Is your MoBikeFed membership current? Find out instantly:

April 2018

Capitol Day Monday April 30th issues: Transportation Funding, Rock Island Trail, dangerous dogs, texting while driving

Sat, 04/28/2018 - 5:30am

Bicycle, Pedestrian and Trails Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City is coming soon--Monday April 30th. State transportation funding, the future of the Rock Island Trail, stopping dangerous dogs, texting while driving, and safety of self-driving cars are among the issues we'll be talking about with legislators Monday.

We'll also enjoy a Ride with Legislators from the Capitol to the Katy Trail and back.

Join us April 30th in Jefferson City--when you take the time to make those personal visits to legislators, it really makes a difference!

If you can't join us in person, please take a moment to call or email your Missouri Senator and Representative in support of our message (sample message below).

2018 Capitol Day Issues and Priorities

A summary of our priorities for the 2018 Missouri legislative session:

Alert: AV START bill moving in Congress to allow thousands of self-driving cars; Requirement for self-driving cars to pass bike/ped Vision Test not yet included

Tue, 04/24/2018 - 6:30am

The AV START Act, which creates federal regulations for self-driving vehicles and allows some hundreds of thousands of them on the road all across the country, is now looking like it may move forward in Congress soon.

Self-driving vehicles have great promise to improve safety on our roads. However, we know that self-driving vehicles have considerable difficulty reliably detecting people who walk and bicycle. Yet the legislation still does not yet include the "Vision Test" to prove that the systems can detect people who walk and bicycle, as requested by the League of American Bicyclists.

The current AV START Act has serious shortcomings and needs to be strengthened in important ways before it moves forward.

Link:

Alert: AV START bill moving in Congress to allow thousands of self-driving cars; Requirement for self-driving cars to pass bike/ped Vision Test not yet included

Your complete guide to funding sources for bicycle, pedestrian, and trails projects in Missouri

Mon, 04/23/2018 - 6:00am

Note--this resource was updated. New version here.

Your community has some amazing bicycle, pedestrian, and trails projects it wants to build--perhaps even a local or regional bicycle, pedestrian, or trails plan. But now you need the funding to actually build.

If your community doesn't yet have those plans and projects developed, it might be smart to take a step back first:

Develop your own plans, projects, and priorities
Implement a few projects--even very small, simple, low-cost projects--using available resources
Build a community partnership in support of these projects.

We have a whole page with ideas to help your community take these initial steps.

Then you are ready to approach potential funders to take the next steps.

Here are many of the available funding sources in Missouri:

Ride the Fault Line: 4 state/6 day bicycle tour June 2-8

Sun, 04/22/2018 - 11:00am

Ride the Fault Line: Four states in six days, including Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, and Illinois.

Experience this unique Midwestern bicycle tour adventure through four mid-Mississippi valley states along the New Madrid earthquake fault line.
Visit Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, and Tennessee in six days.
Ride the Fault is more than a bicycle tour--more than just cycling!
Nature lovers-have lunch at lakeside restaurants at Reelfoot Lake Wildlife Refuge and scan the trees for nesting bald eagles!
Paddle a kayak through groves of century old cypress trees!
History buffs-learn about the past-visiting strategically important early Civil War sites; and look to the future with a stop at the new Discovery Park science center in Tennessee!
Cross the Mississippi River on an authentic riverboat ferry.
Beat the heat with a trip to an outdoor water park!
Enjoy camping outdoors, indoors, or select a motel from our list!

New for 2018:

Link:

Ride the Fault Line: 4 state/6 day bicycle tour June 2-8

Big BAM riding Missouri's Route 66 June 17-22 starting in Joplin

Sat, 04/21/2018 - 11:00am

The Big BAM Ride is Missouri’s cross state bike tour and music festival along Route 66. Over five days of riding you’ll experience the stunning hospitality of small towns, gorgeous roads, and incredible live music every night. Join us for the whole week or just a couple days. However long you ride we promise it will be the adventure of a lifetime.

Along with the beautiful roads, great, people, and small town hospitality the following is included:

6 days of music and 5 days of riding Missouri Historic Route 66
Unlimited hot showers
Phone charging trailer
Gear transport for the week
SAG Support
Swag Bag full of Big BAM goodies

Bicycle Route 66 to be officially added to the U.S. National Bicycle Route System

A few years ago, the Adventure Cycling Association mapped Bicycle Route 66 and added it to ACA's national bicycle route system.

Link:

Big BAM riding Missouri's Route 66 June 17-22 starting in Joplin

Missouri Senate passes bill outlawing distracted driving, texting while driving - bill now moves to House & you can help

Tue, 04/17/2018 - 11:33am

Our members have consistently identified distracted driving and texting while driving as one of their top concerns. For that reason, we have been working for years with a coalition of like-minded organizations across Missouri to support distracted driving and texting-while-driving legislation.

Year after year, this important legislation has been stopped by a few powerful legislators.

Join us for the 2018 Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Trails Day at the Capitol Monday, April 30th - we'll be enjoying a Ride with Legislators and talking about important issues like distracted driving

But now one of those legislators is sponsoring a bill with strong language restricting all kinds of distracted driving behaviors and use of cell phones and other electronic devices while driving.

The Missouri Senate has been the stopping point for distracted driving bills in past years and for nearly all bills in 2018.

But now SB 1050, sponsored by Senator Dave Schatz of Sullivan, has has passed the Missouri Senate by a vote of 28-3.

St. Louis Bike Share Rollout Monday April 16th 9am Kiener Plaza with Mayor Krewson, John Nations

Fri, 04/13/2018 - 5:15am

Join St. Louis City officials for the long-awaited rollout of bike share in St. Louis City.

St. Louis Bike Share Rollout
Monday, April 16th, 2018, 9:00, Keiner Plaza
Speakers: Mayor Krewson, John Nations, OFO, LimeBike

St. Louis Public Radio has more details about the new dockless bike share systems and what they mean for St. Louis:

This spring, 1,500 bicycles could roll out across St. Louis, spotting the streets with yellow and green.
Two companies have applied for permits be part of the “dockless” bike share program that city officials say will close gaps in public transportation routes, bring affordable transportation to low-income neighborhoods and give tourists a fun way to get around the city.
St. Louis would be one of more than 50 U.S. cities to establish bike share systems since 2010, according to the National Association of City Transportation.

Link:

St. Louis Bike Share Rollout Monday April 16th 9am Kiener Plaza with Mayor Krewson, John Nations

Public Transportation’s Impact on Rural and Small Towns - Public transit need is

Thu, 04/05/2018 - 8:45am

The Victoria Transportation Policy Institute published some very interesting research into the fast-growing need for better public transit service in rural communities. The main points found in this research mirror conclusions the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation also reached after analyzing rural public health and transportation data in Missouri. VTPI's summary of the research:

Link:

Public Transportation’s Impact on Rural and Small Towns - Public transit need is

St. Louis bike/ped coordinator position too long vacant; Grass roots group asking city to update position to follow best practices--and to get someone hired ASAP - NextSTL

Mon, 04/02/2018 - 6:50am

The City of St. Louis took an important step when it hired the city's first bike/ped coordinator a couple of years ago.

The St. Louis Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator Position has been open and unfilled since September 2017--which raises questions about the city's commitment to the position. And getting the right person in the job is just as important as the position itself.

NextSTL reports on a group of local citizens working together on this issue--encouraging the city to move forward by creating the right type of position and getting someone to fill it:

Link:

St. Louis bike/ped coordinator position too long vacant; Grass roots group asking city to update position to follow best practices--and to get someone hired ASAP - NextSTL

Current topics...

2019 Legislative Session & Issues

2018 Legislative Session & Issues

2017 Legislative Session & Issues

Vision Zero

2016 Legislative Session & Issues

Anti-harassment

Archives...

October 2020 - September 2020 - August 2020 - July 2020 - June 2020 - May 2020 - March 2020 - February 2020 - January 2020 - December 2019 - November 2019 - October 2019

April 2018

Capitol Day Monday April 30th issues: Transportation Funding, Rock Island Trail, dangerous dogs, texting while driving

2018 Capitol Day Issues and Priorities

Alert: AV START bill moving in Congress to allow thousands of self-driving cars; Requirement for self-driving cars to pass bike/ped Vision Test not yet included

Your complete guide to funding sources for bicycle, pedestrian, and trails projects in Missouri

Ride the Fault Line: 4 state/6 day bicycle tour June 2-8

Big BAM riding Missouri's Route 66 June 17-22 starting in Joplin

Bicycle Route 66 to be officially added to the U.S. National Bicycle Route System

Missouri Senate passes bill outlawing distracted driving, texting while driving - bill now moves to House & you can help

St. Louis Bike Share Rollout Monday April 16th 9am Kiener Plaza with Mayor Krewson, John Nations

Public Transportation’s Impact on Rural and Small Towns - Public transit need is

St. Louis bike/ped coordinator position too long vacant; Grass roots group asking city to update position to follow best practices--and to get someone hired ASAP - NextSTL

Current topics...

Archives...

Join MoBikeFed

Donate

License plate

Donate a vehicle

Join our advocacy network

Upcoming Bike Ed Classes