MoDOT's Wheels & Heels for April 2007

Wheels and Heels March 2007
Email news from MoDOT Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator Caryn Giarratano

Greetings Windbenders,

Progress is apparent with the training I have been creating to share with the personnel of all ten MoDOT districts regarding the accommodation of bicyclists and pedestrians in Missouri. The estimated eight-hour training is currently called Infrastructure Guidelines for Nonmotorized Transportation (IGNTpronounced ignite). It is designed to answer the six journalistic questions regarding accommodations for nonmotorists (who, what, when, where, why and how). Look for more details about the training as it develops.

BP Website Revamped Please make time to check out the updated MoDOT bicycle and pedestrian Web pages. Send me any comments regarding additions or corrections. We want these pages to serve as a valuable resource for all! See ...
httpwww.modot.mo.gov/othertransportation/bike_ped/Bikepedprogramintro.htm.

Tour of Missouri Plans are being made fast regarding hosting this elite professional bicycle race the week of Sept. 11, 2007. The event is being lead by Missouris governor and lieutenant governor, with the lieutenant governors chief of staff serving as the chair of the steering committee and Medalist Sports as the race organizer. Fifteen eight-member teams will be invited, including five European teams. The host cities have been announcedKansas City, Clinton, Springfield, Branson, Lebanon, Columbia, Jefferson City, St. Charles and St. Louis. A Local Organizing Committee (LOC) has been formed in each host city to coordinate the ancillary events that will take place around the bike race. Each LOC will be seeking volunteers to help work the bike race, sponsor an ancillary event and/or serve as a sponsor for the race. Yours truly has been appointed by Jefferson Citys mayor as the technical director for Jefferson City. Sue Cox is the project manager for MoDOT, and a MoDOT steering team is guiding the statewide coordination. Mike Weiss, owner of Big Shark in St. Louis, is the Missouri LOC venue manager. Mark Gorsky is the Missouri lead for promotions. Brent Hugh is the statewide volunteer coordinator. The Division of Tourism plans to adapt the 2007 Tour de Georgia Youth Education Activity Book to use with the Missouri race. See ...
httpwww.mikeandthebike.com/tourdegeorgia/MB_TDG_EdBro_Pgs_020407.pdf and httpwww.tourofmissouri.com/.

Better Roads, Brighter Future Through its Better Roads, Brighter Future program, MoDOT will improve the remainder of the states 5,600 miles of major highways over the next five years. These busy highways will receive wider stripes and rumble stripes, brighter signs, paved shoulders and smooth pavement that will bring 85 percent of Missouris major highway system up to good condition by the end of 2011. The five-year program will cost $1.1 billion, using existing funds allocated for taking care of the state highway system. MoDOT is adding or accelerating 34 projects in the construction program for 2007, and additional projects will be added each year through 2011. Nearly every Missourian will benefit from these improvements, which will save lives, create jobs and save motorists money. See ...
www.modot.org/betterroads/index.htm.

Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program More than 800 of Missouri's worst bridges will be repaired or replaced by Dec. 31, 2012, through this new initiative by the Missouri Department of Transportation. MoDOT is currently working with teams that have submitted proposals to upgrade 802 of Missouri's bridges. Most are in rural areas, and each of Missouri's 114 counties has at least one bridge. It's expected that the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission will award a contract in July, with work beginning in the fall. The successful proposal will be responsible for improving the bridges -- either through replacement or rehabilitation -- to good condition by the end of 2012, and then keeping them that way for a minimum of an additional 25 years. The program is expected to cost between $400 million and $600 million, which will be financed by the successful team and paid for by MoDOT using existing federal bridge replacement funds during the 25-year maintenance portion of the contract. See ...
www.modot.mo.gov/safeandsound.

STIP MoDOT is developing the 2008 - 2012 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). The STIP is a listing of projects that MoDOT plans to undertake in the next five years. The draft STIP will be presented to the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission at its May meeting, followed by a 45-day public comment period. The final STIP will be presented to the commission in July.

New Crash Maps MoDOT has added two new maps to the transportation safety Web site. These maps indicate the number and location of Missouri bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities and injuries. See ...
httpwww.savemolives.com/programs/BikePedSafety.htm.

Missouri is Showcased! John Wetmores Episode 124 of Perils for Pedestrians features interviews with bicycle and pedestrian movers and shakers in the Kansas City areaKenneth Walker with the Major Taylor Foundation, Brent Hugh with the Missouri Bicycle Federation and Aaron Bartlett with Mid-America Regional Council. See ...
httpgoogle.com/videoplay?docid=- 636270594777148094&q;=perils+for+pedestrians+missouri≺=goog-sl

And Again!! View John Wetmores 2005 Episode 107 of Perils for Pedestrians that features an interview with Caryn Giarratano, the state bicycle and pedestrian coordinator (the last interview of this episode). See ... httpgoogle.com/videoplay?docid=-7288397554545138503&q;=perils+for+pedestrians+missouri

Katy Trail The 225-mile Katy Trail may soon become 11 miles longer on the eastern end, making a connection to the beautiful William Clark suspension bridge tantalizingly close. Spanning the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis, the Clark bridge has 10-foot wide bike lanes that connect with an extensive bike trail network in Illinois. See ... httpridethisbike.com/2007/02/katy-trail-expanding-eastward.html.

NATIONAL NEWS
Why Do Mature People Walk? -- The benefits of walking and being active are well known, especially for older people, but what kind of neighborhood gets seniors going? It's not necessarily one with lots of walking trails or parks. What matters, researchers found, are the destinations like restaurants, grocery stores and bars that are within a half-mile of your home. Parks, walking trails and hilly terrain had little to do with how much senior citizens walked. Walkability seemed to depend on the distance to stores, length of blocks and perceived safety. See ... httpseattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420AP_Fitness_Walkable_Communities.html

OTHER NEWS
Bike Dancing See this clip from the movie, Quicksilver, of the bike messenger characters demonstrating their skill ... httpmobikefed.org/2007/03/bike-da ncing.php. Award Nominations Open The Coalition for Recreational Trails is seeking nominations for its 2007 achievement awards to recognize outstanding trail projects funded by the national Recreational Trails Program (RTP). Award winners will be selected from projects nominated by public agencies, trail administrators or other project sponsors and will reflect the diversity of trail activities eligible for Recreational Trails Program funding. Award categories includeconstruction and design; maintenance and rehabilitation; education and communication initiatives; accessibility enhancement; multiple-use management or corridor sharing; environment/wildlife compatibility; and use of youth conservation/service corps. See ... www.atfiles.org/documents/CRTNominationForm2007.doc.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION
See this link for other state agencies connected to bicycle and pedestrian issues, state bicycle coordinators contact information, bicycle organizations, pedestrian information, advocacy contacts and research sources... httpwww.modot.mo.gov/othertransportation/bike_ped/bicyclepedprogram.htm.

CALENDAR
May National Bike Month activities. May 14 to18 Bike to Work Week. May 18 Bike to Work Day. See
...
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/bikemonth/.
May 6 to 12 Katy Trail ride with Team Yuk with the Missouri Regional Poison Center from Clinton to St.
Charles. The public is invited. See ...
http://www.cardinalglennon.com/.
May 16 Ride of Silence. Join cyclists worldwide in a silent, slow-paced ride at 7 p.m. for a 12-mile per
hour ride to honor those who have been injured or killed while bicycling on public roadways, to raise
awareness that bicyclists use the road and to ask motorists to share the road. See ...

http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php.
May 18 Last day of the state 2007 legislative session.
May 19 Ozark Greenways Adventure Race. See ...

http://www.ozarkgreenways.org/mark_twain_race/index.html.
June 2 - Celebrate National Trails Day by using trails to hike, bike, ride horses, paddle, etc. See ...

http://americanhiking.org/events/ntd/index.html.
July 13 to15 Thunderhead Training, Louisville, Kentucky. See ...http://www.thunderheadalliance.org.
July 24 to 28 Missouri River 340: the World's Longest Nonstop Canoe and Kayak Race from Kansas City
to St. Charles. See ...
www.rivermiles.com.
Aug. 27 to 31 Vélo Québec Association will host a five-day bike tour in French of the Route Verte in
Canada. See ...
http://www.routeverte.com/rv/ang/facts.lasso?page=sejourtechnique.
Sept. 10 to 14 Vélo Québec Association will host a five-day bike tour in English of the Route Verte in
Canada. See ...
http://www.routeverte.com/rv/ang/facts.lasso?page=sejourtechnique.
Sept. 11 to16 Tour of Missouri professional bicycle race beginning in Kansas City and ending in St. Louis.
See ...
http://www.tourofmissouri.com/.
Sept. 11 to14 Walk/Bike California 2007 conference in Davis, California. To be held in conjunction with
the APBP Professional Development Seminar. See ...
http://www.walkbikecalifornia.org/.
Oct. 3 Walk to School Day. See ...
http://www.walktoschool-usa.org/.
Oct.13 BikeMO bicycle ride. The Missouri Bicycle Federation sponsors this ride to raise money for bicycle
and pedestrian advocacy in Missouri. A variety of routes are offered and the ride begins at 9 a.m. from Holts
Summit (just north of Jefferson City). See ...
http://www.bikemo.org/.
Oct.16 White Cane Day. See Public Law 88-628 (approved Oct. 6, 1964). See ...

http://www.blindaccessjournal.com/2006/10/president-bush-proclaims-october-15.html,
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2001/10/20011015-12.html
Dec. 9 to 12 Mid America Trails & Greenways Conference in Chicago, Illinois. See ...
http://www.openlands.org/resources.asp?pgid=363.
Next year:
May 18 to 21, 2008 National Roundabout Conference in Kansas City. See ...
http://gulliver.trb.org/news/blurb_detail.asp?id=7349.
Sept. 2 to 5, 2008 Pro Walk/Pro Bike at Seattle's Westin Hotel, Seattle, Washington. See ...

http://www.bikewalk.org/conference.php.

Please forward this newsletter to anyone you feel may be interested. If you are not on the mailing list and
would like to be added, please tell me!


Tailwinds, Caryn
Caryn Giarratano, Ph.D.
MoDOT Transportation Planning Specialist
Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Coordinator
573-522-9297,
caryn.giarratano@modot.mo.gov
P.O.Box 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270, 573-526-8052 (fax)
www.modot.mo.gov/othertransportation/bike_ped/Bikepedprogramintro.htm

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