Missouri Bicycling, Walking, Running, and Trails News

Pitch Weekly article on the Kansas City bicycle scene

Pitch Weekly ran an interesting article bicycling in Kansas City. It is a little old now (August 1999), but still gives a great overview of the challenges, the prospects, and some of the progress that has been made.

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Meet MoDOT's New Bike/Ped Coordinator

Caryn Giarratano, MoDOT's new Bike/Ped Coordinator, has big plans for bicycling in Missouri. Find out about her appointment as Bike/Ped coordinator and her plans for the state in this Press Release.
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Young Cyclist Killed in Lee's Summit

A cyclist was killed in Lee's Summit about two weeks ago (early October 2002). Witnesses reported that he was riding along the side of the road and suddenly turned left into the traffic lane where he was hit and killed. The incident was covered in the KC Star (sorry, I can't find the story online right now).
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Bicyclist dies after wreck in Mission

An Overland Park man October 15th, 2002 at KU Med from injuries he received when his bike collided with a car in Mission. He was riding through a traffic light just after it turned red and was hit by the left-turning auto coming from the opposite direction. Cyclists: Don't run red lights!. Motorists: Watch out! (this motorist did not have the right-of-way to make a left-hand turn, since another vehicle was approaching the intersection--but this driver probably didn't even see the bicyclist.). Read the complete story on the KC Star's web page.
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MoDOT "Share the Road" Sign Policy

The Share the Road (W16-1) sign may be used with other appropriate warning signs to advise the motorists that other modes of transportation may be present on the same facility. This can include, but is not limited to, pedestrians, bicycles, horse drawn vehicles, etc. The (W16-1) sign shall not be used alone but always as a supplementary plaque under a W11 series sign.

When used with other warning signs the (W16-1) and its primary sign should be repeated periodically over the length of the road. The assembly with the (W16-1) sign should be repeated after each major side road intersection.

Additional assemblies may be used as needed to advise drivers of the presence of these other types of transportation. If the section of roads extends more than a mile the (W7-3-24) Next XX Miles should be added to the first assembly.

For Use with Bicycle Signs (W11-1) MoDOT has a policy covering pedestrian and bicycle facilities. This policy defines what are considered accommodations for pedestrians and bicycles. Facilities that have accommodations as described in the MoDOT bicycle, pedestrian policy, such as paths, wide shared lanes and bicycle lanes on shoulders will be signed according to Chapter 9 of the MUTCD.

Where there are not accommodations as described in the policy but there is significant bicycle use the W16-1 may be considered. The W16-1 sign will only be used on these facilities if there is a request from the community. Typically a local bicycling group will be the requester. Only those routes where there is frequent and regular use for bicycling should be considered. Occasional weekend use by individuals is not considered justification for using the W16-1.

For special events, such as organized cross-country or cross state bicycle rides, temporary posting of the W16-1 signs may be considered. Once the event is completed the signs should be removed unless it is a facility that meets the previous criteria for permanent signing.

Use of the W16-1 signs needs to be carefully managed like any other sign.
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Fall flurry of accidents in KC . . .

There has been a flurry of bicycle-related deaths in the KC area. Causes: Too fast, inobservant driving? Cyclist's disregard of traffic laws? Joining MBF is one way you can do something to help make motorists more aware of bicyclists and make bicycling in Missouri safer.
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KC regional TEA21 bike/ped projects under review

KC Area CMAQ Projects Under Review Late October 2002 - citizen comments could make a difference in setting bicycle policy throughout the KC area.
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Important MBF Meeting Sunday, Nov. 3rd, 2002

Greetings Bike Advocates!



It is time for bicyclists to unite!!!




Please join us on Sunday, November 3, 2002, and encourage all other bicycle

enthusiasts to also join us (bike shop personnel, racers, bike club

members, bike facility planners, mountain bike riders, legislators, etc.)




Where: Viewpoint Conference Room (by cafeteria) at Capital Region Medical

Center, Southwest Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO.




Directions: From Jefferson City, take Hwy 54 west (towards Eldon) to the

Ellis/Southwest Blvd exit. Go north (right) on Southwest Blvd for ten

blocks. Turn left into the hospital parking lot and keep going the same

direction to the last lot. Go in the double doors by the circle drive.




Fun first!!!



10 am - Bicycle ride sponsored by Caryn Giarratano. Meet in the hospital

parking lot to ride the 20-mile loop called the JC Loop. Drawn to scale

route maps will be available. Lunch will be on your own, but carpooling to

restaurants will be available.




Business later...



Missouri Bicycle Federation Annual Meeting Agenda



Sunday, November 3, 2002, 1-4 pm





  • Introductions and Welcome - Caryn Giarratano
  • Request for a substitute secretary due to the absence of Art Gough
  • Correspondence report -Caryn Giarratano
  • Approval of the last year's annual minutes as printed
  • Treasurer's Report - Caryn Giarratano
  • Old Business - Caryn Giarratano



  • New Business:




    Mike Brady Bill - Elaine Brady



    Elaine's husband, Mike Brady, was killed in 2000 while racing in Bicycle

    Across Missouri (BAM) by a motorist who ran off the road and hit Mike from

    behind. Elaine is seeking assistance in changing our current law to allow a

    person's past driving history to be entered as evidence during any current

    violation proceedings.




    Share the Road - Larry Welty



    Larry is a licensed professional engineer who has been employed by MoDOT

    for 18 years as a construction inspector, a highway designer and a planner.

    An avid bicyclist, he has pushed for consideration of pedestrians and

    bicyclists in MoDOT projects and operations. He is an original member of

    East-West Gateway Coordinating Council's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory

    Committee and served as MoDOT's Interim Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator

    from August 2001 to June 2002. As part of his current responsibilities, he

    reviews federally funded, local bicycle projects in District 6.




    Storm Grates and Rumble Strips - Caryn Giarratano



    Caryn is an avid cyclist and bicycle advocate. She was a co-founder of the

    Missouri Bicycle Federation in 1993, was its first Chair and helped to lead

    the push to repeal the state mandatory sidepath law in 1995. She was hired

    by MoDOT on July 1 as the State Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator.




    Bicycle Facilities - Paul Wojciechowski




    TEA-3 - Hope Visconti



    Hope is a professional urban planner who is new to the world of bicycling

    advocacy. Her current position as an intermediate transportation planner

    with MoDOT allows her ongoing contact with several policy makers in the

    Kansas City, Missouri Region. She currently serves on the Mid-America

    Regional Council's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee and several

    steering committees for individual on-street and off-street bicycle

    projects. Her current responsibilities include reviewing plans and

    programs for several federally funded local projects; including, aesthetic

    enhancements, historic restoration, air quality improvement and bicycle and

    pedestrian projects.




    America Bikes - Bob Foster



    Bob has been commuting to work by bike for nine years. He is an avid long

    distance cyclist-including a 26-hour crossing of Missouri in the 1999 BAM

    and a 23-hour triple century in 2000. He is the founder and current Chair

    of the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation.




    Bicycle Level of Service and National Bike Routes across MO




    Election of Officers to assume duties on January 1, 2003: Chair,

    Vice-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer with the appointment by the new board of

    three more who usually serve as Legislative Liason, MoDOT Liason and

    Editor. Caryn is not allowed to assume a leadership role with MBF due to a

    conflict with her new job.




    Area Reports from attendees





Contact Information: Missouri Bicycle Federation, Inc., POB 104871,

Jefferson City, MO 65110-4871




Background: MBF is a statewide, not-for-profit, membership organization

that advocates advancement of bicycling access, safety and education in

Missouri. It was founded by Caryn Giarratano (the first Chair) and Mike

Hoeferkamp (the first Treasurer) in 1993, and incorporated in the state of

Missouri on

November 17, 1994. The annual business meeting and election of officers is

the first Sunday in November.




Mission: The mission of the Missouri Bicycle Federation is to provide an

advocacy platform to protect the rights and interests of bicyclists and to

make Missouri a better place to ride a bicycle through the advancement of

bicycle access, safety and education.




Goals: Obtain funding to meet goals; Coordinate efforts among constituents;

Communicate with other state groups; Educate the public on benefits of our

sport in the areas of health, social and environment; Lobby for legislative

issues on behalf of bicyclists; Promote safety regarding sharing the road,

wearing helmets and following the rules of the road; Establish bicycling as

a recognized form of transportation, as well as recreation; Facilitate the

use of state and federal funds to meet our goals; and Disseminate

information about constituents' major events in the state.




Accomplishments: Wrote and passed legislation that repealed the mandatory

sidepath law and defeated its reinstatement in 1998; Defeated a bill that

would have required all bicyclists to ride on the left side of the road,

facing traffic; Defeated legislation that would have required bicyclists to

ride single file; Worked with the MoDOT to change its policy on shoulder

rumble strips to allow bicyclists some smooth shoulder; and Worked with

Amtrak in 1997 to allow unboxed bicycles to be rolled aboard.




Membership Application (send the following information to MBF): Name,

Address, City, State, Zip, Home #, Work #, Email address, Name of

organization, Organization website, email and address.




Minimum donations for dues: $15 for individual membership; $30 for club

affiliation; $50 for business membership.




Membership Benefits: Framework to provide a united voice on issues of

interest to bicyclists in the state; Quarterly newsletter, email newsletter

and/or legislative updates; Liason with MoDOT and the Legislature; Motorist

Contact Program (upon contacting MBF to report the license tag number of a

unsafe motorist, a letter including the law regarding bikes will be sent

to the motorist); and Provision of names of contact people on various

issues.




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Article

Ken Kifer's Bike Pages - bicycle advocacy, practical bicycle, camping, and commuting tips, safety tips
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Join MoBikeFed's Advocacy Network

MoBikeFed is a statewide group of people like you, working together for better bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri. When you join our advocacy network you receive occasional important advocacy alerts and bicycle, pedestrian, and trails news from around Missouri.

Working together we make a real difference! Join our advocacy network: