ATVs on the Katy Trail--over $40 million in additional costs to State Parks

Rep. Jay Houghton of Martinsburg has introduced HB 2047, a bill to allow ATVs and golf carts on the Katy Trail two days per month.  Last week we issued an Advocacy Alert asking trail supporters in Missouri to contact their elected officials to oppose this poorly thought out plan and Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation President Rachel Ruhlen testified against allowing ATVs on the Katy Trail at the hearing on the bill in Jefferson City.

The Oversight Division at the Office of Legislative Research for the Missouri General Assembly has released the fiscal note for the ATVs on the Katy Trail bill--and it's not good at all.

Do we want ATVs on Missouri's Katy Trail?

The existing width of the trail is not sufficient for two ATV/golf carts to pass each other on the trail safely.  Therefore, the trail width would have to be increased to over 14' wide, including shoulders, to accommodate two-way traffic.  So the cost for a new base, ballast and surface, if contracted out, would be about $168,000 per mile for the 40 miles.  This does not include what it would cost to modify our bridge decks.

$168,000 per mile X 240 miles is approximately $40 million.  That doesn't include the cost of widening numerous bridge decks, and only allows a 6 inch shoulder--not really enough.

And that is just the start of the expenses that the bill to allow ATVs on the Katy Trail would cause.  State Parks is estimating it will require an addition four rangers to monitor the trail, replacement of 50 squeeze gates (currently designed specifically to keep ATVs and similar vehicles out of the trail), $100 per mile in additional trail upkeep annually, and far more.

Please read the full document for full details--this might be the first article in the history of Legislative Oversight that is actually an enjoyable read.  If you are interested in this issue, the document really analyzes all the ramfications in detail.

And if you haven't already--please do contact your own Missouri state representative and ask him or her to support bicycling, support walking, support trails, and oppose this ill-conceived proposal.

UPDATE 25 March 2016: An amended version of the bill has been introduced that exchanges "ATVs" for "utility vehicles" in the bill's wording.  However, Utility Vehicles as defined in the bill are essentially the same as ATVs and--important for the analysis above--have the same width, up to 60 inches wide. So the cost analysis above still holds.

Join us for Bicycle  and Pedestrian Day at the Capitol and the Legislators Bicycle Ride in Jefferson City on Monday, April 11th, 2016--we'll be visiting with our Missouri state senators and represenatives about issues like this, the proposed bicycle ban, the safe passing of bicyclists and pedestrians proposal, and more.

Working to create a world-class bicycle and pedestrian transportation system in Missouri, protecting the system we have, and improving safety for those who walk and bicycle are among the top priorities of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support helps our Vision become reality--and helps us defend Missouri trails at the state capitol and in Congress.