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mobikefed · 3 years

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STL Post-Dispatch: Missouri parks boosters falling millions short of fundraising goal for 144-mile cross-state Rock Island Trail section

A year and a half ago, Missouri State Parks and Ameren signed a historic agreement to transfer the next 144 miles of the Rock Island RR corridor, between Windsor MO and Washington MO, to Missouri State Parks to become Rock Island Trail State Park.

In 2014, MoBikeFed partnered with Missouri Rock Island Trail, Inc, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and thousands of supporting organizations and individuals across Missouri and the U.S. to present over 12,000 signatures of support for the Rock Island Trail to Ameren and Missouri State Parks

However, there was a big catch: To finalize the transfer, Missouri State Parks and its supporter had to raise $9.8 million dollars in private or other non-state, non-state parks funding, so that Missouri State Parks could accept the corridor.

Building statewide trail connections, preserving trail corridors like the Rock Island, and taking full advantage of your trail connection when it finally happens, will be some of the main topics of discussion at the Missouri Active Transportation Summit, Friday August 13th, 2021. All virtual for 2021 Join us!

Now, with about five months to go until the deadline created by that agreement, the effort to raise the $9.8 million seems to be falling short:

Parks boosters working to fund the 144-mile Rock Island Corridor are millions of dollars short of their fundraising goal with just five months to go in a two-year campaign.

The president of the Missouri State Parks Foundation, the entity put in charge of raising $9.8 million as a down payment on the 144-mile section, said the organization had raised about $1 million.

The covid pandemic has, of course, slowed down all fundraising efforts, which are highly dependent on face-to-face meetings.

Mike Sutherland, director of Missouri State Parks, said even if the boosters didn’t raise the $9.8 million by the end of the year, he didn’t think it would kill the project.

“We want the project to be successful,” Sutherland told the Post-Dispatch in a recent interview. “To me (it’s) completely reasonable to look at extending that date if we need to.”

Rock Island Background - 47 miles starting in 2005, 144 more miles starting in 2014

Ameren agreed to donate a trail easement for the 47-mile Katy-Kansas City connecting trail in 2005, after the Taum Sauk disaster. When the trail was finally built and opened in 2016, the project had moved from a trail easement to a full donation of the railroad corridor, along with funding to build the trail.

Along the way to the 47 miles, Ameren realized it would like to donate the next 144 miles of the Rock Island corridor for trail use as well.

Ameren has been working to donate that 144-mile portion of the corridor to State Parks since 2014.

You may recall that Missouri Rock Island Trail, Inc--the grass roots group of Rock Island supporters from communities all along the trail--worked together with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and MoBikeFed back in 2014 to present over 12,000 citizen signatures to Ameren and Missouri State officials, which provided a good deal of the impetus and citizen support needed to move the deal forward on both sides.

When combined with the Katy Trail, the Rock Island/Katy system has potentially over 500 miles across Missouri, including a conveniently connected mid-state loop. The section under discussion is the 144-miles shown in red on this map.

Later, Missouri State Parks held a series of citizen meetings about the future of the trail, where over 97% of citizens comments were supportive of moving forward with the trail. The Rock Island corridor happens to run through a section of the state with very little access to State Parks--and a section of the state that could stand to benefit from the improved health, livability, outdoor recreation opportunity, local and international tourism, and talent/business retention a major trail like the Rock Island would provide.

Support for the trail in those parts of the state is not unanimous - it never is! - but it runs very, very high.

The completion of the Rock Island Trail is going to be a very good project for Missouri, its communities, its citizens, its businesses, its health, and its economy.

What's next?

What will happen as the clock runs out in December, 2021? Will State Parks and Ameren negotiate an extension? Will an extension allow time to raise the remainder of the needed $9.8 million? If it doesn't, what will be the Plan B?

Stay tuned - we're in for an interesting ride.

And keep the faith - because many Rock Island allies across the state are working to ensure the corridor is preserved and used as a trail, via the current plan if it works, or by other means if not.

More about Missouri's potential statewide trail - the Rock Island Trail:

Summary of the Rock Island Trail history, situation, and future potential

Westernmost section of Rock Island Trail opens in Jackson County - completing decades-long statewide trail vision (July 2021)

"At long last": Opening the 47-mile Katy-KC connector on the Rock Island corridor in 2016

How to get from most anywhere in the Kansas City area to the Rock Island Trail, and how to bridge the Greenwood Gap - the final remaining large gap in the state line-to-state line trail system.

Ride the Rock Island Trail today via Missouri's network of gravel and low-traffic routes. Yes, it's not as good as the Rock Island Trail will be - but you can ride it starting today . . .

Rock Island/Katy Trail & Mid-Missouri Connectors: A series of mostly-gravel, low-traffic connector routes between Katy and Rock Island communities, and most other communities and destinations in central Missouri.

One of the top goals of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri is building a world-class bicycle and pedestrian transportation system in Missouri. The addition of the Rock Island Trail to Missouri's statewide trail system is the biggest single advance we have seen in Missouri in over 20 years.

Your membership and generous financial contributions help turn our Vision into reality--building the statewide public support for bicycling, walking, and trails that make major advances like the Rock Island Trail possible.

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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A great lineup for the 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit August 13th - Early Bird Registration ends Fri, July 24th

We invite you to join us for the 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit, where we will be sharing ideas for making our communities more active, vibrant, healthy, and economically sustainable through bicycling, walking, and trails.

The 2021 Missouri ACtdive Transportation Summit is all-virtual via Zoom, and features the best of bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri and beyond

Early Bird Registration for the Summit ends Friday, July 24th. Save $10 just by registering early.

Take an extra 25% off registration with this online Coupon Code: 2021SUMMIT25

We have an amazing line-up of sessions for this year's Missouri Active Transportation Summit--two top-notch keynotes and a large number of breakout sessions to choose from. Register today!

Keynote: A Model for Missouri: MRT's Complete Streets Ordinance Template - Michael Kelley, BikeWalkKC; Ron Bentch, Missourians for Responsible Transportation

Plenary: A really exciting session you won't want to miss - big announcement coming soon!

Missouri Lieutenant Governor Mike Kehoe

Missouri Tourism Director Stephen Foutes

Stephen Foutes, Missouri Director of Tourism, will greet Summit participants and help us make the important connection between Missouri's tourism industry and active transportation/active tourism

Missouri Livable Street Awards

Your choice from a varied menu of excellent breakout sessions, including:

Making Biking and Walking Work for Missouri - Paul Wojciechowski, Horner & Shifrin

Connecting the Dots - Trails in NW Missouri - Andy Clements, City of St. Joseph

Beyond Cycling - Developing Inclusive Active Transportation in Joplin - Taylor Cunningham, City of Joplin1

Grassroots and Grasstops: The Story of Springfield's Lone Pine Bike Park & Greenspace - Mary Kromrey, Ozark Greenways

Measuring the Benefits of Complete Streets - Emily Schweninger, Smart Growth America

Building a Network of Historical-Cultural Bicycle Routes Across Missouri: Thousands of Miles of Great Places to Ride and Explore--and How you can Help - Brent Hugh, Missouri Bicycle & Pedestrian Federation

Pathways to Implementation on the MoDOT System - Shaun Tooley, MoDOT

Creating Active Transportation Incentives in Wildwood, MO - Biking and Walking Benefits - Hugh Share, Sustainability Consulant, Cycling Advocate; Julian M.D. Jacquin, City of Wildwood

Micro-Transportation, Hubs, Big Data, Healthcare Outcomes and ROI For Our Communities - Dan Cain, Pedego Electric Bicycles

The Power of Gravel, Trails, and Rural Community: Using Events, Marketing, and Many Community Partners to Turn a Small Rural Community into a Hub of Active Transportation and Recreation - Mac Vorce, Warsaw Chamber of Commerce; Jenn Bradshaw, Truman Lake Adventure Club; Sheridan Garman-Neeman, Executive Director, Kaysinger Basin Regional Planning Commission

Rumble Strips Roundtable

Find out more about the Summit - or register now, before Early Bird Registration ends Friday, July 23rd, 2021.

On behalf of the 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit Organizing Committee - hope to see you at the Summit August 13th!

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Rock Island Trail - Jackson County segment Grand Opening Saturday, completing statewide trails vision

Grand Opening for the final section of the Rock Island Trail in Jackson County is Saturday, July 10th, 2021, 10am at the Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City. Details below.

The next section of Jackson County's Rock Island Trail is finally opening!

This is the last big piece of the statewide Katy-Rock Island trail system we've been envisioning for more than 25 years. There are, as always, some gaps in the system - but in the grand outline, this is it.

What does this day mean for people who walk, bicycle, and use trails across Missouri?

New Rock Island Trail section enables major regional and statewide bicycle & trail connections

In preparation for this day, we've been working with partners across the state to develop hundreds of miles of high-quality bicycle routes, using existing trails and low-traffic roads, that will connect you to the new trail:

You can ride from just about anywhere in the KC area--including the airport, northland, KCK, Johnson County, and Independence--to the Jackson County Rock Island Trail and from there access the statewide Rock Island/Katy Trail system. MoBikeFed has compiled downloadable GPS routes & maps showing how.

If you are worried about crossing the Greenwood Gap, MoBikeFed has you covered there, too. The Greenwood Gap is about 10 miles between the Jackson County Rock Island Trail (13.5 miles) and Missouri State Parks Rock Island/Katy Trails (257 miles). Bridge that gap with our downloadable GPS routes and maps for the Greenwood Gap.

With the recently completed Rock Island Trail sections, the entire Kansas City metro area is well connected to statewide trails

Want to fly or Amtrak in or out of Kansas City to ride the trail? We've got you covered there, too, with a 52-mile route connecting the Rock Island Trail with KC's airport and Amtrak station. It's not just a route, but a historical and cultural tour of the region, with literally hundreds of points of interest along the way--where to stay, where to eat, where to drink, what to see and do. And . . . it's also the quickest, easiest low-stress way to get there on your bicycle.

Details about Saturday's Rock Island Trail Grand Opening

Now here are the details about the new section of Jackson County's Rock Island Trail and the celebration for it on July 10th:

Jackson County is excited to announce the grand opening of the much-anticipated phase two of the Rock Island Trail. The “Ride the Rock” ribbon cutting celebration will take place on Saturday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m. starting at the brand new stadium trailhead, located at the Truman Sports Complex, Lot L, accessible through Gate 3 off of Blue Ridge Cutoff.

Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr., Jackson County Parks + Rec and the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) invites local officials, community members and media to celebrate the occasion and enjoy a great day on the trail. Additionally, guests will have an opportunity to leave their mark on the project by signing a piece of rail from the historic Rock Island line. The rail piece will then be displayed at to-be-determined Jackson County Parks + Rec facility.

What: Ride the Rock - Ribbon Cutting Celebration Rock Island Trail Phase Two

When: Saturday, July 10 at 10:00 a.m.

Where: Truman Sports Complex Trailhead Lot L, Accessible through Gate 3 off of Blue Ridge Cutoff

The second phase of the Rock Island Trail is seven miles long and runs from Brickyard Road in Kansas City, through Raytown, to the Truman Sports Complex. Combined with phase one, which opened in June 2019, the entire trail is 13.5 miles in length. With completion of the Rock Island Trail, Jackson County now has more than 150 miles of trails in its parks system for people to enjoy.

The Wildwood Bridge on the Rock Island Trail in Raytown is one of the longest trail bridges in the region

The new trail segment includes three new trailheads and parking areas, the preservation and re-use of four former railroad bridges and five new trail-only bridges, including the new Wildwood Bridge, which at over 300 feet in length is one of the longest trail bridges in the region.

“The County had a vision to revitalize and energize our community in a way we have never seen before, and now that it has finally come to life, I am so proud and excited to celebrate this major accomplishment,” said Jackson County Executive Frank White, Jr. “With the support of the Legislature, our visitors will enjoy an experience like no other on the Rock Island Trail, including riding a bike all the way from Lee’s Summit to a game, concert or event at the Truman Sports Complex. I am deeply grateful to our Parks + Rec leadership, Rock Island team, contractor and partners for their hard work and perseverance to see this beautiful project through to the very end.”

“We are very excited to open phase two and celebrate the completion of the Rock Island Trail,” said Rock Island Project Manager Matt Davis. “This project transformed a blighted railroad corridor into a beautiful place for Jackson County residents to exercise, recreate and connect with their community. We are proud to finally share this wonderful amenity with the community.”

Following the County’s ribbon cutting ceremony, visitors can walk or bike the Rock Island from the stadium trailhead, encountering other fun activities along the way, including a dedication of the Raytown Chamber Trailhead at Noon.

The trail passes under Raytown's historic trestle bridge (Raytown Road overpass). The original Raytown Rock Island Station stood here.

Total construction costs for phase two of the trail was $11.6 million, paid for by Jackson County with generous grants from the Missouri Department of Transportation and Kansas City, Missouri. Radmacher Brothers Construction of Pleasant Hill, Missouri built all 13.5 miles of the trail for Jackson County.

Jackson County acquired the 17.7-mile Rock Island Railroad Corridor in May 2016, in partnership with the KCATA to preserve the corridor for multi-modal transportation opportunities. Additional information about the Rock Island and other Jackson County trails can be found online at www.makeyourdayhere.com and makeyourdayhere.com/Parks-Lakes/Trails-At-a-Glance

By all accounts, Jackson County, the KCATA, and the Rock Island Corridor Authority have done an excellent job bringing this trail together. It is a top quality trai in a beautiful location--and a location where hundreds of thousands of residents live within bicycling and walking distance.

This new trail segment is a fitting western capstone to the statewide Katy/Rock Island Trail System.

What this grand opening means: Finally, Missouri has a truly statewide trail system

MoBikeFed and our allies across Missouri have been working for decades to complete the envisioned statewide trail system connecting the St Louis and Kansas City metro areas. When the Katy Trail was created in the early 1990s, everyone involved saw that it was a long and important trail to the state.

But it lacked one thing: Easy connections from the trail to the two major metro areas in Missouri--at the far east and far west sides of the state.

MoBikeFed "Complete the Katy Trail" petition dating to 2005

The Katy went from almost St Louis to almost Kansas City. But it didn't quite get to either.

Katy Trail visionaries Ted & Pat Jones saw how important the Katy-KC connection would be--leaving $1 million in a fund specifically earmarked for finalized the connection. That million dollars sat unused for more than 20 years.

With the Taum Sauk disaster of 2006, an opportunity opened. Taum Sauk was owned by energy giant Ameren, which also owned the Rock Island railroad corridor across Missouri.

In 2012, MoBikeFed worked with Missouri Rock Island Trail Inc, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, and many supportive organizations across Missouri and the Midwest to present Ameren with over 12,000 citizen signatures and statements of support for the Rock Island Trail

With the opening of the 47-mile Rock Island section of Katy Trail State Park in 2016--on the corridor of the former railroad, until recently owned by Ameren--the possibility of a truly cross-state trail system came a lot closer to reality.

Then Jackson County and the KCATA acquired 17.7 miles of Rock Island Corridor from Union Pacific. Since then, they have been working diligently to raise needed funding and build the trail.

And now it is complete--and open to the public.

We want to express our gratitude and thanks to everyone involved in making this long-temr vision become a reality: Jackson County, KCATA, Missouri State Parks, many cities, counties, and staff, numerous elected officials across Missouri, organizations of all kinds who have stepped up to support the vision, and to many hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands of ordinary people who walk, bicycle, and use trails who have taken the time to express their support for the statewide trail vision.

Thank you.

The work continues . . .

Like any major trail system, we are always left with some gaps. These gaps shouldn't at all subdue our celebration for what we, as a state, have accomplished--for the connections we HAVE made.

We know that the major pieces of the job are done--the pieces so hard many thought they would never be completed. But we also know, the work continues.

In fact, it never ends. Every trail connection made creates a dozen or five dozen more opportunities.

The major gaps that remain in the statewide Katy/Rock Island Trail system--and opportunities created by the completion of these major trail segments:

The fate of the 192-mile Rock Island Trail section Windsor-Washington remains to be determined. Missouri State Parks is working with allies and supporters across Missouri right now to raise the $10 million dollars it needs to accept the corridor. Deadline is December 2021. More info.

The Katy Trail-Chesterfield connector over the Missouri River was opened in 2016. The bike/ped path was added to the I-64/40 interstate highway bridge by MoDOT, who had identified the need and the priority of this river crossing.

The trail still lacks a complete, seamless connection from St Charles through St Louis County to St Louis, the Arch, and the Riverfront. Great Rivers Greenway and many allies in the St Louis region are working to make that happen, and in general bicycle/pedestrian/trails connectivity from St Louis County and St Charles County to the Katy Trail has improved dramatically in the past 10 years.

On the Kansas City side, seamless trail connections from the terminus of the Rock Island Trail to downtown, the Brusch Creek Trail, the Trolley Track Trail, and Indian Creek Trail, and Little Blue Trail, the Blue River Trail, and Line Creek Trail, and other places around the metro area are under consideration and development. Again--you don't have to wait: You can make those connections via low-traffic bicycle routes right now. But creating seamless trail connections among all those existing regional trails is a regional priority that is underway but far from complete as of 2021.

The current Katy/Rock Island Trail System connects the Kansas City metro area, Columbia, Jefferson City, and the St Louis metro area. But what about other major metro areas like St Joseph and Springfield? What about other parts of the state, like northern and NE Missouri, south-central and SE Missouri? In the long term, we would like to see seamless trail connections to all regions and sections of Missouri. Work on some of these is underway already.

Will the Katy Trail every continue west past Clinton, Missouri? The railroad corridor stretches west to Nevada, MO and on through Kansas. Right now the corridor is in active use as a railroad. But . . . the railroad's largest customer, by far, is a coal-fired power plant near Clinton. What will happen when that plant is reconfigured or decommissioned? Who knows--but possibilities may open up in upcoming years or decades.

The Greenwood Gap. The trail connection across this gap of about 10 miles between Lee's Summit and Pleasant Hill is currently the longest gap in the existing Katy/Rock Island Trail System. Work is underway to create a seamless trail connection to plug this gap. (Keep in mind trail riders can bridge the gap right now with a short ride on existing low-traffic paved or gravel roads.)

Governor Parson, state, county, city, and citizen leaders break ground on the Sedalia Katy Connector in 2019

The Pleasant Hill Overpass. Just south of Pleasant Hill the original Rock Island railroad crossed another railroad. The trail crossing will require a complex and expensive new bridge. In the meanwhile, the trail is detoured through a piece of private property and along a MoDOT highway. State Parks, Pleasant Hill, and other interested parties are working on solutions to this gap, which amounts to about one mile.

And finally, a something to celebrate! The largest gap in the Katy Trail was finally closed just last month. After nearly two decades of diligent work, local supporters, the City of Sedalia, and Missouri State Parks held the grand opening of the Sedalia Katy Trail Connector in May 2021. This project closed the three-mile gap in the Katy Trail at Sedalia.

Work to build citizen support for statewide trial connections, and keeping people across Missouri informed about trail connections and successes is one way MoBikeFed helps build a world-class bicycle and pedestrian network across Missouri. That is one of the four major goals of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri and MoBikeFed has been involved in building public support for this statewide trail connection for over 25 years.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support helps turn our Vision into reality.

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Major update to MoBikeFed's Resources for planning Missouri bicycle and trails trips and routes page

We've made a major update to our resource page that is designed to help you plan your next bicycle tour, bicycle route--whether it's for a afternoon's ride, a weekend, or a week--bikepacking or gravel tour, or trip on a Missouri bicycle trail.

Camping on a bicycle tour is fun, inexpensive, and helps bring you closer to nature

We've added a section with detailed information about finding services, food, lodging, and camping along your route.

Visit the full Resources for planning Missouri bicycle and trails trips and routes page here.

Here is the new information about finding lodging, camping, food, and services when you are planning your Missouri bicycle tour or trip:

Finding Camping, Lodging, Services, and Supplies

Finding a place to stay, a place to eat, supplies, and services is a lot easier now than it once was. But still, finding the best places is not all that easy. And particularly in rural Missouri, the best places may not be easy to find online.

Here are some tips and available resources:

Searching Google Maps for the area of interest in the most basic source of information now. You can do this from home or using your mobile device when you arrive in your location. You can use terms like "lodging," "camping," "groceries," "restaurant," "bike shop" and add "near Rolla" or your specific area of interest. Sample query.

You can look at pre-planned routes like the MoBikeFed Road Routes, MoBikeFed Gravel/Bikepacking Routes, and Adventure Cycling Routes, which include information about lodging, services, points of interest, etc in the route maps & GPS files. Specific routes often have detailed information about local services available--for example, Bike Katy/Rock Island Trail.com and OzarkTrail.com. Even if you choose to not follow a complete pre-designed route, these routes can still serve as a starting point for planning.

Camping: Missouri Conservation Areas are scattered all across Missouri--over 1000 locations. Many, but not all, offer primitive/dispersed camping or primitive camp sites (read area regulations carefully to see if camping is allowed in any specific CA). You can use MDC's online search to find Conservation Areas with camping.

Camping: Many Missouri State Parks offer camping - and Missouri State Parks has a no-turn-away policy for campers who arrive by bicycle or on foot. See the list of Missouri State Parks that offer camping here.

Camping: Mark Twain National Forest covers over 1.5 million acres spread like a checkerboard across large portions of central and southern Missouri, with many bicycling and hiking opportunities that are often overlooked. The National Forest has many camping opportunities, including numerous organized campsites and cabins. As in all national forests, dispersed camping in most areas more than 100 feet from roads/trails/structures, is allowed except where specifically posted "no camping".

Camping: In rural Missouri, ask cities, park departments, police. Many cities and towns in rural Missouri, particularly those along well-used bicycle touring routes and well used trails, have some place available for camping or lodging by touring cyclists. Some allow camping in a city park. Others, like Farmington and Tebbets, have created hostels. To find these opportunities, you may have to call city hall or the local parks departmentor police. KansasCyclist makes these suggestions:

Many churches, particularly in rural communities, will allow travelers to pitch a tent on church property for a night. This can work especially well if the church matches up with your own faith or denomination.

Small-town or rural fire stations may allow you to camp next to or behind their firehouse. Be sure to ask first!

Small-town police departments can often provide good advice about where to safely, cheaply, and legally spend the night.

Call the chamber of commerce in your destination community, and ask for their suggestions.

Camping: RV Parks are typically far more numerous than other camping opportunities. Nearly all RV parks also offer tent camping. There are some disadvantages to camping at RV Parks--they are typically quite expensive and relatively crowded. But they often have good facilities, including electricity, restrooms, showers, and a convenience store. Sample online search.

B&Bs: Missouri has an extensive network of B&Bs. You can find many of them via the B&B association search page. Often a search for B&B is more productive than "hotel," "motel," or "lodging". Sample search.

Warmshowers: The web site warmshowers.com helps match up touring cyclists with who are willing to host them in various communities around the world.

Services like AirBnB and VRBO often have listings in places where hotels and other lodging is scarce--and even more listings in more populated areas.

Many touring cyclists simply ask local citizens for help finding services, lodging, and a place to camp. Asking "Is there anywhere nearby I can pitch a tent?" is often more helpful then "Are there any campgrounds nearby?" Asking about campgrounds is likely to bring information about a KOA 25 miles down the road, while asking for a spot to pitch a tent might bring an offer of hospitality or the phone number of a relative with a quiet piece of ground.

For the adventerous, "stealth" or "wild" camping is an option. KansasCyclist has an excellent guide to concept, and best practices to follow.

Additional resources:

KansasCyclist has a nice guide to bicycle camping in Missouri.

The Adventure Cycling Association has an excellent guide to packing your bike and finding the right campsite.

Helping create a world-class bicycle, pedestrian, and trails network in Missouri and encouraging more people to bicycle, walk, and use trails more often are two of the primary objectives of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri. Providing resources for trip and route planning, and designing and promoting statewide bicycle touring, gravel, and bikepacking routes in cooperation with many partners and allies are two ways we work to reach those objectives.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support help turn our Vision into reality!

Photo credit: Lazy Louie Bicycle Camp on the road between Marshfield and Hartville, Missouri. Taken in 1984 TransAmerica bicycle tour by Gene Bisbee. Photo on FlickR. License: CC BY 2.0.

Link:

Major update to MoBikeFed's Resources for planning Missouri bicycle and trails trips and routes page

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Key U.S. House Transportation Bill passes, including numerous amendments affecting bicycling, walking, trails, parks, and equity

The League of American Bicyclists has posted an article summarizing the INVEST in America Act, a major transportation bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Congress is planning to pass the federal transportation bill--updated every six years and setting U.S. transportation policy and funding for the next six-year period--by September.

On Thursday morning, the House of Representatives passed the INVEST in America Act, a key bill in the transportation reauthorization process that contains a massive $715 billion investment in surface transportation. . . . The League supported its passage because INVEST includes a significant expansion of funding for pedestrian and bicycle projects, and notably includes a national Complete Streets policy plus safety improvements. . . . Its next step in the reauthorization process will be a conference committee with the Senate version of a similar bill.

One of MoBikeFed's priorities is working with other allied organizations across the state to keep Missouri's Congressional delegation informed about the priorities and needs of people who bicycle and walk in Missouri.

Passing a strong House version of the transportation reauthorization bill, like INVEST, is critical to setting up big wins for people who bike and walk in the final law. After the Senate passes its version of the transportation reauthorization bill, both that one and the INVEST Act will meet in a conference committee where lawmakers from both chambers will hash out a deal on what goes to the president’s desk. By including as much as we can in INVEST, we set up our priorities to survive the conference committee. . . .

Ahead of the vote on final passage on INVEST, the House voted on 147 amendments, most of which were presented in en bloc packages. For weeks, the team at the League of American Bicyclists has been tracking proposed amendments to determine whether they support our mission of creating safer roads and more connected communities. Of the 13 amendments identified as top League priorities, 11 made it into the final bill. Notably, the League supported the introduction of amendments that align with our goals of improving transportation equity and keeping vulnerable road users safe.

Amendments summary - safety, funding, equity

Here is a summary of some of the most important amendments included in the bill, that were supported by the League of American Bicyclists and their allies (Summary of each amendment from the League article, MoBikeFed's comments in parentheses):

Directs the Secretary of Transportation to make sure that the ongoing and future updates to the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) treat all users equally, including pedestrians and cyclists. (This year an update to the influential MUTCD has come under heavy criticism for being far to automobile-focused and ignoring the needs of people who walk, bicycle, and use public transportation. More details and MoBikeFed's letter regarding needed changes in the MUTCD here.)

Requires Department of Transportation to use updated research on setting speed limits and requires the Department to conduct further research into speed limit setting best practices. (Often speed limits in neighborhoods and areas with high bicycling and walking are set far too high, because of outdated research and policies.)

Allows states to use funds to collect and include data of people stopped bicycling and walking. (That is, will help prevent biased/unfair traffic stops of people bicycling and walking.)

Requires the Department of Justice, in addition to the Secretary, to adopt the U.S. Access Board's Public Right-of-Way Accessibility Guidelines as enforceable standards.

Establishes the Outdoor Recreation Legacy Partnership Program to provide grants to urban communities for the creation and renovation of urban parks.

Establishes a program to award grants to entities that provide transportation connectors from critically underserved urban communities and rural communities to green spaces.

[R]equire the Secretary of Transportation to consider the degree to which a project serves economically disadvantaged communities when awarding grants. Economically disadvantaged communities include communities that are underserved, located in areas of persistent poverty, or impacted by environmental justice. (Places with high percentages of bicycling and walking often fall under these "underserved communities" guidelines. Even though these communities have a higher percentage of bicycling and walking than the norm, they typically receive far less than their fair share of federal grant funding to help improve bicycle and pedestrian safety. Here is MoBikeFed's analysis of just one grant program in Missouri that shows how the program disadvantages the underserved communities and areas.)

Directs the Secretary of Transportation, through the Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to establish new safety standards for car, truck, and bus hoods and bumpers. These standards will help reduce injuries and fatalities suffered by pedestrians and cyclists, especially children, older adults, and people with disabilities.

SUMMARY

The INVEST in America Act is a transformative piece of legislation that improves safety and access for people biking, walking, rolling, or taking public transit. The significant funding increases for bicycle and pedestrian projects, coupled with the equity and safety focused amendments supported by the League, ensure that the INVEST in America Act will help re-center our infrastructure around people, not cars.

The changes we see in Federal transportation funding and priorities may seem esoteric and distant from the average person's experience. And changing these policies and funding priorities even a little bit often takes years and even decades of work--MoBikeFed has been working in this area since around 2004.

But, probably more than anything else we do, these changes affect our communities and our built environment in every city and neighborhood across Missouri and the U.S. If you see a bike lane, a sidewalk, a crosswalk, a multi-use trail almost anywhere--chances are federal transportation policy and funding had some impact.

And even more clearly--if you see roads, intersections, highways, cities, and towns built with no accommodation for safe walking or bicycling, that almost certainly relates to the lack of federal support for those facilities in past decades.

Slowly but surely, we and our allies across Missouri and the U.S. are working to change that situation.

Link:

Key U.S. House Transportation Bill passes, including numerous amendments affecting bicycling, walking, trails, parks, and equity

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Ozark National Scenic Riverways seeks public input on Roads & Trails Management Plan - Potential key connections on Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System

Ozark National Scenic Riverways - Missouri's most extensive National Park - has released a draft roads and trails management plan that is open for public input.

You may recall that ONSR is currently a major impediment, but with updates to its trail plan could become a key link, in the 280+ mile Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System.

ONSR has never allowed mountain biking on any of its trails. The previous draft proposed opening a good number of trails to mountain biking, which is a positive. But key links in the potential 280-mile Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System were not included.

If those links are not included, it means a lengthy detour on busy, fast-moving state highways for the Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System in order to bypass ONSR. That is, obviously, not ideal.

The draft plans have just been released this morning, so we have not had time to analyze them carefully. But please look them over, let the National Park Service know that you support mountain biking in ONSR, and also let them know that you strongly support a complete, continuous Ozark Trail Mountain Bike connection through ONSR.

Greetings from Ozark National Scenic Riverways! The National Park Service is seeking public input on the park’s draft Roads and Trails Management Plan (Draft Plan), which is available for review and comment on June 18 at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/OZAR_RTplan. The Draft Plan includes detailed maps and an environmental assessment illustrating a No-Action Alternative and two Action Alternatives. The No-Action Alternative reflects a continuation of current management practices, as established in the 2014 General Management Plan. The two Action Alternatives were informed by public and stakeholder feedback gathered earlier in the planning process and represent alternative approaches for addressing issues identified in the plan, while also meeting desired conditions for managing the park’s roads and trails. The National Park Service has identified Alternative B as the preferred alternative for implementation. Superintendent Jason Lott states, “With the release of the draft Roads and Trails Management Plan, we are in the final phase of a complex planning process. The Roads and Trails Management Plan will establish a network of roads and trails that is clearly mapped, more sustainable, and that will allow visitors to safely enjoy the park’s spectacular resources through a variety of recreational activities, while still protecting those resources for future generations.” An online “StoryMap” that provides a helpful overview of the Draft Plan and the corresponding maps will be available beginning June 18 at https://arcg.is/1Oja9b . For those who prefer to review printed copies of the Draft Plan, they will be made available for review at the public libraries in several local communities, including: Van Buren, Birch Tree, Mountain View, Summersville, Salem, Ellington, Ellsinore, Doniphan, Poplar Bluff and Rolla. The Draft Plan will also be available at park headquarters in Van Buren, located at 404 Watercress Drive, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. The public comment period for the Draft Plan will be open from June 18 to July 18. The comments will be analyzed to determine if there are any adjustments needed and then an alternative will be selected for implementation. The public is encouraged to download and review the plan and provide comments online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/OZAR_RTplan. Comments will also be accepted through the mail to: Superintendent Ozark National Scenic Riverways P. O. Box 490 Van Buren, Missouri 63965

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Ozark National Scenic Riverways seeks public input on Roads & Trails Management Plan - Potential key connections on Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System

Ozark National Scenic Riverways - Missouri's most extensive National Park - has released a draft roads and trails management plan that is open for public input.

You may recall that ONSR is currently a major impediment, but with updates to its trail plan could become a key link, in the 280+ mile Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System.

If those links are not included, it means a lengthy detour on busy, fast-moving state highways for the Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System in order to bypass ONSR. That is, obviously, not ideal.

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Bill legalizing ebikes in Missouri pass both houses, headed to Governor for signature

As ebikes exploded in popularity in Missouri and across the U.S., their legal status in Missouri has been something of a mystery. The ebike industry in Missouri has made it a top priority to get legislation in place that matches the national standard, allowing ebike use on roads and trails, and creating three classes of ebikes.

Recently, their work paid off as the ebike legislation was passed by both the Missouri House and Senate. The bill, SB 176, now goes to Governor Parson for his signature. The bill is not particularly controversial and we expect Governor Parson to sign it.

What is in the ebike bill?

What is in the bill?

Ebikes are considered a new class of vehicle. They are not considered a bicycle, a motorized bicycle, a motor vehicle, or an off-road vehicle.

On the road, operators of ebikes are given the same rights and responsibilities as operators of bicycles - the same rules and regulations that MoBikeFed was able to pass back 1996 and update in 2005.

Ebikes are defined in three classes, matching the three federally designed ebike classes found in every state with ebike legislation so far:

Class 1 ebike: Assists with pedaling only while the operator is pedaling, pedal-assist must cut out at 20mph.

Class 2 ebike: Includes a throttle, which can assist with pedaling but also can operate when the operator is not pedaling; motor limited to 20 mph.

Class 3 ebike: Assists with pedalin only while the operator is pedaling, but pedal-assist continues up to 28mph. Users must be 16 years or older to operate a Class 3 ebike.

Ebikes are allowed to operate on roads and highways on the same basis as bicycles. For the purpose of road laws and regulations, the ebike is generally considered the same as a bicycle.

Ebikes are allowed on multi-use trails by default. However, the trail owner can prohibit ebikes on certain multi-use trails after going through a process.

For natural surface trails, like single-track trails and mountain bike trails, the trail owner is allowed to set their own policy--allowing or disallowing ebikes or various classes of ebikes as needed.

Find out more about the ebike bill, SB 176, including full text of the bill as finally passed, on its bill page at the Missouri Senate.

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mobikefed · 3 years

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ALERT: Public comments on problematic updates to major federal road design manual, the MUTCD, due Friday, May 14th

The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control devices is the national guidance for all visible parts of the nation's road network--signs, stripes, lanes, crosswalks, traffic signals, and more. The MUTCD is updated about once a decade.

The MUTCD is the national guidance that determines how every road, street, and highway in the U.S. is designed. It is updated about once a decade--and the recently proposed update is very problematic for the safety of people who walk and bicycle.

The recently released draft for the 2021 MUTCD update is very problematic from the perspective of pedestrian and bicycle transportation. Public comments on the proposed updates are due Friday, May 14th, 2021 and can be submitted here.

The simplest way to submit a public comment:

Use the League of American Bicyclists automated MUTCD comment submission page

Many bike/ped and transportation organizations across the country are organizing to submit public comments. Federal agencies tend to heavily weigh the number of comments submitted supporting a particular issue, so they are strongly encouraging every organization and individual to submit a comment. Even a brief comment carries a lot of weight.

Comments from both individuals and organizations are important. Here is a sample brief comment:

[I/Organization XYZ] support the comments submitted by the League of American Bicyclists, AmericaWalks, the National Association of City Transportation Officials, and other organizations that ask that this update of the MUTCD provide proactive safety guidance so that the United States can make progress on equity, sustainability, and traffic safety goals. As written, the proposed MUTCD updates choose to prioritize speed and vehicle flow over safety in numerous ways.

The MUTCD should prioritize safety, emphasize road design that reduces or eliminates serious injury and death, and forefront the needs of vulnerable road users, such as those who walk and bicycle, people with disabilities, children and seniors, and people who use public transportation.

Please consider submitting a public comment by Friday, May 14th, 2021. Submit your public comment here.

More resources and background information:

AmericaWalks Action Alert page

BikeLeague "A once in a lifetime opportunity for better roads" and the League's MUTCD letter (model)

NACTO comprehensive overview of problems with the proposed MUTCD update

NACTO's MUTCD letter - comprehensive analysis of the issues and good model for other letters by organizations

Submit public comments on the MUTCD here

Improving safety for all road users is one of the four primary goals in MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri. Supporting the work of major national bicycle and pedestrian organizations that work to improve the design manuals that affect the design and safety of every road and street in America is one way we can help reach that goal.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support help turn our Vision into reality!

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Missouri Legislature passes 12.5 cent gas tax increase, phased in over four years - headed to Gov for signature and it's done

Today the Missouri Legislature passed a 12.5 per gallon fuel tax increased, to be phased in at the rate of 2.5 cents per year from 2021 to 2025.

Senator Dave Schatz of Sullivan has become a strong support of MoDOT funding and was sponsor of SB 262

Passage of SB 262 by the Missouri House today sends the bill to Governor Parson for a signature. Infrastructure has been a major emphasis of Governor Parson's administration and he has indicated he will sign the bill.

Unlike previous efforts to increase the fuel tax, this proposal will not go before voters. Once Governor Parson signs the bill, it will be a done deal. The gas tax will increase by 2.5 cents per gallon every October until 2025.

MoDOT's funding crisis and the effort to create statewide transportation funding since 2009

Missouri's fuel tax was last raised in 1996. At 17 cents per gallon, it is currently the second lowest fuel tax in the nation--ahead of only Alaska. Since the fuel tax is not indexed to inflation, the buying power of that 17 cents has decreased substantially since 1996.

Amendment 3, passed in 2004, shifted some further funding to MoDOT. It moved the remaining 50% of the motor vehicle sales tax--which had previous gone into General Revenue--to MoDOT. In addition, it allowed MoDOT to leverage the new funding by borrowing a large amount of money for six years, devoting about 20 years of the new funding to paying off those loans.

So clearly, Amendment 3 was a stopgap, increasing MoDOT's annual funding for just 6 six years.

Starting in about 2010, MoDOT's funding did decrease dramatically. The agency slashed both staff and projects in the following years. However, two major proposals to increase MoDOT funding--one to adopt a new funding mechanism and a far more multi-modal approach, and a second to simply increase the gas tax--both failed at the ballot box.

You can get an overview of MoDOT's funding from 1924 to the present here.

What SB 262--and the decade-long effort to bring bicycling, walking, and public transportation into the discussion about Missouri transportation funding--has done for bicycling and walking

MoBikeFed has been talking about MoDOT funding crisis for more than a decade. We have seen it as a real opportunity to change how MoDOT does business, and expand the state's vision for transportation beyond simply roads and highways.

Rep. Becky Ruth of Festus was House Handler of the bill that passed today

Today's bill does not contain any sweeping changes for MoDOT or for Missouri's vision for transportation. It simply increases the state fuel tax, putting more dollars into the existing system.

The good news here is that, thanks to more than a decade's work by MoBikeFed, citizens and advocates across Missouri, many like-minded organizations across Missouri, local agency staff, and MoDOT staff, MoDOT's view of transportation has indeed changed a lot over the past decade. The recognition of the importance of walking and bicycling as important means of transportation in Missouri has increased year by year.

Just for example, in 2014 MoDOT adopted a new long-range transportation plan, with these goals:

Give Missourians Better Transportation Choices

When looking at what Missourians will need from their transportation system in 20 years, we see the need to diversify our state’s investment beyond roads and bridges.

To serve all Missouri citizens, and to give Missourians better access to employment, healthcare and other essential services, we need to increase scheduled public transit services and improve the reliability of on-time arrivals. The state must continue to support passenger rail service and recognize the important role that pedestrian and bicycle facilities play for those who cannot or choose not to drive.

Keep All Travelers Safe, No Matter the Mode of Transportation

A safe road system also protects public transit passengers and improves the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians.

In 2014, that was--frankly!--a groundbreaking direction for MoDOT. As recently as 1990, MoDOT had no stated policy regarding bicycling or walking as transportation.

MoDOT's policy and attitude towards bicycling and walking have shifted 180 degrees since the discussion of updating MoDOT funding began in 2009.

So it was an important step forward. And MoDOT still has those same goals in its current long-range plan:

Keep all travelers safe, no matter the mode of transportation

Give Missourians better transportation choices

Bicycling and walking have gone from fringe ideas, ignored by most, to being considered core aspects of Missouri's transportation system by nearly every major transportation stakehold statewide.

This is a change that has taken place behind the scenes. Most Missourians do not even know about it--though if you have been following MoBikeFed News you do!

But it is hard to put into words just how important, sweeping, and dramatic the change in attitudes about walking and bicycling in transportation leadership at all levels across Missouri has been.

And much of the discussion--almost all of it--has been driven by these long-term issues regarding MoDOT's funding and funding shortfalls.

What is in the bill?

SB 262 is sponsored by Senator Dave Schatz and Representative Becky Ruth. It includes these provisions:

Increases in the Missouri state fuel tax by 2.5 cents per gallon every October from 2021 to 2025. This totals 12.5 cents per gallon, phased in over 4 years.

Increases the annual registration fee for electric vehicles by 20% each year for a period of 5 years.

Creates an "Electric Vehicle Task Force" which will analyze and make recommendations regarding the impact of electric vehicles on Missouri transportation funding.

Allows Missourians who wish to do so, to apply for a refund of the fuel tax increase. Those wishing to apply for a refund must keep records and receipts for each fuel purchase, and then apply for a refund annually.

When fully phased in, the fuel tax increase will cost the average Missouri driver about $70 per year.

Missouri electric and hybrid vehicle tags cost between $37.50 and $150 per year. After five years of 20% increases, the total cost will be about 2.5X the current fee--so the new fees will range from about $93/year to $373/year. A typical electric passenger car will go from $75/year to $187/year.

(It is notable that the annual increase for an electric passenger care is over $110, whereas the estimated cost of the increased fuel tax for a typical gas-powered passenger vehicle is only about $70.)

Read more about SB 262, the recent Missouri House debate on the bill, and statements by supporters and opponents in the Missouri Times and the Kansas City Star.

Working to create a world-class bicycle and pedestrian transportation network across Missouri is one of the four main goals of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri. Working towards statewide policy in support of bicycling and walking, and funding to implement those policies and plans, is an important part of that work.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support help make our Vision into reality!

Image credits:

Senator Schatz and Representative Ruth: Missouri General Assembly

"Waiting for MoDOT" by Zaskem on FlickR

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Present a session at the 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit - session proposals accepted through May 19th!

The 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit is coming up Friday, August 13th, 2021.

The sixth annual Missouri Active Transportation Summit will be held Friday, August 13th, 2021

The Summit will feature some of the best of bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri:

People who are working to plan, design, and build great places to walk and bicycle

People who are working to advocate for more and better places to walk and bicycle in their communities

Organizations, staff, and elected officials who are designing their communities to be better places to walk and bicycle

People, organizations, and agencies who are promoting bicycling, walking, and trails in Missouri--to make Missouri a great place to live, and a great place to visit.

And maybe YOU are one of those people! If so, we need you--to present a session at the sixth annual Missouri Active Transportation Summit:

Building communities that are better, safer places to walk and bicycle is a major theme of the Summit

Submit your session proposal for the 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit here (deadline May 19th)

Would you like to tell the story of your bicycle, pedestrian, active transportation, active tourism, outdoor recreation, or trails program, project, or success? Or present on any topic related to bicycling, walking, trails, or active transportation/active tourism in Missouri?

The Summit Session proposals are due by midnight, Wednesday, May 19th.

Find out more about the sixth annual Missouri Active Transportation Summit here - registration opening soon!

Highlights of the 2021 Summit:

Leaders of the Walton Family Foundation talking about their work to make northwest Arkansas a cycling and trail mecca

Leading bicycle and pedestrian organizations right here in Missouri, working together under the leadership of Missouri Livable Streets, have created a groundbreaking model Complete Streets policy and statute. You'll find out all about it--and how you can work to adopt the model policy in your community.

Promoting and encouraging more, better, and safer bicycling, walking, running, hiking, and trail use across Missouri is the primary objective of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri--and building and fostering a powerful statewide movement in support of bicycling and walking is another. Working with other organizations and agencies across Missouri to host the annual Missouri Active Transportation Summit is one way we work towards those goals.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support helps turn our Vision into reality. And in times like these, we need your membership and support more than ever!

#mobikefed.org

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Trans Ozark Trail proposed: 700-mile trail linking Ozark Trail in MO, Ozark Highlands Trail in AR

The Ozark Trail Association and Ozark Highlands Trail Association have started an ambitious project to link the two trails.

When complete, the "Trans Ozark Trail" will be a roughly 700-mile hiking trail stretching from near Cuba, Missouri, to Lake Fort Smith, Arkansas.

Overview of the planned 700-mile Trans Ozark Trail connecting Missouri and Arkansas (click to view full size)

You can view the 1.5 hour presentation, hosted by the Springfield Nature Center and feature leaders of both the Ozark Trail Association and Ozark Highlands Trail Association, detailing the plans, obstacles, and current status of the project here.

A tri-fold brochure (PDF) outlining the Trans Ozark Trail project

As a 700-mile hiking trail leading through some of the most beautiful, remote, and scenic sections of the Ozarks in Missouri and Arkansas, the trail would insantly become one of the longest and most prominent contiguous hiking trails in the U.S.

This would put the trails system in same league as the Colorado Trail (500 miles), the Finger Lakes Trail (558 miles), the Arizona Trail (825 miles), the Idaho Centennial Trail (883 miles), and the Florida Trail (1000 miles).

What about mountain biking the Trans Ozark Trail?

A 700-mile mountain biking trail connecting Missouri and Arkansas sounds tantalizing, doesn't it?

In fact, it is better than that, because if the Trans Ozark Trail were mountain bikeable, we could connect it to the Butterfield Stage Experience gravel route near Fort Smith AR, which takes us back to Jefferson City, MO--about 1200 miles total.

From Jefferson City it is fairly easy to connect back to the north end of the Ozark Trail near Cuba - for example, see the mostly-gravel Rock Island Trail Connector Route network we are working with partners across the state to develop.

On the Missouri side, we have most of the the Trans Ozark connection solved for mountain bikers, via the Ozark Trail Mountain Bike System:

On the Arkansas side, the situation is more difficult for mountain biking. The Ozark Highlands Trail is closed to bicycling.

However, it is almost certainly feasible to do in Arkansas what we have done in Missouri: Create a parallel route using available trails, gravel roads, and low-traffic paved routes to make the same connection the Ozark Highlands Trail does for for hikers.

And by good fortune, the recently completed Arkansas High Country Trail covers much of the same ground.

Working to promote and create cross-state trails and bicycle route systems helps us reach one of the four major objectives in MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri - creating a world-class bicycle and pedestrian network in Missouri.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support helps turn our Vision into reality.

Link:

Trans Ozark Trail proposed: 700-mile trail linking Ozark Trail in MO, Ozark Highlands Trail in AR

File:

https://ift.tt/3uDlXYe

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Present a session - 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit

The 2021 Missouri Active Transportation Summit is Friday, August 13th, 2021 an online virtual conference this year!

The Summit Session proposals are due by midnight, Wednesday, May 19th. We will announce Summit presenters and sessions around mid June.

Presentation requirements and suggestions

We are particularly interested in sessions that include panel presentations or otherwise provide a variety of viewpoints on a particular topic or issue.

We are particularly interested in sessions that speak to one or more of our identified Summit themes:

COVID-19: How is your community, region, agency, or organization affected by the COVID-19 situation, and how are you using or planning to use walking, bicycling, trails, parks, sidewalks, bike lanes, active transportation, active recreation, or active tourism to help deal with your local issues and make your community safer and healthier? How are you weathering reduced tourism and travel related to the pandemic? And are you planning or preparing to respond or recover from restrictions on tourism, travel, gatherings, and outdoor events when the time comes?

Trail Towns: Preparing your community invite trail and non-motorized tourism and to maximize the benefit of Katy Trail, Rock Island Trail, or other trail tourism and economic development

Complete Streets & Liveable Streets in Missouri: Building support for, passing, and implementing your Complete Streets policy

Tourism and the economic impact of bicycling, walking, and trails: What is the economic importance of bicycling, walking, and trails to your community, and what can you do to maximize the economic impact to your community and to Missouri?

Health and Safety impacts of bicycling, walking, and trails

Making bicycling, walking, and trails succeed in rural, suburban, and urban settings, and small, medium, and large communities across Missouri

We are also interested in sessions that help fill one or more of our Summit Tracks:

Association of Bicycle & Pedestrian Professionals (APBP) Professional Track - sessions that help professional engineers, planners, and other staff working in the area of pedestrian and bicycle planning and implementation hone their skills, maintain their continuing education requirements, and keep abreast of best practices and current trends.

Marketing and Tourism Track - sessions that help tourism professionals and others working to promote their community, their area's outdoor recreation and trails, and their area's bicycling, walking, hiking, mountain biking, and other outdoor recreation opportunities make the most of their efforts.

Health and Safety Track - sessions relating walking, bicycling, trails, active transportation, active recreation, and active tourism and community health, and injury reduction.

Suggested Session Length: Up to 40-50 minutes but shorter presentations are welcome and encouraged!

Sessions are 40-50 minutes long and should include time for audience Q&A or other audience interaction.

If you have a shorter presentation in mind, please submit it! We can--and often do--combine two more more related shorter presentations into one session.

Online Summit for 2021!

With COVID-19 uncertainty, we are planning an all-virtual Summit this year. We think this opens up some really exciting possibilities for presenters and attendees.

We are building on the experience we had with the all-virtual format last year. We are planning break-out sessions and other improved features. We are also starting to work now to build the larger audience that is possible with an all-online format.

Consider how you might use the teleconference format to your advantage--perhaps you can include video, a virtual tour of projects and locations, and more.

Contact [email protected] - 816-695-6736 with any questions.

Equipment and set up

For the Online Summit, we will use an online conferencing system--most likely Zoom or similar. Presenters will be able to display powerpoint materials, talk to participants, show a video of yourself speaking if desired, and interact with participants via chat and Q&A periods.We'll have a moderator for each session to introduce you and to help with managing the session, taking questions, etc. We will be able to save a recording of all sessions for participants and others to watch later as desired.

Suggestion: Write & edit your summit title, summary, and bio information offline and copy/paste into this form. That way you have an editable copy you can save, and your work will not be lost in case something goes awry on form submission.

Suggestion: Email [email protected] or text 816-695-6736 just to confirm form submission. Also, you will receive an email confirmation if the form was submitted successfully. We don't want to miss your session proposal because the internet ate it!

Your Contact Information

Information for the primary presenter/primary contact for your presentation.

Email: *

Phone Number (including area code): *

Preferably the phone you will have with you the day of the Expo.

First Name: *

Last Name: *

Street Address: *

City: *

State/Province: *

Postal Code: *

Country: CanadaUnited KingdomUnited States

Session Title: *

What is the proposed title of your session?

Session information: *

Tell us about your session--what is the topic, what will you talk about, why is it important, how will you engage your audience?

About you: *

Tell a little bit about yourself (primary presenter/contact for this presentation), who you work for or represent, and what you interest and expertise in bicycle, pedestrian, and trails issue is. This may be used as the basis for your bio in the program.

Other presenters:

Please list name, affiliation (if applicable), email contact info (if possible), and bio information for any co-presenters besides the primary presenter/contact for your presentation.

Preferred amount of time for presentation: * minutes

Preferred amount of time for your presentation, EXCLUDING Q&A. Sessions run 40-50 minutes; we may combine two or more presentations into one session if possible, so submitting proposals designed for shorter time periods is encouraged.

Minimum amount of time needed for presentation: * minutes

Depending on the number of quality presentation proposals, we may ask presenters to condense their presentations so that we can combine two or more into a single session. What is the minimum amount of time you need to cover your most important points?

Online vs In-Person Presentation: *

Either online/virtual presentation OR in-person presentation is OK

I strongly prefer to give this presentation at an online/virtual conference only

I strongly prefer to give this presentation at an in-person conference only

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mobikefed · 3 years

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ALERT: Dangerous dogs injure 450 Missouri bicyclists annually; Your messages supporting Missouri Dangerous Dogs Bill needed by Mon Apr 5th

Dangerous dogs injure 450 people bicycling annually in Missouri, are the sixth-leading cause of cyclist injury, and cost $2.8 million in medical care and lost wages. Most of the most serious injuries are caused by loose, running dogs--not dog bites.

Dogs love to run - but when they are allowed to chase people bicycling on a public road, it is not safe for the dogs or for the people bicycling. Your brief message to the Missouri House Committee will help them understand the importance of this this bill, which is narrowly targeted to close this loophole in current Missouri law

But a loophole in Missouri's current Dangerous Dogs law means that dogs that bite fall under the law--but dogs that run loose and cause a fall or injury are not considered as dangerous dogs.

If you bicycle, you know that loose dogs running and chasing--even running in front of your wheels--is a serious concern and very, very dangerous.

This year the Dangerous Dogs Bill, HB 992 sponsored by Rep. Jamie Burger of Benton, is focused like a laser on solving that problem.

HB 992 had a very positive hearing on Monday, March 29th. But before the bill is voted on in the Missouri House committee--most likely Monday, April 5th, at noon--it would help if the House Committee could hear from hundreds or thousands of people who bicycle in Missouri who would like to see dangerous dogs in Missouri controlled.

Here is how to submit your comments in support of HB 992:

Submit your comments by emailing Committee Chair Lane Roberts and cc:ing HB 992 sponsor Jamie Burger. Please also cc: MoBikeFed.

Email list: [email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Write a brief, positive message letting Rep. Roberts and committee members know that you support HB 992. Include your own story of the danger caused by loose dogs, if you have one. (More ideas for your message below.)

Sample Written Testimony in support of HB 992, the Missouri Dangerous Dogs bill

Keep in mind that a brief, positive message is best. Below are some ideas to include in your message--but pick and choose from them. You don't need to include them all.

Chairman Roberts and Crime Prevention Committee Members,

Briefly introduce yourself, explain who you are, where you live, and any organizations/businesses you represent or belong to.

You might briefly explain why cycling is important to you and to your community or part of the state.

People who bicycle on public roads in Missouri--both remote rural roads and roads in cities and towns--can be harassed and injured by dogs allowed to run loose. HB 992 will help address that situation.

Say that you support HB 992 and that dangerous dogs are a serious safety problem for people who bicycle in Missouri. HB 992 will help address the issue that dogs that repeatedly run loose and cause people bicycling to crash, cannot be addressed under Missouri's current dangerous dogs statute.

If a dog bites someone, the situation can be handled under the dangerous dogs statute. But if the dog causes a person bicycling to crash--even causing very serious crashes on multiple occasions--the current law does not allow law enforcement officials to take needed action to solve the public safety issue.

MoBikeFed's Legislative Fact Sheet in HB 992 is below. You could include a particularly important statistic or data point in your letter.

Remind the legislators that HB 992 is laser focused on just one goal: Changing Missouri's current dangerous dog statute so that it applies to all injuries caused by loose dogs, not only bite injuries.

If you can, give personal examples or examples from your family, friends, or acquaintances that show what a serious problem dangerous and loose dogs are to people who bicycle in Missouri.

Testimony in favor of HB 992 will be helpful if submitted before the next committee hearing--currently scheduled for noon on Monday, April 5th, 2021.

MoBikeFed Legislative Fact Sheet for HB 992: Loose dogs causing injury (Rep. Burger)

Below is the information from MoBikeFed's Legislative Fact Sheet for HB 992. If you prefer, you can download the Fact Sheet as a PDF file: 2021 Dangerous Dogs Bill, HB 992 - MoBikeFed Legislative Fact Sheet (pdf)

Dogs running out in front of bicyclists injure 450 Missourians annually—counting only those injuries serious enough to require an emergency room visit. This is one of the top six causes of injury to people who bicycle.

Missouri Representative Jamie Burger of Benton, in the Missouri bootheel, is HB 992 sponsor. HB 992 provides penalties for dog owners who let their dogs run loose to attack and injure people bicycling on public roads

Just the out-of-pocket medical costs for those emergency room visits total $1.4 million annually. Including time off work, follow-up medical bills, and other related costs we estimate the total cost of those injuries at $2.8 million annually.

An unfortunate loophole in current Missouri law means that owners of dogs that bite are held responsible, but if dogs cause injury in some other way, for example, by running loose in front of bicycle riders, the same law does not apply.

Non-bite dog injuries are actually more common among people who bicycle than bite injuries.

Non-bite dog injuries are actually more common among people who bicycle than bite injuries. Because they generally involve a serious crash of some kind—whether hitting the dog or swerving to avoid it--non-bite dog injuries to people bicycling are, on average, more severe and more costly than dog bite injuries.

HB 992 closes the loophole by making dog owners responsible for injuries caused by their animals, whether by biting or any other way. We strongly support HB 992.

Loose dogs and bicycles—facts:

Nationwide, dog-bicycle crashes and bites/attacks represent about 1% of bicycle crashes and injuries.

Nationwide, all bicycle crashes and injuries cost Americans about $14 billion per year. So the 1% of all crashes/injuries resulting from dog/bicycle encounters represent about $140 million annually in injury costs nationwide.

49% of dog/bicycle injuries are bites, 51% are other causes—chased by a dog, hit a dog, swerved or tried to avoid a dog.

The most severe injuries were among those who swerved/tried to avoid a dog, or hit a dog. Bites resulted in less serious and less costly injuries, on average.

Dangerous Dogs and Bicycles - Information Sources

Missouri emergency room visits:

Injury MICA data from Missouri emergency rooms, Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Percentage of bicycling injuries related to dogs, percentage of injury due to bite vs other causes, relative cost of bite vs non-bite injuries:

Injuries to Cyclists due to a Dog-Bicycle Interaction by RT Loder & AP Yaacoub AP. In Veterinary and Comparative Orthopaedics and Traumatology, 2018 May;31(3):170-175.

Total cost of bicycle injuries nationwide:

Estimated total costs from non-fatal and fatal bicycle crashes in the USA: 1997–2013 by Thomas W Gaither, Thomas A Sanford, Mohannad A Awad, E Charles Osterberg, Gregory P Murphy, Bruce A Lawrence, Ted R Miller, Benjamin N Breyer. In Injury Prevention, Volume 24, Issue 2.

Improving safety for all road users is one of the four major objectives in MoBikeFed's Vision of Bicycling and Walking in Missouri. Helping support passage of important safety bills like HB 992, the Dangerous Dogs Bill, is one way we work towards achieving that objective.

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support help make our Vision into reality!

Photo credits:

Running with Beagles: John Holt on FlickR, license: CC BY 2.0

Bicyclist on rural highway: MoBikeFed

Jamie Burger: Missouri House of Representatives, official photo

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2021 Dangerous Dogs Bill, HB 992 - MoBikeFed Legislative Fact Sheet, 1 April 2021

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mobikefed · 3 years

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Alert: HB 992 - Dangerous Dogs Bill to be heard in hte MO House Monday, March 29th; Your testimony of dangerous dog situations while bicycling needed

Barry Bean of Peach Orchard has been leading the charge for several years to get a dangerous dog bill passed in Missouri, to address the issues of loose dogs that attack and injury people bicycling. Barry was seriously injured in a collision with a dog several years ago.

This year the Dangerous Dogs Bill is HB 992, sponsored by Rep. Jamie Burger of Benton.

A hearing on HB 992 in the Missouri House Crime Prevention Committee is scheduled for Monday, March 29th at Noon. The hearing will be in House Hearing Room 5 at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City.

Testimony in support of HB 992 needed through Monday, April 5th

Testimony in support of the bill is welcome from any individual and from clubs, groups, organizations, and businesses.

You can testify in person at the hearing or submit written testimony online here (submission of written testimony strongly encouraged thanks to COVID-19 issues).

We know that dangerous dogs are a serious issue for people who bicycle and walk all around Missouri.

We encourage individuals, organizations, and businesses to submit testimony in support of HB 992.

Typically, the House committee will vote on a bill one week after the public hearing. So testimony in favor of HB 992 will be helpful if submitted by that time---noon on Monday, April 5th, 2021.

Sample Written Testimony in support of HB 992, the Missouri Dangerous Dogs bill

Chairman Roberts and Crime Prevention Committee Members,

Briefly introduced yourself, explain who you are, where you live, and any organizations/businesses you represent or belong to.

Dogs love to run - but when they are allowed to chase people bicycling on a public road, it is not safe for the dogs or for the people bicycling

You might briefly explain why cycling is important to you and to your community or part of the state.

If you can, give personal examples or examples from your family, friends, or acquaintances that show what a serious problem dangerous and loose dogs are to people who bicycle in MIssouri.

ABOUT HB 992 - the details

As in previous years, HB 992 addresses the issue of dangerous dogs in a very simple way. Missouri already has a dangerous dog statute that deals with dogs that bite--578.024 RSMo. The details of that statute are long-standing--they have been in place since 2009 or earlier. The statue generally seems to work well and has the support of both past and current legislators as currently written.

The current bill defines a dangerous dog as one that has bitten someone on more than one occasion. The proposal in HB 992 is to add the words "or physically injured" to the definition, so that a dog that has bitten or physically injured a person on more than one occasion will be considered a dangerous dog.

This accounts for cases where a dog, for example, runs loose in front of a person on a bicycle, causing a crash. Under current law, this cannot be considered a "dangerous dog" situation unless the dog also bites the person.

Under HB 992, a dog that runs out on the road and causes bicyclist crashes repeatedly would be considered a dangerous dog, even if the dog simply causes a crash and never bites the crash victim.

We all know of situations where a loose dog can repeatedly be found in the same location, and endangers traveling cyclists over and over again. This gives law enforcement the tools they need to deal with a situation of that type, requiring the owner to control the animal or taking steps to charge the owner if the owner repeatedly does not comply, resulting in multiple dangerous situations and crashes.

Note that slight injuries result in merely a class B misdemeanor. However, the seriousness of the charges rises with the degree of injury. A serious injury becomes a class A misdemeanor, repeated serious injury is a class E felony, and if death results from the attack, it is a class D felony. All of these penalties currently exist in Missouri's dangerous dogs statute.

The change HB 992 will bring is that all of these penalties will now apply to dog owners that allow their dogs to run loose and cause injury to people bicycling on public roads.

More information about HB 992

HB 992 bill page is here

Full text of HB 992 (as introduced) is here

Information about the 2020 version of the Dangerous Dogs Bill is here

MoBikeFed has been collecting stories of people injured by dogs while bicycling. If you know of any such stories, please forward them to [email protected]

Your ongoing membership and generous financial support help make our Vision into reality!

Photo credits:

Jamie Burger: Missouri House of Representatives, official photo

Running with Beagles: John Holt on FlickR, license: CC BY 2.0

Bicyclist on rural highway: MoBikeFed

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mobikefed · 3 years

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U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg address @ National Bike Summit 2021--How will a mayor who led a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community lead the U.S. Department of Transportation?

U.S. Department of Transportation Pete Buttigieg addressed the National Bike Summit on Wednesday, March 3rd--the day Summit delegations from every state, including Missouri, where (virtually) visiting Capitol Hill for Congressional meetings throughout the day.

Recently appointed U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spoke at the 2021 National Bike Summit Wednesday about bicycle and pedestrian friendliness, safety, equity, e-bikes, and more (Wikimedia Commons)

Sec Buttigieg was mayor of South Bend, Indiana--which received the League of American Bicyclists' Silver level Bicycle Friendly Community award under Buttigieg's leadership.

Buttigieg was recently photographed riding a bike share bike to work--not for a photo op or special event, but just in his regular work commute in DC.

MoBikeFed's summary of Secretary Buttigieg's remarks Wednesday:

With the pandemic, we have seen many more people out moving around the city by bicycle. A lot of this is because of the work the League and its partners around the country have done to help make our cities and streets far safer and more inviting places to walk and bicycle.

When streets are safer for bicyclists and pedestrians, the situation is better for everyone. We saw that clearly in South Bend. It also helps stimulate economic development in an area, as we saw when South Bend participated in the Mayor's Challenge in 2014, leading to improvements along certain corridors.

We need to focus on safety--make it safe for people to travel by whatever mode they chose, and especially people who walk and bicycle.

There are many examples in the past where federal transportation funding has not been equitable. For example, places where people more commonly use transit and access by bicycling and walking have too often been neglected. For example, the walk or ride from home to transit stop is too often dangerous and difficult. So we have a lot of work to do, but some promising initiatives, too.

One promising initiative along this line is Justice 40, which will ensure that 40% of all benefits of work to stop pollution and climate-change emissions will go to areas that are currently underserved.

USDOT has extended the MUTCD (Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) public comment period recently. The MUTCD sets all the most basic rules about how roads and highways are built and designed, nationwide. Everything from lane width to bike lane design to crosswalk design and road signage. This is the most extensive update the MUTCD in a decade. It a foundational role in safety. USDOT felt it was very important to extend the public comment period in order to get the community's feedback on it.

[The draft release of the MUTCD, recently released, had numerous problems and received heavy criticism from the national bicycle and pedestrian community. Many bicycle and pedestrian organizations across the country, including the Missouri and Bicycle Federation, are planning to submit comments and suggestions for improvement to the MUTCD draft.)

The Missouri delegation to the 2021 (virtual) National Bike Summit

Q: What did you learn from South Bend implementing Complete Streets and working to become a bicycle friendly community?

Complete Streets is a quality of life issue. The benefits go to both "liberal" and "conservative" areas. It good for residents, good for businesses. It is good for retaining young people. But bringing all the people, all the businesses, all the stakeholders together was very important. We had to have that open process and dialogue, taking people seriously and incorporation their concerns and making them part of the plan. The result was better in the end than if we had just adopted the plan I had initially proposed.

Q: How to we get more mayors and local leaders around the country to be more supportive of bicycling and walking, as you did in South Bend.

fMany leaders see the benefits now.

Advocates need to understand what city leaders priorities are. They want to see economic growth and vitality, they are interested in safety and public health.

Advocates, make sure you are working with the mayors and city leaders and helping to support their agenda, in a way that also helps you meet your goals.

Q: What are your plans and goals as Secretary of Transportation?

We need to work closely with states. USDOT is often close to the position of states on, for example, issues of bicycle policy than we think. We need to have open communication and dialogue with the states to move forward on this.

Much depends on funding. We need to make sure whatever funding we have for roads and highways makes sure to include safe access for people who bicycle and walk as well.

We need the bottom-up support of advocates, too, to make all this possible.

Missouri delegation meets with Devin Kelsey of Congressman Emanuel Cleaver's office

Q: Safety. The numbers of people killed while bicycling has increased 30%, and number of people killed while walking has increased 15%. Other countries have been able to drive these numbers down, ours are going up. What can we do about this?

We need to work on two areas: Design and Behavior.

Make sure there are features in cares so that for example collision avoidance technology can detect people who walk and bicycle as well as vehicle-vehicle collisions.

We need to design our roads so they are safer. Design them to ensure slower speeds and other bike/ped/safety friendly features.

Q: Where is the balance between enforcement and infrastructure, given the recent prominence of issues regarding very inequitable enforcement?

The more we improve design and infrastructure to be safer and encourage safe behavior, the less we need to lean on enforcement to change driver behavior.

We need to set clear standards about how enforcement happens to insure it is done in an equitable way.

Q: What role does reducing vehicles miles traveled play in your plans?

Electric vehicles are a good advance but we can't rely solely on that to reduce pollution and environmental issues. In addition, we need to give people more options so that they can travel without using a personal vehicles.

Q: What about e-bikes?

I first rode an e-bike on a visit with Sec. Foxx, who was very informed and enthusiastic about advances like this. They provide a good alternative, for example, for commuting to work.

Working for a world-class bicycle and pedestrian system across Missouri is one of the primary goals of MoBikeFed's Vision for Bicycling and Walking in Missouri. Working with other local, state, regional, and national organizations to meet with our congressional leaders and advocate for our shared vision--and the funding needed to implement it--is one way we work to reach that goal.

Your membership and generous financial support help turn our Vision into reality!

#mobikefed.org

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