Election Results: Trails/Parks/Arch Tax passes in St Louis; Capital Improvements Tax passes in Springfield; Bike/Ped leaders win elections

Election results are in from municipal elections held yesterday across Missouri. As Rachel Ruhlen, writer for the Kirksville Daily Express noted in a recent article, support for bicycling and walking by municipal-level candidates is strong and getting much stronger across Missouri, as elected officials realize the benefits to the community and as community members band together to let officials know their priorities for their communities.

Trails/Parks/Arch Tax in St Louis approved by voters

The Trails/Parks/Arch Tax proposal in St. Louis won approval by St. Louis City voters by a large margin and by St Louis County voters by a narrower margin (53/47).  The Tax required approval by both City and County to go into effect. 

The path to the tax started with approval by the Missouri General Assembly in 2012--in itself something of a battle.  The same bill, HB 1504, also allowed for creation of a similar Trails & Greenways District in Jackson County, MIssouri's second most populous county, but that proposal has so far not proceeded to a popular vote.

Passage of the tax is one of the biggest wins for bicycling & walking in Missouri history.  For the St Louis region, the creation of the Great Rivers Greenway District in 2002 was a similar big step--but this current proposal will more than double the funding going towards bicycle, pedestrian, greenway and trails projects in the area. It will:

• Double the speed of implementation of Great Rivers Greenways trails, greenways, and on-street bikeways plan--moving implementation from 20 years to 10 year out.  And keep in mind that GRG doesn't just fund trails--they are the main regional driver (and funder) for initiatives like the Bike St. Louis on-road bicycle route system and the creation and implementation of the Gateway Bike Plan--the regional bicycle plan for the entire St Louis area.
• Approximately double funding for City & County parks and trails
• Provide funding for improvements to the Arch grounds and immediate area--including making the entire Arch and riverfront area, and many park areas adjacent in the downtown area, far more accessible for bicycling and walking.

The St. Louis Beacon has a good rundown on the proposed projects.

Congratulations to the St. Louis area for taking a big, positive step towards regular, consistent funding of bicycle, pedestrian, and trails proposals.

Springfield Capital Improvements tax passes easily

Springfield renews its Capital Improvement tax every three years, and in recent years the city has taken a direction that should be followed by all Missouri cities: It makes a point of including bicycle and pedestrian projects in the plan and soliciting support from area bicycle and pedestrian groups for the proposal. As past accomplishments of the Capital Improvements tax, the City lists these:

• More than 100 miles of sidewalks repaired
• 50 miles of new sidewalks were built

For the current proposal, the CIty lists these projects:

• Sidewalk/Curb-ramp Reconstruction
• School Sidewalk Program
• Traffic Signal/Traffic Calming
• Neighborhood Improvements
• A signs and markings program--whichincludes $400,000 for signing and marking on-street bike lanes and shared lanes

In addition, Springfield has adopted an internal Complete Streets policy and is working for official adoption by the City Council of its Strategic Plan and Complete Streets Policy. The result: all street reconstruction projects listed in the proposal will give thoroughgoing attention to bicycle, pedestrian, and other related elements. In addition, the city has an officially adopted Bike Route Plan and Policy.

Result?  The 2013 tax renewal passed easily, with over 75% of the popular vote.

Ian Thomas, former PedNet Executive Director, wins in Columbia

Former Executive Director of PedNet, Ian Thomas of Columbia, pulled out a win in a tight race in Columbia's Fourth District. Thomas has long been a leader in bicycle and pedestrian issues in Columbia, in Missouri, and across the U.S. According to a Columbia Missouri article: 

Ian Thomas

Winner's priorities: Thomas, a transportation consultant and former director of the PedNet Coalition, wants to address some of the city's street needs by using a "traffic demand management tool kit" that promotes carpooling, a better bus system and staggered commute times. He also believes widening West Broadway east of West Boulevard is unnecessary.

Thomas joins former MoBikeFed Treasurer Fred Schmidt on the Columbia City Council.

Paul Wojciechowski, MoBikeFed Board Members, wins election to Wildwood City Council 

Paul Wojciechowski

Paul Wojciechowski, a MoBikeFed Board Member and transportation engineer and planner with Alta Planning & Design has won the Ward 8 seat on the Wildwood City Council.  

Wojciechowski has years of experience planning, designing, and implement bicycle and pedestrian facilities.  He has worked at MoDOT, served as Director of Public Works at the City of Clayton, and played a key role in developing and implementing the Bike St Louis plan and Gateway Bike Plan.

Photo credits:

• Arch Trail Concept, courtesy Yes on Prop P
• David Hutchison of Springfield Public Works bicycles in the city, courtesy City of Springfield
• Ian Thomas, courtesy PedNet