Missouri Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator position vacant

More details about the recent vacancy in MoDOT's Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator position were made public today in an article by Carolyn Szczepanski in Pitch Weekly.

MoBikeFed News has covered this issue previously, and MoBikeFed intends to work with MoDOT to ensure that the Bicycle Pedestrian Coordinator position is filled as soon as possible, by an effective and highly qualified coordinator.

We learned at MoBikeFed's board meeting last weekend that the Bike/Ped Coordinator position has been moved to MoDOT Design under the direction of Joe Jones. This is potentially a very positive move.

Also we learned that the igNite bicycle/pedestrian design trainings--designed by the previous Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator and mentioned in the Pitch article--have been continued by other MoDOT staff. This, too, is a positive development on MoDOT's part.

The Missouri Bicycle Federation, Trailnet, and St. Louis Bicycle Federation recently made a joint appearance at the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission, the group that oversees MoDOT.

On that occasion, MoDOT's upper management took pains to reassure representatives of the bicycle/pedestrian community that MoDOT intends to hire a full time bicycle/pedestrian coordinator as soon as possible with the intent of making the bicycle/pedestrian program as effective and successful as possible.

There is no doubt, however, that at this point considerable momentum has been lost in the bicycle/pedestrian program.

MoDOT's bicycle/pedestrian advisory committee has not meet in 12 months and the coordinator is gone with the search for a replacement not even started. That means a delay of some months, at least, before someone is hired and able to start work, then several more months, at least, before that person is oriented and up to speed.

In short, the way MoDOT, under the leadership of MoDOT Director Pete Rahn, has handled this situation over the past year is very disappointing. We can only hope the situation will improve from here on out.