Missouri Bicycling, Walking, Running, and Trails News

Pat Jones, 1925-2018: "Mother of the Katy Trail" and "Prairie Godmother" of Missouri trails, parks, conservation, and outdoor preservation

Pat Jones, long-time support of trails, parks, and conservation in Missouri, who with her husband Ted Jones was the driving force and major private donor behind the creation of the Katy Trail, passed away at her home in Williamsburg Monday.

A memorial service is planned later in the spring.

Pat was a long-time MoBikeFed Yellow Jersey Club member and one of the most  generous supporters of MoBikeFed--and many other Missouri trails, parks, and conservation-related groups--over the years.

At the 2009 Capitol Day, we presented a very well-deserved LIfetime Achievement Award to Pat and Ted:

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ALERT: Your supporting comments needed by Nov 30th to preserve the 144-mile Rock Island Trail corridor for the future

Please help preserve Missouri's next major cross-state rail trail for the future!

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Missouri General Election Tues, Nov 6th, 2018: Voter guide - Find your polling place, ballots, candidates, issues

Missouri's general elections are being held across the state on Tuesday, November 6th, 2016.

"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, November 6th.

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Prop D, Missouri fuel tax proposal on Nov 6 ballot: What is it? What does it do for bicycling and walking?

One of the major issues on the November 6th election ballot is Proposition D, a proposal to raise Missouri's fuel tax by 10 cents per gallon over a four-year period.

Some of the most common questions we are getting now are: What does Prop D do for people who walk, bicycle, and use trails? Where does the money actually go? Should I consider supporting it?

Big Picture summary of Prop D

What Prop D does, in brief:

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MO Parks Association Alert: Public meetings on Rock Island Trail Oct 29, Oct 30, Nov 1 - Your attendance & comments critical

Missouri State Parks has announced three public meetings the last week of October at towns along the Rock Island Trail Corridor.  An alert released this week by the Missouri Parks  Association indicates that attendance at these meetings by supporters and the quality and quantity of the written comments submitted by supporters may well be the crucial deciding factor in State Parks' decision whether or not to accept the corridor.  

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MO State Parks schedules important Rock Island Trail meetings October 29, 30, Nov 1 along the RI corridor - Please plan to attend if you can

Please plan to attend one of these important upcoming meetings about the future of the remaining 144 miles of the potential cross-state Rock Island Trail between Windsor and Washington.

After a long process of investigation and public comment, Missouri State Parks has scheduled three meetings to present their conclusions about developing the remaining 144 miles of the Rock Island railroad corridor into a long-distance recreational trail, becoming Missouri's second cross-state trail.

The trail is a tremendous opportunity for sustainable, long-term economic development for dozens of communities along the corridor that have been left behind since the closure of the Rock Island railroad in the early 1980s. Will Missouri seize the opportunity to create another internationally significant trail and tourism destination, or not?

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Ribbon Cutting Officially Opens Bicycle Route 66 Across Missouri and Kansas; Ribbon cutting photos


MO & KS Become First Two States to Open USBR 66

On June 17th, as part of the opening ceremonies for the 2018 edition of Big BAM Ride (Bicycle Across Missouri), a ribbon cutting was conducted marking the Missouri and Kansas sections of U.S. Bike Route 66 receiving formal designation. At the May 2018 meeting of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), applications submitted by the respective DOTs were approved.

In Missouri, after years of work by MoDOT, the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, the Adventure Cycling Association, local tourism and Route 66 affiliated organizations and advocates, Bicycle Route 66 across the lower half of the state is now an official part of the U.S. National Bicycle Route System.

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Bicycle Route 66 officially part of U.S. Bicycle Route System - first states officially adopting USBR 66 - celebrations this weekend in Springfield, Joplin

After years of work by MoDOT, the Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation, the Adventure Cycling Association, and many local organizations and advocates along the route, Bicycle Route 66 in Missouri is now an official part of the U.S. National Bicycle Route System.

"The U.S. Bike Route System in of itself is an important network for the travel & tourism industry as a whole," said Patrick Tuttle, Director of the Joplin Convention and Visitor Bureau and key supporter of the Bicycle Route 66 effort in Missouri.

"For that network in Missouri, when adding in the value of historic Route 66, for cycling and tourism stakeholders alike, there is no question, we have to be involved."

MoBikeFed's Queen City Century in Springfield on Saturday, June 16th will celebrate the new USBR 66, ride a portion of the route, and see some of the historic Route 66 highlights in Springfield.

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Governor Greitens signs bills adding Franklin County to regional transit organization, creating Route 66 Centennial Commission

News outlets are reporting that, before resigning office later today, Governor Greitens has signed 77 bills passed by the Missouri General Assembly this legislative session.  Full list of bills signed at KY3. 

The governor has now signed two bills we have been tracking this session; another important issue doesn't require governor's approval; two more bills still await the governor's signature.

Signed by Governor Greitens today

  • SB 757 (Support) - Adding Franklin County To Bi-state Development Agency - This allows Franklin County to join the regional public transportation system.

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Missouri House & Senate put 10-cent fuel tax increase on the ballot - How will this affect people who walk, bicycle, use public transit?

By a vote of 88/60 the Missouri House has passed HB 1460, putting a 10 cent fuel tax increase on the ballot for a vote of the people.

The Senate passed the same measure yesterday by a 24/8 vote.

This puts the 10 cent fuel tax increase before Missouri voters later this year--most likely in November.

Ballot language

Shall Missouri law be amended to fund Missouri state law enforcement by increasing the motor fuel tax by two and one half cents per gallon annually for four years beginning July 1, 2019, exempt Special Olympic, Paralympic, and Olympic prizes from state taxes, and to establish the Emergency State Freight Bottleneck Fund?

If passed, this measure will generate at least $288 million annually to the State Road Fund to provide for the funding of Missouri state law enforcement and $123 million annually to local governments for road construction and maintenance.

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Last day of 2018 Missouri Legislative Session: No bad bills, progress on Rock Island Trail, distracted driving, transportation funding - important issues decided today!

The 2018 Missouri legislative session ends Friday at 6:00pm.

What is happening on issues we have been working on this year? What effect have our advocacy work, messages and phone calls, visits to Jefferson City for Capitol Day, and all the rest had?

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Diverse Coalition--including MoBikeFed, League, many bike/ped organizations across the U.S.--asks Senate to hit pause on Driverless Car Bill until NTSB completes critical Uber, Tesla crash investigations

Leading state and national stakeholders representing safety, public health, bicyclists, pedestrians, smart growth, consumer and environmental organizations, law enforcement and first responders, disability communities, and individuals affected by motor vehicle crashes asked the U.S. Senate to back off plans to move the AV START Act (S. 1885) that could set driverless car policy for decades to come until the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) completes important investigations into recent crashes involving automated driving systems that have killed at least two people – including a pedestrian walking a bicycle.  NTSB’s expert analysis of the recent crashes and the agency’s subsequent recommendations will likely have a direct bearing on issues included in the AV START Act.

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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.

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