically target safety improvements on MoDOT roads in Marion County, which is a strong pedestrian fatality hotspot in the District and in the state.

Southeast District (Cape Girardeau, Poplar Bluff, West Plains, Farmington etc.)

  • The Southeast District's project list includes a number of key bike/ped projects in Poplar Bluff, Cape Girardeau, and other parts of the district
  • If the current project list does not include key bike/ped projects on MoDOT roads in your part of the district it is very appropriate to request them
  • The District does, as a matter of routine, plan to add four foot shoulders whenever they are doing shoulder work on MoDOT roads, where possible (note that right-of-way issues, topography, expense, etc, often make it impossible--but they do include the 4-foot shoulders wherever it is possible without huge added expense, a policy we would like to see adopted by other MoDOT districts across the state)
  • The District also has a policy to go beyond the minimum requirements on sidewalk projects, to extend existing sidewalks to logicial destinations where possible.  The District also systematically evaluates sidewalk needs and bundles groups of sidewalk projects together for greater efficiency.

Central District (Columbia, Jefferson City, Rolla, etc)

  • The Central District list includes a number key bike/ped projects in Jefferson City, Columbia, and elsewhere throughout the District.
  • The support for transit improvements and increased service is impressive.
  • The District is currently working with the Columbia MPO to include one or more bike/ped projects highly prioritized by the MPO (the currently listed bike/ped project is a moderate priority)
  • The Rolla area includes no bike/ped projects despite MoDOT roads through Rolla containing some difficult impediments to bicycle & pedestrian connectivity.

Southwest District (Springfield, Joplin, Branson, etc.)

The Southwest District's list is clearly one of the best and most comprehensive lists of any District in Missouri.  The District has worked hard with its regional transportation planning partners to identify specific transportation needs of all types in every area of the district.

In looking through the list you will note that nearly every county has road AND sidewalk needs identified.  The District reports that cities and towns across the District were asking for sidewalk and pedestrian improvements on the MoDOT roads that cut through cities and towns, both large and small, throughout the District.

This list shows that the Southwest MoDOT District has been very responsive to these citizen requests.

In addition, the District's list addresses the issue of small vs large rural cities, and major metro areas vs rural areas in a more logical and comprehensive way than most other districts.  This ensures that cities and towns of every size have their transportation needs met.

Our comment suggestions:

  • Thank the Southwest District for their comprehensive approach to identifying transportation priorities and for handling the metro/rural and small/large city issues in a positive way.
  • Express support for the inclusion of key bike/ped projects, especially including numerous much-needed sidewalk and pedestrian improvements along MoDOT roads.
  • If you live outside the Southwest District, you might ask your District to look carefully at the Southwest District's process and final list, and ask them to emulate the Southwest District next time around.

Summary

MoBikeFed and other bicycle, pedestrian, and transit groups across Missouri have been very engaged in working to evaluate and improve the project lists MoDOT has presented.  As always, we and our partners are asking MoDOT to do a little better than before in accommodating for better, safer bicycling and walking across Missouri.

However, we should not lose sight of the big picture:

  • MoDOT is indeed severely underfunded and if some solution is not found to MoDOT's severe funding problem, Missouri's transportation system will start to severely deteriorate over the next few years
  • The current funding plan is the only one that has been presented that has any chance of passing a vote by Missouri voters
  • The current plan is the first in Missouri history to allow funding to be spent on transit, walking, biking, and other important transportation needs in Missouri, in addition to roads and bridges
  • We know that Missouri's current bicycle and pedestrian network is severely limited compared with other states--precisely because we as a state have not given nonmotorized transportation the funding it needs and deserves
  • MoDOT and its planning partners have in fact listened hard and been very responsive to our requests to increase safety and connectivity for bicycling adn walking
  • This new funding plan is the first in Missouri history to allow a reasonable amount of attention and funding to be spent on bicycling, walking, and transit.  We are indeed seeing a significant amount of attention being spent on these bicycling, walking, and transit across Missouri (in addition to the other important transportation needs such as roads, bridges, ports, and airports--which take by far the lion's share of the available funding) and the dividends Missouri will receive by making these transportation investments will be large.

Again, visit MoDOT's Moving Forward page to leave your final comments on the proposed list--deadline 5pm Thursday, July 3rd.

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