Capitol Day 2014: What are YOUR priorities? Results of our 2014 Legislative Survey

At Capitol Day 2014 on April 7th, we'll be talking with our state legislators about the priorities of bicyclists and pedestrian in Missouri and asking them to support our legislative priorities as we work to make Missouri a better, safer place to walk and bicycle. 

Capitol Day in Jefferson City is April 7th, 2014

Recently we asked our members and supporters to help set our priorities by taking a survey.  This is part of our regular process for setting our priorities, which includes talking with groups and individuals across the state formally and informally, compiling a Legislative Platform and Vision of Bicycling and Walking in Missouri and updating them regularly, discussing the legislative priorities in our statewide Legislative Committee, Advisory Commission, and Board meetings, and surveying our members and supporters regularly.

This process has resulted in over 39 specific legislative victories in supporting of bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri since 1995--see the entire list here.

We will be talking about these issues and others at Capitol Day April 7th.  Find out the schedule and see the summary of the issues here.

The survey had 579 responses from our members and supporters, making it one of the biggest responses to this type of survey ever. In general, there is very strong support for our top legislative priorities.

Fair Share for Bicycling & Walking in any new Transportation Funding Source - Very Strong Support

95% support, 64% Very Strongly Support, 2.7% oppose

This level of support is among the very highest levels of support of any issue we have ever surveyed.

Support is very consistent among our supporters in all areas of the state.

We have seen this level of support for this issue consistently over the past years, and that is one reason that this issue has risen to the top of our priority list this year and for the past few years. Our top priority in this area right now is to ensure that MoDOT's Regional Transportation Planning Partners, who are currently working to create the list of projects for the proposed $8 billion Missouri transportation funding plan, fully incorporate bicycling, walking, and trails into the project lists in every planning region across Missouri.

You can help in this effort by contacting your own regional planning agency.
 

Proposed 1 Cent Missouri Transportation Sales Tax  - Surprisingly Strong Support

72% support, 41% very strongly support, 19.8% oppose, 8.6% neutral

Large tax increases are often controversial in Missouri. However, in this survey as well as polling we have seen of the general population in Missouri indicates that Missourians do value funding for transportation in the state and understand there is a serious transportation funding crisis looming in the state. Missourians are particularly supportive of transportation funding if the funding includes modes of transportation, including bicycling, walking, trails, transit, and railroads along with roads and bridges.

This new transportation funding proposal is currently under consideration in the Missouri General Assembly.  It is planned for the November 2014 ballot and has led MoDOT to create its first ever fully inclusive statewide transportation plan in anticipation of the new funding.

Complete Streets Strongly Supported by Our Members/Supporters - Very Strong Support

93% support, 60% Very Strongly Support, 3.2% oppose 

A rural Complete Street--and example of the type of roads counties could be building with Complete Streets policies in place.

These numbers put it among the issues with the very strongest support from our members & supporters over several years of doing similar surveys.

Complete Streets is on a march across Missouri, with 23 policies adopted, including a statewide Complete Streets resolution passed by the Missouri General Assembly in 2011 and a brand-new policy covering the one million residents of St. Louis County, passed at the instigation of regional advocacy organization Trailnet, early this year. Find out more about progress of Complete Streets in Missouri here.

Other important issues

Because the issues of transportation funding and Complete Streets have the most potential to create dramatic change and improvement in our effort to make Missouri a better, safer place to walk, bicycle, and use trails, we are concentrating our efforts this year in these areas, and we concentrated our survey on those areas.

However, based on past legislative surveys, we know our members have other important priorities as well, and we are planning to talk about those issues with legislators at Capitol Day Monday.

Our Legislators Packet for Capitol Day gives legislators some background on these issues:

Anti-Harassment and Penalties for Thrown Objects

Based on successful models in Independence, Columbia, and Greenwood, we support the creation of misdemeanor-level penalties for harassing or throwing items at pedestrians and bicyclists, and for throwing items from or at vehicles.  This was identified by our members as a top legislative priority. Contact director@mobikefed.org for sample legislative language.

Safe Passing of Bicyclists

We support improvement of the current safe passing of bicyclists statute by creating a minimum passing distance (four feet) and adding protection for bicyclists traveling in the shoulder (not covered by the current safe passing law). This issue was identified by our members as a top legislative priority. Contact director@mobikefed.org for sample legislative language.

Update and Modernize Missouri’s Bicycle Law

Missouri’s bicycle law last saw major updates in 1995. We would like to update Missouri’s law to modern best practice, update confusing or incomplete language, update light and reflector requirements to reflect currently available equipment and capabilities, in order to improve safety for bicyclists and motorists and improve clarity for bicyclists and  law enforcement personnel. Contact director@mobikefed.org for sample legislative language.

Texting While Driving and Distracted Driving

Extending that ban on texting while driving to drivers of all ages and generally addressing the issue of distracted driving is one of the top priorities of our membership—over 95% support extending the ban on texting while driving to all drivers.

Join us for the Capitol Day and Legislators Ride in Jefferson City on Monday, April 7th.  It's a lot of fun and some of the most effective advocacy we do each year!