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Missouri Bicycling, Walking, Running, and Trails News

Announcing the 2017 Missouri Active Transportation Summit August 11th in Jefferson City - Join us!

Fri, 05/26/2017 - 9:58am

Bicycling, walking, and trails mean business in Missouri

Friday, August 11th, 2017, 9:30am-5:00pm

No-texting-while-driving bill passes Missouri House - best progress of texting-while-driving bill in 8 years

Fri, 05/12/2017 - 1:46pm

HB 293, the "Fair Fare Passenger Safety Act" sponsored by Rep. Galen Higdon (R-Buchanan/Platte Counties) recently passed the House by a vote of 103-46.

HB 293 has made no progress in the Senate this year, so with less than 5 hours left in the 2017 legislative session, the bill is certain to stop there, without being passed by the Senate or signed into law by Governor Greitens.

Still, this is the most progress a texting while driving bill has made in the Missouri General Assembly since the prohibition on texting while driving for drivers under 21 years of age was passed by the Missouri General Assembly in 2009. So we should take a moment to celebrate this small victory--and start planning for future years.

If you would like to help, a short note of thanks to Rep. Higdon for sponsoring HB 293 would help a lot. Contact information is on Rep. Higdon's web page.

HCR 47, Resolution creating Missouri Transportation Funding Task Force, passes unanimously in Missouri Senate; MoBikeFed & allies working to ensure bicycling & walking included in solutions

Wed, 05/10/2017 - 1:21pm

Today House Continuing Resolution 47, sponsored by Rep. Kevin Corlew of Kansas City, passed the Missouri Senate by a vote of 33-0.

HCR 47 creates a statewide task force to study the issue of transportation funding in Missouri and to present recommendations to the Missouri General Assembly and the Governor in time for the 2018 legislative session.

MoBikeFed and our allied groups across the state have worked hard to ensure the HCR 47 was about transportation funding in Missouri--not just highway funding.

Highways are, of course, an important part of Missouri's transportation picture. But funding for good, safe places for Missourians to walk and bicycle are just as important, as is funding for public transportation in Missouri.

The original version of HCR 47 was focused on highway funding only. After testimony and discussion with Rep. Corlew by MoBikeFed and our allies from across the state on this issue, the updated version of the resolution was more broadly worded to include all types of transportation funding.

2017 Legislative Session: With one week to go, what is the status of key bills affecting bicycling, walking, and trails?

Fri, 05/05/2017 - 3:47pm

With just one week left in Missouri's 2017 legislative session, we have had some really important bills moving--some very good and some very bad. Where are they now?

It looks the effort to stop Missouri State Parks from accepting the Rock Island Trail corridor has been turn aside, several bad bills that could effect bicycling and walking have been stopped or never introduced (always the best outcome), and the General Assembly could take one small step towards address state transportation funding.

Details follow . . .

HB 698: Stopping acquisition of new State Parks lands - and stopping the state from accepting Rock Island Trail - is amended to allow the Rock Island Trail to move forward

Two pieces of good news on HB 698, which posed a very severe threat to the Rock Island Trail early in session:

HB 698, preventing creation of any new State Parks, passes MO House - but with Amendment allowing Rock Island Trail State Park

Tue, 04/11/2017 - 7:53pm

HB 698, sponsored by Rep. Pietzman of Troy, has just passed the Missouri House by a voice vote. The bill prevents Missouri State Parks from purchasing any new land until all current deferred maintenance is up to date.

HB 698 would have stopped any new state parks--including the Rock Island Trail--but a friendly amendment saved the trail

As we warned in a previous article, and discussed with legislators yesterday at our annual Capitol Day, HB 698 as originally drafted would have prevented State Parks from accepting the 144 miles of the Rock Island railroad corridor that Ameren is prepared to donate to Missouri State Parks later this year.

That is the bad news. Now the good news:

Capitol Day 2017: Citizens visit the Capitol with messages about trails, safe roads, importance of bicycle, pedestrian, and trails funding in Missouri

Tue, 04/11/2017 - 2:36pm

Supporters of bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri visited Missouri's Capitol Monday for the 14th annual Bicycle & Pedestrian Day at the Capitol.

We held our annual legislators ride and rally and visited the office of every Missouri state elected official with an information packet about our legislative priorities for 2017.

News media from around the state covered Monday's event. The Jefferson City News-Tribune wrote:

The advocacy efforts of the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation's Capitol Day on Monday centered around four issues — the foremost was support for an anticipated expansion of the Rock Island Trail, likely threatened by a bill to limit acquisition of land for state parks.
"It's an amazing investment in rural communities we don't want to miss," the federation's Executive Director Brent Hugh said of the trail's expansion.

Capitol Day 2017: Rock Island Trail, Transportation Funding, Loose Dogs, Distracted Driving - our top legislative priorities for April 10th

Fri, 04/07/2017 - 11:20am

Bicycle and Pedestrian Day at the Capitol is coming up soon--Monday, April 10th, 2017. What are the most important legislative issues we are working on--and that participants will be discussing with their state legislators Monday?

Economic importance of bicycling, walking, and trails to Missouri

One of the most important reasons we advocate for more bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri--and a reason that every elected official can understand--is because they are important to our economy.

Thanks to the (wonderful!) Adventure Cycling Association for sharing their bicycle tourism brochure with us so that we could make a Missouri-specific version for use on Capitol Day, we have a beautiful brochure we will share with Missouri legislators Monday that makes these important points:

File:

bicycle-and-trails-tourism-economic-impact-for-missouri-2017-04.pdf

Kansas City voters approve $600 million bond package for complete streets; St Louis approves MetroLink expansion

Wed, 04/05/2017 - 7:30am

In recent years, voters across the nation have proven they are willing to approve major infrastructure initiatives if they include public transportation, bicycling, walking, and trails.

Tuesday we saw that the trend holds true in Missouri as well: Kansas City voters passed a $600 million "Complete Streets" bonding package by an overwhelming marging, and St. Louis voters approved a half-cent sales tax for MetroLink expansion and other infrastructure improvements.

Kansas City's new infrastructure proposal gives emphasis to Complete Streets, sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, and accessibility

The Kansas City Star summarized the Kansas City bond issues that passed Tuesday:

For years, Kansas City residents have pleaded for better roads, bridges, sidewalks and flood control. On Tuesday, voters put those community priorities ahead of individual pocketbook concerns and approved a massive, $800 million infrastructure package and the property tax increases to help pay for it.

Missouri Municipal Elections Tues, April 4th, 2017: Voter guide - Find your polling place, ballots, candidates, issues

Sat, 04/01/2017 - 7:00am

Missouri's municipal elections are being held across the state on Tuesday, April 4th, 2017.

"I bicycle - I walk - I run and I vote" is one of the most powerful statements we can make to any elected leader, in our work to make Missouri a better, safer place to walk and bicycle.

So whatever your party, whoever your candidates, whatever your issues, please get out and VOTE on Tuesday, April 4th.

Apr 4th Elections: Kansas City Council adopts Complete Streets initiative for proposed GOBonds funding

Fri, 03/31/2017 - 5:11pm

Cities across Missouri have started to make a practice of including important walking, bicycling, and trails projects and maintenance in their regular capital funding and bonding proposals. But--until now--Kansas City, Missouri, never has.

After many months of work by citizens, community leaders, city staff, and elected officials, Kansas City has a very important capital improvement bonding proposal on Tuesday's municipal elections ballot.

And thanks to the work of BikeWalkKC advocates, working together with supportive citizens, staff, and elected officials, the proposal takes a step that Kansas City has never taken before: It gives very strong support to the city's long-neglected sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, and other basic infrastructure used by people who walk, bicycle, and use transit.

Strong local support for walking and bicycling on the new Champ Clark Mississippi River Bridge at Louisiana MO: What are the options, with photos

Wed, 03/22/2017 - 3:45pm

For about the past year, the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation has been talking with MoDOT and local citizens in the Louisiana, Missouri area about including bicycle and pedestrian accommodation on the new Champ Clark/Hwy 54 Bridge across the Mississippi River.

We don't want to build a major new river bridge in Missouri and leave out needed accommodations for people to walk and bicycle across the bridge safely.

And, as we have found in communities across Missouri, local support for safe walking and bicycling access on the new bridge is strong.

Are pedestrian and bicycle facilities a good investment?

Cost is the issue that comes up over and over in talking about pedestrian and bicycle accommodations on bridges like this.

Bicycle & Pedestrian Day at the Capitol April 10th - Join us!

Tue, 03/21/2017 - 11:46am

Bicycle & Pedestrian Day at the Capitol in Jefferson City is April 10th--coming up soon.

>>> Register - volunteer - and/or bring a display for your business or organization at Capitol Day here

This year we have a new governor, new administration, and many new legislators who need to be educated about the importance of bicycling, walking, and trails to Missouri. Your personal visits at Capitol Day are by far the best way to do this.

We and our partners across Missouri are working on many important legislative issues this year, including: