MoDOT's new long-range plan features transit alongside biking, walking, and trails

We have been covering the groundbreaking changes in MoDOT's recently unveiled long range transportation plan. For the first time in history, MoDOT has totally embraced a "total transportation" vision for Missouri's future, embracing transit, bicycling, walking, trails, freight and passenger rail, ports, and airports alongside the traditional Missouri core transportation emphases of roads, highways, and bridges. 

One of the plans' four major objectives is to "Give Missourians Better Transportation Choices." The page includes this video showing the benefits of public transit--including urban systems like the St. Louis Metro and rural systems like OATS--to all Missourians: 

The MoDOT proposed long-range plan includes these specific goals:

Ensure Our Transportation System is Better Connected 

Read more

$8 billion Missouri transportation funding plan has $800 million for cities & counties: How should it be spent?

The proposed new 1 cent sales tax for Missouri transportation will bring in $800 million per year--helping save MoDOT from a serious funding shortfall that will, by the year 2017, put the agency $200 million annually below the minimum amount needed just to maintain the agency's 32,000+ miles of roads and highways. 

But the proposal does more: It brings in about $720 million per year for MoDOT, but it also brings in $80 million per year to Missouri cities and counties.

The new funding source will, for the first time ever, allow spending of state transportation dollars on biking, walking, and transit--as well as ports, airports, railroads, roads, and highways.

This is true for the $720 million annually that MoDOT will receive.  But it is also true for the $80 million annually that cities and counties will receive.

Read more

New MoDOT Statewide Transportation Plan web site features video of MoBikeFed, Great Rivers Greenway Executive Directors

Ten days ago MoDOT unveiled the first draft of its proposed long-range transportation plan. This plan will provide the framework for how MoDOT will spend the proposed $8 billion in transportation funding over the next ten years, if that proposal is approved by the people of Missouri in November 2014--or how the agency will proceed if the funding isn't approved that MoDOT must proceed on the ever-decreasing amount of tax dollars they receive from the state fuel tax and other state transportation funds. 

MoDOT identified four major areas of emphasis in its proposed plan.  One of those is "Give Missourians Better Transportation Choices."

On the page giving the details of that area--where for the first time in Missouri history, MoDOT officially articulates the goal of including biking, walking, transit, light rail, railroads, and ports into Missouri's transportation system and funding, just as roads and bridges are now.

Read more

What has MoBikeFed done for you lately?

What has your membership or generous contribution in support of the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation’s vision and mission made possible in recent years? 

Statewide  

  • $13 million plus in High Priority Bicycle, Pedestrian, and ADA projects (2009-present): In 2009, MoBikeFed and allied organizations met with the MoDOT Director about the statewide Complete Streets Bill that MoBikeFed had championed for several years. In negotiations, MoBikeFed agreed to change the bill to a Complete Streets Resolution, which successfully passed.  We also agree to lead a coordinated statewide effort to compile prioritized list of the 100 top needs for bicycling and walking in Missouri. MoDOT funded the initial list of 13 projects, totaling $13 million in spending on the most urgent bicycle and pedestrian needs in Missouri, and continues to build other projects on the list. 

See the full list and current funding status: MoBikeFed.org/highpriority

Read more

$8 billion Missouri Transportation Funding Plan to be on November 2014 ballot; MoDOT unveils draft plan for the new funding today; Could be the biggest positive step for Missouri bicycling and walking in a generation

Remember the $8 billion Missouri transportation funding proposal that nearly passed the 2013 Missouri General Assembly in May?  The first transportation fundign proposal in Missouri history to fully incorporate bicycling and walking, and which will add bicycling and walking to the Missouri Constitution?

Well--it's back

A private group is working to gather signatures and add the 1 cent sales tax for transportation to the November 2014 ballot for a vote of the people.  Backers of the initiative petition are confident of gathering enough votes for a victory in 2014.

Read more

Join MoBikeFed's Advocacy Network

MoBikeFed is a statewide group of people like you, working together for better bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri. When you join our advocacy network you receive occasional important advocacy alerts and bicycle, pedestrian, and trails news from around Missouri.

Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network: