Advocacy Platform

This page outlines the very top priorities of the Missouri Bicycle Federation's platform for legislation and issues related to bicycling in Missouri.

NOTE: The complete, fully detailed platform for 2010 (Word DOC format) is here.

This platform was developed and proposed by the Missouri Bicycle Federation board of directors with much input from Federation members and walking, bicycling, running, and trails organizations around the state.

This is a living document and will continue to grow and evolve. Comments are welcome at any time, send to director [at] mobikefed.org .

2010 Priorities

• Complete Streets: A Missouri Complete Streets bill (see completestreets.org)
• Safe Passing: Fix technical issues with safe passing of bicycles provision. Include safe passing of pedestrian provision. Expand protection to include passing bicyclists when they are operating on the shoulder. Consider increasing penalties and including 4-foot minimum passing distance.
• Safe Streets: When unsafe drivers injure or kill bicyclists or pedestrians, current law allows prosecutors to bring charges for trivial traffic infractions or serious (but difficult-to-prove) felony charges. We want to propose an intermediate step that will get unsafe drivers off the road, be easier to prosecute, and have more severe and appropriate penalties than minor traffic infractions. May include these elements:
  • Bicycle safety bill based on existing “move over for emergency vehicles” legislation (would require motorists to move over or slow down when encountering a bicycle).
  • Safety bill based on existing “construction work zone” legislation (increased fines/penalties for striking a bicyclist or pedestrian).
• No Passing on Solid Yellow: A proposed "no passing" law will force motorists to pass bicyclists unsafely (or just not pass at all) whenever there is a solid yellow "no passing" line. Before this legislation moves forward we want to change this to make it more bicycle friendly. There are many locations properly marked "no passing" for motor vehicles where it is unsafe to pass a vehicle moving at the speed limit but safe to pass a slower-moving vehicle like a bicycle or tractor. The new Missouri passing zone law can and should reflect this reality and should not force or encourage unsafe passing of bicyclists by motorists. (Law proposed by other groups which MoBikeFed would support with the suggested changes or oppose if those changes are not made.)
• Incorporate Bicycle Month, Bike to Work Week, and Walk to School Month/Week/Day into the state's holiday calendar.
• Crosswalk reform: Require drivers to stop no matter which side of the street the pedestrian is on (by current law, drivers must stop only when the pedestrian is on their half of the road--and this creates a pretty scary situation for pedestrians when they are crossing major roads). Include other measures to improve driver compliance with crosswalks such as increased penalties, points, enforcement, educational programs, or other measures. Clarify that bicyclist must yield to pedestrians in crosswalks, that drivers must stop and stay stopped as long as pedestrians are in the crosswalk, and that all of the above applies both to marked crosswalks and so-called "unmarked crosswalk". (Similar measure introduced in 2008 by Rep. Michael Brown.)

Previous MoBikeFed Legislative Platform Planks that have become law or policy

2009

• Ban on texting while driving passed; applies only to young drivers
• Dead Red law: Allowing motorcycles & bicycles to proceed through a red light after waiting a certain period that makes it obvious the motorcycle/bicycle is not triggering the traffic signal. This addresses a situation commonly faced by bicyclists, where the traffic signal simply will not change because the equipment does not recognize a bicyclist as it should.
• License plates - a new law creates a system for us to apply for a Missouri "Share the Road" license plate that will raise funds for bicycle-related education/outreach; we will apply soon.
• "No passing on solid yellow line" law disadvantageous to bicyclists and pedestrians was stopped and did not move forward in 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009 (we opposed the law as written and proposed a more bicycle-friendly compromise, which was accepted; we are happy to see it move forward in the bicycle-friendly compromise version or simply stall and not move forward at all)
• Equestrian Trail Bill--we were able to stop a version of an equestrian trails bill that would have been very disadvantageous to bicyclists, hikers, walkers, runners, and other pedestrians who use trails, and support a version of the bill the encourages development and maintenance of equestrian trails while have no negative effects for bicyclists and pedestrians.
• Bike Month resolutions in House & Senate, Governor's Proclamation for Bike to Work Week

2008

• Bike Month Resolution and Governor’s Proclamation
• Walk/Bicycle to School Month/Day Resolution
• $18 million from AmerenUE settlement for Katy Trail Connection to Kansas City appropriated to DNR; construction on the Katy Trail Connection can now move forward

2007

• A measure to encourage recreational trails/mountain biking trails in state parks and conservation areas by allowing/encouraging greater participation by nonprofit organizations in state parks (as proposed by Rep. Sutherland in 2006)
• Bike Month resolution
• Tour of Missouri Month proclamation & resolution

2006

• Clutch's Law—increased penalties & driver license points for those who fail to yield right-of-way and cause an accident

2005

• Allow right turn signaling with the right arm; allow intermittent signaling when arms/hands are needed to control bicycle
• Regulate bike lane usage
• Clarify that bicyclists riding on the road shoulder is not illegal
• Update the definition of a bicycle to include tricycles and quadracycles
• Safe passing provision for motorists passing bicyclists

2004

• Legislation to address liability concerns of landowners adjacent to trails

1995

• Repeal sidepath law: Repeal the law that required bicyclists to ride on path adjacent to road if such a path is available
• Improve, clarify, and update Missouri's basic bicycle law

Note that law and policy is never made in a vacuum. On many of these issues, the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation is but one of many voices asking for change. On other issues--particularly those of interest mainly to bicyclists & pedestrians--MoBikeFed has played a leading role. Regardless, no legislation has ever been passed without a huge amount of cooperation and support from many individuals, organizations, clubs, and elected officials work together. Many thanks to all of them for working together to make Missouri a better, safer place to walk and bicycle.