st. charles co ban

The St Charles County Commission held a work session this evening on a proposal to ban bicycles on several state roads in the County.

After intense public discussion about the bicycle ban at a previous public meeting, and a private meeting between bill sponsor Joe Brazil and area bicycle advocates, the result was three possible bills that were discussed tonight.

A Suburban Journals article gives a rundown of the three proposals, which are:

Sign our petition opposing the proposed St Charles County Bicycle Ban here.

St Charles County Commissioners are planning a work session Monday, August 9th, to discuss their proposal to ban bicycles on several key roads in western St Charles County.

A delegation of local bicyclists, representatives from TrailNet, the St Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, and other interested organizations will be at the work session to help Commissioners hammer out a plan--one that we hope will avoid the need for a bicycle ban.

The St Louis Post Dispatch posted an article today summarizing the situation:

The council is to take up the issue again at a work session Monday. After meeting with some bicycling activists, Brazil says he's open to alternatives such as imposing the ban only on more dangerous stretches of the roads or just requiring bicyclists to take special precautions in those areas.

"We're just trying to come up with the best thing, the right thing and the most effective thing to do," Brazil said. . . . 

The following update on the proposed bike ban in St. Charles County comes from Patty Vinyard, MoBikeFed board member and Executive Director of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation. Read more about the issue or act now to stop the ban.

On 7/12/10, the St. Charles County Council had a 1^st reading of Councilman Joe Brazil’s Bill 3620, banning bicycles on several state highways in the southwestern part of St. Charles County. By session’s end, Mr. Brazil tabled the bill, suggesting he’d hold working sessions to explore the issue.

During public comments, 14 speakers (7 pro ban & 7 against) spoke before a crowded chambers. One couple, the first to comment, claimed their daughter had a serious accident while attempting to avoid hitting a cyclist after coming over a blind hill and displayed graphic images of her injuries. They implied the cyclist was at fault in this accident. Other bill supporters’ comments were far less dramatic. 

Today the Missouri Department of Transportation weighed in on St. Charles County's proposed bicycle ban, saying that the county doesn't have the authority.

All of the roads where County Councilmember Joe Brazil has proposed banning bicycles are actually state highways, which are under the control of MoDOT - so the county has no legal authority to ban any type of vehicles on those roads.  Missouri is unique among the states in that the vast majority of rural county roads are owned by the state, not local governments.

It sounds like the County might still try to implement a ban and fight MoDOT in court, so it's important to keep up the pressure on the County Council.

MoDOT says St. Charles County can't ban bikes from state roads

A St. Charles County proposal to ban bicycles from shoulderless highways around the Katy Trail town of Defiance was tabled at a County Council meeting last night, but will be reconsidered next month with the possible addition of more roads on the banned list.

Fox 2 St. Louis has a good report on the issue.

If you live, work, or ride in Defiance or southwestern St. Charles County, we need you to speak out against the bicycle ban. 

Email the County Council.

Learn more about the proposed ban.