9 SEP 2003: Feedback invited for Olathe, KS, strategic plan

Olathe, KS, one of the major suburbs of the Kansas City area, is inviting public comment on its strategic plan.

Please note that you need not be an Olathe resident to respond. If you ride, drive, work, or have any other association with the area, that is enough.

And do remember that we can inspire a healthy sort of competition among cities in the area. "Olathe is doing XY & Z. What is Gladstone doing?" and the like . . .

All cyclists, especially Olathe cyclists, are encouraged to attend one of the these numerous meetings to let the Strategic Plan members know how important cycling is to you and the future of City of Olathe.

Web site about the strategic initiative.

For those that would like a little prompt, here's a few suggestions you might consider mentioning:

1. Design and build all arterial, minor arterial and collector roads with either bike lanes or wide outside lanes (shared-use lanes) to safely accommodate bicyclist's legal right to the roadway and in conformance to the Kansas City Chapter of APWA's new bicycle friendly street standards.

2. Provide signed routes through the older parts of Olathe and upgrade routes, when practical provide better accommodation.

3. Require bicycle parking at all commercial developments and government facilities and install secure bicycle parking in Downtown Olathe.

4. Develop a citywide multi-modal transportation plan that safely and adequately accommodates bicycling, walking, transit and motorized traffic needs on a citywide basis.

5. Incorporate adequate bicycle facilities in all new roadway designs when it is most economical in the scope of an overall roadway improvement project.

6. Provide a dedicated funding source to bring older, developed roadways in Olathe to new bicycle friendly standards recently adopted by the Kansas City Chapter of the APWA and to build bicycle/pedetrian trail.

Comments will be taken from anyone interested in Olathe's future, so if you live in, work in, or just ride through Olathe, by all means, speak up. If you cannot make one of the meetings, you can also email your comments/suggestions/concerns to: strategicplanning@olatheks.org.