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20 MAY 2009: Contact your congressman to prioritize bicycling and walking in federal transportation funding

posted by Brent Hugh at 5/20/2009 11:09:00 AM

Congress is writing a bill that will define our national transportation system for the next 6 years and we need your help to make sure that your Member of Congress weighs in on the transportation bill to support bicycling and walking.

Representative Daniel Lipinski (D, IL) is circulating a "Dear Colleague" letter (PDF file) proposing that the upcoming Transportation Bill, which is currently being drafted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee (T&I), promotes and funds alternate transportation options. Representative Lipinski is asking his colleagues in the House of Representatives to join him in a call for increased federal funding for bicycling and pedestrian programs.

We are thankful for Congressman Lipinski's efforts on behalf of cyclists nationwide and urge you to contact your Representative to ask them to join Mr. Lipinski and lend their voice to this important debate.

Please click here to contact your Representative's office today and urge them to sign onto Congressman Lipinski's policy letter today.

Comments: No comments on this article yet - what's your opinion on this article or topic?

Related:: News: Federal Complete Streets Amendment offered--your support needed; News: How did congressional bicycling supporters fare in yesterday's elections?; News: Congress: New Climate Change Bill Passes House Committee; News: Some small advances for walking/bicycling in the federal Energy Bill; News: Nationwide bicycle/pedestrian "Call Congress" day today (Feb 10th)

8 MAR 2009: Add your name to the Missouri Complete Streets Supporters List

posted by Brent Hugh at 3/08/2009 12:40:00 AM

We need supporters of Complete Streets in Missouri like you!

You can add yourself, your business, your organization, or your club to the list of Complete Streets supporters in Missouri.

We will use this list when working for Complete Streets policies at the local, metro, and statewide levels in Missouri--to show the overwhelming support Complete Streets has in Missouri.

We want to have 5000 people like you this petition in time for the 2010 legislative session�

So far we havetowards our goal of 5000.

See the full list of supporters here.

Comments: No comments on this article yet - what's your opinion on this article or topic?

Related:: News: MOBikeFed announces legislative platform; News: Supporters of Complete Streets in Missouri; News: National Bike Summit 2009--Day 2: Legislation moving; News: 2009 state and federal bike/ped legislation tracker; News: Missouri Congressman Lacy Clay co-sponsors Complete Streets Act

Tags: [+] missouri streets business completestreets

4 FEB 2008: Kit Bond sponsoring megahighway/anti bicycle-walking-transit amendments

posted by Brent Hugh at 2/04/2009 11:50:00 AM

Update 6 Feb 2009: The Bond amendments and the Boxer/Inhofe amendments all appear to be dead now--thanks to a public outcry that reached the ears of Senator Boxer in California and Senators Bond and McCaskill in Missouri. Thanks to all who took time to contact the senators on this issue--your input really did make a difference this time.

It ain't over 'til it's over--meaning (in this case) that these ideas could re-surface any time before the bill is finally agreed to and passed by both the House & Senate--which should happen some time the week of Feb 9th. But for now these amendments appear to be dead.

Our own Missouri Senator Kit Bond is sponsoring or co-sponsoring a series of amendments to the stimulus bill to

- Take up to $50 billion more of stimulus money
- Take away up to $8 billion currently slated for transit
- Put all $58 billion in a special "highway-only" fund
- Say it is AOK to just go ahead and use that new money to build a whole lot of new highways without worrying about bicycling, walking, transit--or even maintenance of the current system

These proposals may come to a vote as soon as TODAY in the U.S. Senate.

--> Please take 2 minutes to send your senators a message

Senator Bond needs to find out that he will lose votes back at home when he makes these kind of proposals.

Missouri Senator McCaskill is a true swing vote on this type of issue--so it's very important to let her know that Missourians support spending our transportation dollars in a far smarter way.

--> And you can contact both senators in 2 minutes here

Tell your senators that road and highway repair is important but we don't need a huge amount of highway expansion now.

We need more rail, transit, bicycling and walking now so people can save money, become energy independent and have a cleaner environment.

As it is, they are barely funding bicycling and walking and giving some to rail and transit.

Worst of all, $8 billion of the proposal is actually to take money away from transit proposals already in the stimulus package and move it to building new highways.

Right now Missouri's transit systems are dealing with record-high usage while facing major budget cuts. Shouldn't that be a signal to *increase* transit funding to meet demand?

More info/details about the issues
We are urging senators to fight amendments that would raid high-speed rail and turn the recovery into a slush fund for highways. The Senate will finalize their proposal this week.

We have a real chance to create millions of jobs, reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil, protect our environment, and make America competitive again in world markets. I want to see streets that are safe for pedestrians and cyclists, high-speed trains, updated metro lines...not billions of dollars dumped into expanding the old highway system!

It's up to you and me to make sure that the Senate doesn't just write another blank-check bailout. We need to throw away the old playbook and start making transportation investments that really count, but we have to start now.

--> Please, join me and write your senators today!

Thanks so much for your help!

Comments: 10 comments on this article

Robert wrote:

02/04/09 03:25pm • 72.161.252.230

Brent,

I am starting to get this feeling that bicycling, like race relations and other issues is going to take place in small changes as people age and die and are replaced by others.

Both Claire and Kit are from the generation where an automobile was really the the king of the country. They were idolized and were seen as the key to financial success.

There are plenty of us who see things totally differently now but I am seeing it more and more in younger Americans. Some of us even have a real distain for automobiles that you just dont see in 50 and 60 somethings.

When you look at our two senators you certainly do not see people who have EVER ridden a bicycle for transportation. We know that Kit walks but I'm sure he does so only recreationally. Both probably do not *really* believe that an automobile can be replaced by a car for the majority of our trips. Bicycles are seen as a recreational toy that only a few die hard hippies would ever try to use on the roadway. We are the ultimate special interest group and are seen as a group to be ignored for the fiscal health of the country.

David wrote:

02/05/09 08:29am • 162.94.28.110

I agree with Roberts comment and would also add that it is probably time that we look at the younger generations for our future candidates. The old guard we have running our country now don\'t seem to be listening. They are simply career politicians that need a dose of reality. They continue to direct us down the same old path and call it a new direction. Their compasses are broken and we are following them into ruin.

John Robb wrote:

02/05/09 10:01am • 68.103.27.207

I totally agree. I live 5 miles into KS and we have the same problem here. I am 66 and my demographic peers see me as a misfit. We need to retire more of our elected officials. Bike on!

Mac Vorce wrote:

02/05/09 10:08am • 65.40.250.16

These people are not cyclist,probable have never been put in a piostion that they needed to commute on a bicycle. When the gas goes up again, they will relize how important the right of ways are, more important than they could have imagined. My small town is wrapping their arms around trails,We are seeing a big difference already with what little we have. New people are comming to our town because of trails, but my sons have a hard time riding thier bikes to school because of the lack of bike lanes in our town. We want them, more than these people will probable ever under stand. We need them, to help give our town the chances to get people active and to create new revenue for Warsaw. They should ride to work for a month, or use trails for a month for fitness see how the real people live.

Bob Beaury, St Louis County wrote:

02/05/09 05:29pm • 24.107.32.33

When Senator Bond introduced proposals like this, he is ignoring, even shunning a large percentage of Missourians who may have voted for him in the past, but wont likely vote for him in the future. We need MODOT to design bike lanes into ALL road improvement projects.

STL_Bicycle_Commuter wrote:

02/05/09 09:59pm • 70.130.168.73

I thought Bond was retiring...? Heading to the pasture? What a waste now that we need REAL Up-To-Date leadership...not some 50s Sock Hop person who believes we will still have drive ins w/ 57 Carvette s everywhere sucking up gas! We need a Green Economy. The War Economy isn't working for the avg. American!

Bradly Fletchall wrote:

02/05/09 10:22pm • 76.228.225.255

@Mac - Sedalia is the same way. More bike paths and trails are needed so badly and there is aready a growing population of people riding their bikes as primary transportation.

Its about time Kit retires. Its too bad he'll still be there long enough to try and derail our efforts here.

We're probably stuck with Clair for awhile. Maybe we can get enough people to speak up to her about these issues that she can be brougt on board

We should start inviting them to our towns and try to get them to show up to bike club meetings or family group rides.

Web link: http://www.bicyclefrenzy.com/category/bicycle-advocacy/< /i>

Brent wrote:

02/05/09 10:49pm • 68.95.126.32

It looks like Senator Bond's 3 amendments may be dead now--thanks in large part to your responses.

(Though please keep those emails & phone calls going until we get confirmation--it doesn't hurt and these same ideas may re-surface in other ways before we're done.)

More info at the web site below. They are specifically citing the fact that bicycle, pedestrian, and transit funding was omitted for causing the public outcry that killed the amendments.

That's a stinging rebuke to the 'highways only' crowd and a huge incentive for them to work to integrate realistic bicycling, walking, and transit funding into future transportation funding.

Web link: http://www.streetsblog.org/2009/02/05/senates-50-billion-hig hway-giveaway-nearly-dead/

robert wrote:

02/06/09 01:25pm • 72.161.252.230

Brent,

You just cheered me up. I was getting ready to quit my job, buy an suv and just give in...........well not really but I was a little down about this until now.

ha ha

-RJ

Mark Dunlap wrote:

02/27/09 10:37am • 66.68.57.184

Living in Texas here too it seems that most people want to throw concrete and asphalt at a problem that isn't going away and will get more difficult to transition to the longer this country waits. Oil is finite, other substances are a temporary solution. Here's my plan: sell no fuel on Sundays (excepting emergency & law enforcement), this I believe will engender people to think before engaging automobile (have to get people to driving less, first). Enlarge Train transportation/light rail (thank-you Metrolink) rails with trails correspondingly. Cushion only appropriately (necessities only) the soon-to-collapse US auto industry & Commercial Aviation so employment in those arenas don't crater as badly. Tax credit/write off in a significant fashion, for those utilizing Mass Transit, BICYCLES, or walking. I don't think this country will get it before its arm is twisted behind its back. I'm 58 years old and Christian Consertative so if I can get it.... I maybe not agree with most on other social issues, but I can whole heartedly agree on this...the planet, the human race have much at stake! Mark Austin, TX.

Related:: News: Transportation Enhancements comes to House vote Thurs, September 4th; News: California dedicates 1/3 of safety money to Safe Routes to Schools; News: MoBikeFed Editorial: Amendment 3 will affect Missouri's transportation future; News: Federal Complete Streets Amendment offered--your support needed; News: Some small advances for walking/bicycling in the federal Energy Bill

Tags: [+] bicycling missouri walking bicycle pedestrian vote issues transportation speed environment fall sponsor cycling cyclist bill senate

30 JAN 2009: Ask Senator McCaskill to support bike/ped in stimulus bill

posted by Brent Hugh at 1/30/2009 05:32:00 PM

The Senate is voting on the Economic Recovery Bill the week of Feb 2-6, 2009.

The bill will include billions for highways and transportation. But will it include funding to improve bicycling and walking transportation--or will big, new highway projects that ignore the needs of those who walk, bicycle, and use transit, actually make the situation worse?

In recent conversations we have had with Sen. McCaskill, she indicated she is reluctant to support funding for better, safer bicycling and walking because she doesn't think Missourians--especially those outside the major metro areas--support walking and bicycling.

Please take 2 minutes to fill out the form below and send Sen. McCaskill the message that you support bicycling and walking as part of the proposed billions in transportation funding.

Some sample responses to get you started are below.

Sample responses:

I support including bicycling and walking as part of transportation funding.
I support including Transportation Enhancements and Congestion Mitigation/Air Quality funds in the upcoming transportation funding bill.
I live in a small town/rural area/outside of a major metro area and being able to safely bicycle and walking is important to me because . . . .
Federally funded roads and highways are a huge contributor to the problem of Missouri cities and towns that are unfriendly and unsafe for walking and bicycling. So a change in federal transportation funding and policies must be part of the solution.
I support bicycling, walking, and transit funding in the stimulus proposal. Highway funding should strongly emphasize maintenance rather than new highway construction.

Comments: 8 comments on this article

Rodney McConnell wrote:

02/03/09 08:59am • 70.130.176.63

It's important to let legislators know where cyclists stand on issue that affect the ability to safely use non-motorized transportation on Missouri's streets and highways. You can be sure other groups that have their own agendas are making their opinions known!

Bernd Faust wrote:

02/03/09 11:33am • 71.11.146.311233857029.3048

Roads, sidewalks should always be a consideration re: transportation funding.
Cycling and walking is a way of environment friendly transportation.
People should be able to ride and walk were the live.

Jan wrote:

02/05/09 12:04pm • 198.203.175.175

Dear Senator McCaskill,

I am writing to you today to request that you consider bicycling, walking and transit as part of the Transportation funding.

As a consumer of transportation, I find my options are limited in the Kansas City area. The options are even more limited for my children who are too young to drive.

This is the problem we have with transportation in Missouri. My 12 year old cannot be independent. For example, currently he has basketball games at a building that is close enough to bicycle to. However, he must cross I-70 to get there. There is not a safe place for him to do this, so I must drive him. How can I teach him independence when the transportation infrastructure does not facilitate this?

I think we have enough highways. We don't *need* new highways, we need *other* transportation opportunities and maintenance of current highways.

Please don't exclude funding for these other transportation options:

Bicycling: bike lanes on road and bike/walk paths
Pedestrians: safe place to walk to school and businesses, like side walks and paths.
Transit: Bus and Rail transit funding.

Thank you for reading my letter.

Jan

Heath Harris wrote:

02/05/09 01:37pm • 97.86.163.2

I support including bicycling and walking as part of transportation funding. As the father of three young children, it is extremely important to me that we have safe streets, where motorists are aware of other people using the shared resources that are our streets and roads. We bike and walk often, and have even chosen the location of our home based in part on being able to go places without a personal automobile. It is good for our health, the city's health and the planet's health.

Please support bicycling, walking, and transit funding in the stimulus proposal. Highway funding should strongly emphasize maintenance rather than new highway construction.

Alan Thomas wrote:

02/05/09 04:19pm • 69.92.108.136

This is what I sent her:

(The subject could also be "energy", "the environment", even "economy")

Senator McCaskill,

I worked hard in 2006 to help get you elected. I was one of those who went door to door canvassing, and spent many hours phone banking for you. And I didn't start in October--I started in July with the party ID info and kept going all the way through the Election Day (they called me the "super volunteer" in the office). When we met you on a swing through, you delighted my daughter by reminiscing about how your dad used to bring you to political rallies, and you promised her she could come sit in your chair in your office if we ever visited Washington DC (and we plan to hold you to that when we get the chance).

I have in general greatly appreciated what you have brought to the U.S. Senate, with a recent example being the proposal (since adopted, more or less, by President Obama) to put a cap on executive pay for companies who come to the government, hat in hand, asking for help.

But I am dismayed to learn that you apparently do not believe people outside St. Louis and Kansas City desire greater funding for pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure. A recent survey by the city of Kirksville found that more hike/bike paths was the #1 priority of local citizens. And in recent years we have seen the development of local bicycling groups that are involved in lending bikes, selling used ones, helping people repair their own, and going out on visibility rides in the community.

Please consider putting more in the stimulus plan for bike/ped infrastructure. Like any infrastructure plan, it creates jobs, yet it is also very efficient and delivers a lot of bang for the buck, while encouraging a healthy lifestyle that reduces health care costs while conserving energy.

Sincerely yours,

Alan Thomas

Robert wrote:

02/06/09 01:29pm • 72.161.252.230

Brent,

Is there an organization that gives a REAL grade to politicians on their position in regards to active transportation.

I'm talking like a A,B,C,D or F like the NRA does with gun rights?

Most biking organizations, pednet included, likes to give out awards as a reward but also as an incentive. We are reluctant to call a spade a spade sometimes even with local politicians.

I think what we need is an organization with a "your with us or against us" mentality that calls it like it sees them.

Claire McCaskill F
Kit Bond C

I cant believe I am giving Kit a "C" because he is responsible for some HUGE changes occurring in Columbia right now.

Lori Sternberg wrote:

03/20/09 08:56am • 24.121.203.116

Dear Senator McCaskill,

I am writing today to encourage you and your fellow Senators to strongly consider supporting, maintaining, and adding to the walking/ cycling
trails in Missouri. I am the Mother of 5 children ranging from 12 to 21, and along with my husband we all love to ride our bicycles. It is great exersize and it also helps save our resources.
We ride to the store, work, and school.
The problem is that we are often limited or in danger because many of the road dont offer enough shoulder to ride safely. We have also enjoyed the trails that have been built, but again they are few and far between. Missouri would boom in bicycle traffic if we had a quality bike trail
network. The Katy Trail is a great example of this. Rural people dont ride bicycles is often true, but the reason for that remains that rural areas simply dont offer safe bicycle riding.
Many of us trasport our bikes to areas that offer safer riding areas. It would be great if Missouri could follow the example set by places like Florida and Wisconsin both States having excellent riding programs with in thier State.
I am incuding links to web site that show what these State have done.
Wi - http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/trails/tbike.html

Fl- http://www.visitflorida.com/articles/cycling-state-parks

Thank you for your time and consideration

Lori L Sternberg

Ed Sternberg wrote:

03/20/09 09:19am • 24.121.203.116

I am writing today to encourage you and your fellow Senators to strongly consider supporting, maintaining, and adding to the walking/ cycling
trails in Missouri.
As a retired Firefighter I stay in shape and de stress by riding my bicycle. Many of the roads in my area simply don't offer much room for me to ride. Narrow and/or poorly maintained shoulders make it unsafe for me and motorists to be on the same road.
My kids and wife often ride with me and the majority of roads that I will ride when alone, I won't take them on because of the safety factor.

If the State would take the lead in developing trails I am sure many people would volunteer labor and skills to help build and maintain.
Often aquiring lands is the biggest hurdle.
I would offer an adodt a bike trail plan.
Missouri could secure the land and help with initial construstion then allow people to adopt these trails. Using more of the old rail road beds could be an option, or offering some type of incentive to for farmers to allow a trail through their land like a lease type deal. those are just a couple ideas. I dont know what the legal issues are so I offer you these ideas understanding it is much more complex than this. But I believe any thing worth having is worth working for.
I know in the City of St Joseph there are many City maintained trails, but there are also many trails maintain by clubs and volunteers. Adopting highways have helped keep our roads clean, adopting bike/ walk trails could help us develop
and network of bike/ walk trails to connect all corners of this great State that I call home.
My family and I would be first on the list for such a program. I ride with 20 to 25 other people and we have all talked about how a program like this could benefit Missouri. I decided to try to put it into action.
I would be willing to work in any capacity to assit with this process.
Tourism would boom, natural resources would be saved, and people would be healthier.
That is a win - win - win situation.

Thank you for your time and consideration

Edward P Sternberg FF ret.

Related:: News: Help with bicycle & pedestrian counts across Missouri in mid-September 2008; News: Federal stimulus bills includes $1.3 billion for bike/ped; News: Bicycling, walking, and no-car households in rural Missouri; AdvocacyAlerts: 4 FEB 2008: Kit Bond sponsoring megahighway/anti bicycle-walking-transit amendments; News: Meeting about MoDOT's future funding, with MoBikeFed in Kansas City

Tags: [+] bicycling missouri mobikefed walking bicycle mall transportation skills news website cycling bill senate stimulusbill rural smalltown

28 JAN 2009: Should MoDOT's future funding include bike/ped?

posted by Brent Hugh at 1/28/2009 03:53:00 PM

A group called the Missouri Transportation Alliance is currently taking public feedback as they start to create a plan to deal with MoDOT's current massive funding shortfall.

This is the same basic group who wrote and passed Amendment 3 in 2004.

Now they need to know--is there support in Missouri for including bicycling & walking in future MoDOT funding?

This one initiative will have more affect on the future direction of MoDOT than all others we are currently working on, put together. So please do take a moment to make a response!

Simple one- or two-sentence responses are fine. We need many brief responses from many different Missourians. Sample responses:

I support including bicycling and walking in all future MoDOT funding.
I support including Complete Streets requirements in any future MoDOT funding. Roads need to be safe for those who walk, bicycle, and use transit, the elderly and children, the able and the disabled.
Other ideas worth mentioning: Least Cost Planning, Travel Demand Management, Context Sensitive Solutions, greater community involvement & outreach when planning projects. �

You can enter your response below or visit the Missouri Transportation Alliance response page directly.

Note--Directly above this sentence you should see a form with "Missouri Transportation Alliance" and "Get Involved" in green letters. If you don't see that above, please click here to go to the feedback form directly.

Comments: 25 comments on this article

Vince Martin wrote:

02/02/09 04:12pm • 75.25.103.51

I support including bicycling and walking in all future MoDOT funding.

I support including Complete Streets requirements in any future MoDOT funding. Roads need to be safe for those who walk, bicycle, and use transit, the elderly and children, the able and the disabled.

John White wrote:

02/02/09 08:50pm • 70.255.21.188

I commute by bicycle and I support including Complete Streets requirements in any future MoDOT funding. Roads need to be safe for those who walk, bicycle, and use transit, the elderly and children, the able and the disabled.

Keith Meadows wrote:

02/06/09 02:30am • 74.197.229.144

I support including Complete Streets requirements in any future MoDOT funding. Roads need to be safe for those who walk, bicycle, and use transit, the elderly and children, the able and the disabled.

Mark Zimmerschied wrote:

02/10/09 08:33pm • 76.208.82.155

Please continue to support bicycling and walkingin our transportation funding

Chris Brewer wrote:

02/18/09 08:14am • 166.128.157.91

Please support the bicycling and walking transportation funding.

Aaron Dougherty wrote:

02/18/09 09:12am • 216.112.152.45

We need better accomodations for walking and biking in MO - gas is only going to go UP.

Stanley S. Pearson wrote:

02/18/09 09:16am • 75.87.189.38

Ladies & Gentlemen:
Like thousands of other Missourians, I support funding for walking and bicycling.

Stanley S. Pearson

Joe Thomann wrote:

02/18/09 09:52am • 72.161.168.193

Lets not ignore bicycling in Missouri. I support Complete Streets.

Greg Ott wrote:

02/18/09 12:06pm • 72.161.149.53

I support including Complete Streets requirements in any future MoDOT funding. Roads need to be safe for those who walk, bicycle, and use transit, the elderly and children, the able and the disabled.

David Hutchison wrote:

02/18/09 08:33pm • 75.10.49.150

I support funding for facilities for bicycling and walking, measures to improve safety for bicyclists and pedestrians, and complete streets and highways.

Greg Moore wrote:

02/18/09 09:47pm • 75.134.50.96

Bicycling is safe, healthy, efficient, carbon free. Why wouldn't we encourage it?

Trent Donat wrote:

02/18/09 09:50pm • 75.37.214.128

I support including bicycling and walking in all future MoDOT funding.

I support including Complete Streets requirements in any future MoDOT funding. I commute to work and roads need to be safe for those who walk, bicycle, and use transit, the elderly and children, the able and the disabled.

Ron Moore wrote:

02/19/09 12:14am • 72.128.52.219

I support including bicycling and walking in all future MoDOT funding.I cycle and walk for pleasure and transportation.And like many other people, I need safe trails and roadway's to travel on.

Paula Hildebrand wrote:

02/19/09 06:07am • 173.7.142.146

I support bike lanes on streets, roads, and highways. As a road cyclist, I would like safe, designated areas to cycle.

John Hebert wrote:

02/20/09 10:00am • 140.175.214.33

I support including bicycling, walking, and running in all MODOT future plans. I really like the bike lanes that are in many new roadways. Please keep these activities safe for all who pursue them.

William Erker wrote:

02/20/09 04:38pm • 150.243.32.21

Biking is the only form of transportation I can afford. Sometimes I work at night and my travels often involve immense levels of fear. Please ensure that Missourians like myself are able to bike and walk places safely.

Bob Crouthamel wrote:

02/26/09 03:09pm • 207.119.189.244

Biking needs to be a bigger part of transportation. We need bike lanes and such in S.W. MO.

John Paschkewitz wrote:

03/17/09 12:08pm • 10.10.55.228

I support Complete streets and other initiatives to provide bike lanes and pedestrian walkways.
Biking is a key activity for me, but many roads are just too unsafe to ride. We need bike lanes to make them safer.

Deanna Dillard wrote:

03/17/09 01:33pm • 155.201.35.68

I support including bicycling and walking in all future MoDOT funding.I cycle and walk for pleasure and transportation. And like many other people, I need safe roads to travel on.

Paul Cameron wrote:

03/17/09 04:26pm • 67.153.245.194

We support Complete Streets and urge MoDOT to include bikes as a significant part of all transportation planning

Roxann Parker wrote:

03/18/09 12:13am • 24.207.153.208

I ride my bike in St. Charles County and would like to have bike lanes on streets and highways in my area. As a road cyclist, I have been hit twice by cars and would like safe, designated areas to cycle. Or the next time I might end up with more than just bruises!

Clayton Lebeau wrote:

04/10/09 09:21am • 153.91.57.215

I believe that we need more trails and excuese to get outdoors and enjoy help people be safer when they are enjoying the outdoors.

Andy Walker wrote:

04/29/09 09:54am • 71.86.31.34

I support Complete Streets in MODOT funding so I can use my bicycle vehicle to bike to work without paying a Muslim for his oil!

Kathleen Richardson wrote:

05/13/09 10:55am • 67.54.215.2131242994327.2821

I support Complete Streets in MODOT funding.

Ranj Niere wrote:

05/27/09 12:52pm • 67.48.18.233

Bike/ped mode share seems to be treated like Missouri's dirty little secret. And yet we have a premier international cycling tour.

MoDOT and Kit Bond seem tragically locked in the Eisenhower era. Please note, the age of exurban expansion is over, and the days of four lane connectors plowing through former corn fields is gone with it.

Yet here is MoDOT asking to make the mistakes of the 50s through the 90's at a whole new level of funding.

I see few solutions to MoDOT's dilemma that do not involve shifting responsibility for the staggering number of letter hiways back to the counties they primarily serve.

Those MoDOT HIghways that remain could be multi modal adapted using funds from the overall savings gained that way.

Missouri will be crushed by the next oil price surge that will easily exceed the previous one.

The degree to which we are damaged will depend on how quickly we get an inter and intra urban electric commuter rail system online.

I am not kidding-- the light we see at the end of this economic tunnel is probably the UPac AutoParts train. Oil Prices are already rising and demand is still shrinking, or at best flat... that should tell you something.

We are already hurting in Missouri to keep up our high volume roads at expected levels of service. User fees are not just for commuters... *Everybody* has to pay.

What if trucking helped build the state rail system? What if UPac and KCSouthern helped?

Since the days of the Edsel, we have acted like the automobile based roadway was the only free lunch in town.

Now they hand us the check.

We need to look carefully at transportation in Missouri, not just as a Highway Department, which is how frankly MoDOT defines itself, primarily.

One thing is for certain, even if MoDOT needs more revenue, it needs fewer roads to call its own, and it really needs to have its back door access to the legislature locked up.