Missouri Bicycling, Walking, Running, and Trails News

After years of preparation and delay, the U.S. House of Representatives is finally ready to pass a 6-year federal transportation package.  This federal transportation reauthorization is the most important bill that sets setting transportation policy and funding priorities for the United States.

Click here to contact your Congressmember to let them know you support biking and walking

The bill recently passed the Senate and now the House is set to vote this week.  The basic bill is pretty good for bicycling and walking, but three key amendments--if approved by the House this week--will decimate bicycle, pedestrian, and trails funding.

Please take time today to contact your member of Congress.  It takes just a couple of minutes.

Click here to contact your Congressmember to let them know you support biking and walking

Recently, the city of O'Fallon decided to take some major steps to upgrade its main street--making it friendlier for walking, bicycling, businesses, visitors, and motorists via a so-called "Road Diet". Things got ugly when St. Charles County stepped in with a $2.5 million threat if the city implements the project. Now St Louis regional advocacy group Trailnet is stepping up now to defend better communities for walking & biking.

An unbelievable scenerio, as a county pressures a city to take a big step backwards

This is, frankly, one of the most unbelievable scenarios we have seen in many years of advocacy for better communities for walking and bicycling. The city, which is close to the situation and knows its own needs, had gone through a detailed planning process for improving its main street.  The process included public meetings, interviews, and many other forms of public outreach to find out what O'Fallon citizens and businesses really want and need from the project.

File: 

memo.stcharles.ofallon-ocr.pdf

Cycling can take many shapes and forms.  Today we look at special situations that come with a unique set of considerations.  These include group rides, riding on multi-use trails and sharing the road with other users. 

Group Rides

Group rides can be one of cycling’s great joys.  There’s nothing like sharing the road with a bunch of like-minded folks.  Riding in a group is different in may ways than riding alone.   Here are a few rules that will ensure your safety and make  your ride more fun.

Never ride more than two abreast.  Most states prohibit this practice.  When traffic conditions warrant, ride single file.   You’ll also want to pay attention to how you communicate with other cyclists in the group.  Use both hand and verbal signals to indicate turns and road hazards.  Be especially careful when passing through intersections.  Remember, each bicyclist is responsible for his or her safety.  Look for approaching traffic before proceeding and always follow all traffic laws.

Multi-Use Trails

This summer, forty-three pedestrian, bicycle, trails, health, disability, and community organizations came together to send a united message to more than 400 Missouri elected officials and decision makers.

The sign-on letter went to Missouri legislators, members of Congress, Governor Nixon, MoDOT leadership, and transportation decision-makers across the state.

The letter makes the case for improving walking and bicycling as an important part of any transportation funding plan:

Missouri does not need extensive new or greatly expanded roads or highways. But Missouri does need to:

• Maintain the road and highway system we have
   
• Improve safety for all users of the road system
   
• Add transportation choices--such as walking and bicycling--that far too often are simply not available to Missouri residents.

The letter makes specific requests to each official who received the letter, including:

The important multi-decade initiative to connect the Katy Trail system across the state, from state line to state line and to St. Louis and Kansas City metro areas on each end of the state, is will reach a major milestone next year, according to an announcement by Governor Jay Nixon today.

Governor Nixon spoke to trail supporters at the North Jefferson Katy Trailhead at 1:45pm today, with the news that Missouri State Parks is commited to completing the major portion of the Katy Trail connection to Kansas City, on the Rock Island railroad corridor from Windsor to Pleasant Hill, by the end of 2016.  The Governor's press release said: