Missouri Bicycle News

A recent editorial in the West End Word discusses the assault of a cyclist in Richmond Heights and the Ghost Bike Project:

[T]oo many motorists in St. Louis either don’t know bicyclists have the right to use the road or refuse to acknowledge that right. . . .

According to the laws of Richmond Heights and Missouri, bicyclists are "granted all of the rights and shall be subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle." . . .

The Ghost Bike Project is an effective and creative way to remind motorists to share the road. While it has only been in existence for a little over a month, the project has received national and international media attention and has caught on in Austria, Italy and France.

"We hope that the project will bring the attention of drivers back to the road (off the cell phone, car radio, kids in the back seat) and the fact they are driving a 2,000-pound piece of machinery," says Van Der Tuin. "We are not blaming all car-versus-bike accidents upon the drivers but accept that it goes both ways. We are more concerned with those that take no responsibility for an automobile."

permanent link to article: "West End Word tackles Ghost Bikes, cyclist assault"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/30/2003 03:14:00 PM |comment on this article

In a campaign similar to the recent "ghost bike" project in St. Louis, a New York group has been stencilling outlines of bodies where pedestrians have been killed by automobiles.

The body outlines are among about 100 that have mysteriously appeared on the streets of Brooklyn and Manhattan in recent months, silently calling attention to pedestrian fatalities.

A small group of community activists is responsible. Periodically and quietly, they have traveled to different neighborhoods and put down the stencils.

Most recently, they were in Borough Park, the home territory of City Councilman Noach Dear, chairman of the Council's Transportation Committee.

The stealthy stencilers were concerned that Dear had recently opposed plans for a bike lane though his district. More people are killed by cars than bikes, they said.

Charles Komanoff, an economist who is one of the stencilers, said: "We are a group of concerned New Yorkers who began gathering about a year ago to see what they could do about motor vehicle endangerment."

permanent link to article: "New York group outlines awareness for pedestrian deaths"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/30/2003 03:11:00 PM |comment on this article

According to a KCStar article,

The Jackson County Legislature agreed Tuesday to ask voters for a bistate tax to raise $354 million to help renovate the Truman Sports Complex.

In turn, the Chiefs and Royals have agreed to extend their leases with the county through 2029. Those leases currently run through 2015.

If the bistate tax is also approved by voters in Johnson County, the teams' agreements become effective if "a new 1/4-cent sales tax to be collected by the Bistate Commission is passed...with one-half of such tax dedicated to the sports complex for a period of not less than 25 years."

Meanwhile, PitchWeekly reports that a heretofore little-known section of the contract dealing with the stadiums states that if certain very expensive stadium improvements are not completed by 2007 then the Royals and Chiefs are no longer obligated to stay in Kansas City.

The needed improvements cannot be met with current stadium revenues. A new bi-state tax would be needed.

Some area leaders have been pushing for an expanded regional funding mechanism:

The chamber's approach would expand the way local leaders pursue regional funding, replacing another bistate tax, and this would require new legislation in both Missouri and Kansas.

The problem with this is that it will take time to get the new, better funding mechanism in place and the 2007 deadline in the stadium contract puts pressure on politicians to do something quickly.

This all is relevant to are bicycle advocates, because a region-wide tax has been proposed to help pay for the Kansas City region's MetroGreen plan, which would benefit greatly from increased funding and region-wide intregrated planning.

If done right, addition of Metrogreen to the bi-state tax proposal could help increase the popularity of the bi-state tax proposal. Trails are overwhelmingly favored by area residents, even when taxes must be increased to pay for them. The stadiums, by contrast, seem to have less support, especially on the Kansas side.

On the other hand, if a large new tax is passed to support the stadiums and regional arts organizations (which by law are a required part of a bi-state tax proposal) and trails funding is not part of proposal, area residents may be reluctant to support a separate regional tax to support MetroGreen.

Complicating the equation is the fact that a number of counties in the region--Johnson County, KS, Platte County, MO, and Clay County, MO--already have county-wide taxes in place to fund trails. permanent link to article: "Jackson County moves forward with bistate tax; deadline looms"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/30/2003 03:01:00 PM |comment on this article

The LJWorld reported that

[T]he Lawrence City Commission is expected to pass an ordinance requiring builders to install bicycle lanes on many new city streets. But builders say the requirement will add to the cost of housing in town.

permanent link to article: "Lawrence, KS, considers routine requirement of bicycle lanes on new major streets"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/30/2003 02:45:00 PM |comment on this article

A study commissioned by an Iowa governor candidate, designed to highlight ways for rural areas of Iowa to economically revitalize themselves, highlighted recreational opportunities like lakes and recreational bicycle trails. Missouri was used as a positive example. There is little doubt that trails like Missouri's Katy Trail have a very positive effect on rural economies. Read more in Rochester, MN, AgriNews. permanent link to article: "Missouri recreational trails a model"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/24/2003 01:30:00 PM |comment on this article

You may remember that last year at this time, Bikes and Trikes for Tykes was looking for new warehouse space. They have found a new space they will be able to use for at least a year or two in the Blue Ridge Mall (I-70 and Sterling in the KC area).

According to an article in the Raytown Tribune,

For years, the volunteers of the Bikes and Trikes for Tyke sprogram have been responsible for brightening the holidays of thousands of children.

This year will be no different with more than 1,800 bikes and trikes expected to be distributed this year in an 11-county area.

Numerous not-for-profit agencies submit requests each year for the bikes and trikes.

Bikes & Trikes for Tykes contact number is 913-371-6551. permanent link to article: "Bikes & Trikes for Tykes distributes 1800 for the holidays"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/24/2003 11:05:00 AM |comment on this article

University City is receiving a $2.7 million grant to upgrade Olive Boulevard and a number of are streets, making the entire area more appealing and more bike/ped friendly.

According to a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article:

University City will use part of the grant to establish a 17-mile bicycle route on various streets, connecting parks and schools. The first section is scheduled to open in the summer of 2005.

Bicyclists will ride on roads along with automobile traffic, for most of the route.

The project includes extra road width for cyclists, signage, and a number of cycling-related amenities such as bike parking at parks and schools. permanent link to article: ""Olive Link" in University City to be made bicycle-friendly"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/23/2003 09:11:00 PM |comment on this article

The cyclist who was involved in the recent road rage incident in Richmond Heights reports that the municipal prosecutor in Richmond Heights has issued warrants on all four charges for which the police officer investigating the case had applied. The four charges are theft, assault, disorderly conduct, and driving with a suspended license.

Richmond Heights police and prosecutor must be commended for treating this incident with the seriousness it deserves.

One reason road rage against cyclists proliferates to the extent it does is that perpetrators feel that they will feel no consequences for their behavior. When police and prosecutors treat the incidents with the seriousness they deserve, it is a very important step in solving this problem.

Other police and prosecutors around Missouri need to follow the lead of Richmond Heights in treating road rage incidents against bicyclists seriously. Such incidents are a serious threat to the public safety and a serious impediment to increased cycling among many who would like to bicycle more for transportation or recreation, but are intimidated by that very, very small percentage of motorists who are hostile and abusive.

Safe and courteous motorists in Missouri outnumber these hostile motorists by many thousands to one. Strong action taken against these few helps ensure that a few bad apples don't spoil the whole barrel. permanent link to article: "Richmond Heights road rage incident--update"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/23/2003 12:36:00 AM |comment on this article

A new 100 million dollar bridge across the Mississippi River opened Saturday. The bridge links Cape Girardeau, MO, and East Cape Girardeau, IL.

The bridge will be named for former Congressman Bill Emerson, who was instrumental in getting funding for the new bridge, which replaces a narrow, unsafe bridge built in 1928. Emerson, who served 8 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, was succeeded by his wife, JoAnn Emerson, who still holds the congressional seat in southeast Missouri.

The good news is that the new bridge has two lanes in each direction, but also a 10-foot shoulder on each side that is a very good accommodation for bicyclists and also usable by pedestrians. According to Steve Gerard, who was able to cycle across the bridge from home to work for the first time Monday morning, at the opening ceremony for the bridge Saturday, "it was declared that the Emerson Bridge would forever be open to bicycles and pedestrians!"

The recently opened Chouteau Trafficway bridge across the Missouri River in Kansas City has bicycle accommodations. The northbound bridge over the Missouri at Jefferson City was recently re-striped to be more bicycle friendly. A new freeway bridge over the Mississippi in St. Louis will include bicycleable shoulders.

There seems to be a positive trend here! permanent link to article: "New Cape Girardeau bridge accommodates cyclists"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/17/2003 06:03:00 PM |comment on this article

Two local organizations have awarded a total of $4,000 in grants to the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation, a 150-member nonprofit organization devoted to making St. Louis a better place to bike.

The William A. Kerr Foundation has awarded the Bike Fed $2,000 for general operating expenses. The funds will be used to completely revise the www.stlbikefed.org, to create a site with all the tools transportational cyclists will need to get around. The grant is also paying for 2,000 copies of "Bike Parking for your Business" and for set up of a phone number for local cyclists to call. This is the second grant from the William A. Kerr Foundation, and brings to $6,000 the funds the Foundation has provided to the Bike Fed.

"We are grateful to the William A. Kerr Foundation for their support and investment in our advocacy work," said Bob Foster, chair of the Bike Fed. "In particular, thanks goes to our Board Member John Sweet, M.D., without whom these grants would not be possible."

The second grant is from Team St. Louis, a project of St. Louis 2004. The $2,000 will go to printing and distributing two brochures: "The Bike to Work Manual" and "The Bike to Work Guide". Previously, Team St. Louis awarded $2,500 to the Bike Fed for purchase of custom bike racks, which are now being installed throughout St. Louis.

"As a young organization, we are grateful to these two organizations for their investment in the Bike Federation, and for their support of making St. Louis a better place to bike," Foster said. "We hope that with these funds we can encourage more people to ride for pleasure, commuting and errands."

The St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation is a 501c3 corporation. The Board is Chair Bob Foster, Vice Chair Martin Pion, Treasurer John Sweet, Secretary Russ Willis and Board Members Renee Duenow, Ben Hockenhull, Phoebe Love, Jason McClelland, Mike Murray, Luis Porello, Steve Sleet, Patrick Van Der Tuin, and Carrie Zukoski. permanent link to article: "St. Louis Bike Fed wins two grants"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/15/2003 03:26:00 PM |comment on this article

[NOTE: An update to this story was posted 12/23/2003.]

A man in a blue van became enraged and assaulted a cyclist in Richmond Heights, threatening him with two screwdrivers, spitting at him, throwing a two-liter soft drink bottle at him, and finally stealing his bike bag.

The cyclist was not physically injured. The bag was found a few blocks away with most contents still intact.

The supposed reason for the assault was that the van driver had to wait behind the cyclist for a few seconds at a red light.

Richmond Heights police talked with the driver immediately after the incident and have now brought him to the police station for an interview and to be identified in a line-up. The man has a record of traffic violations. But since he has no previous criminal record, police have released him again, though they are contemplating charges for assault and theft.

Missouri has a very poor reputation as a place where motorists often intimidate cyclists and rarely face any consequences for their actions. Richmond Heights police may be moving in the right direction in this case by bringing charges of assault and theft. But it is difficult to understand why a man who is clearly a continuing danger to cyclists and other road users is allowed to remain on the streets while charges are contemplated.

Research and common sense suggest that when authorities ignore or minimize attacks on cyclists, such attacks are encouraged. This is no small matter, because one of the main factors discouraging people from riding more is harassment and intimidation by motorists.

At a time when public health authorities across the country are encouraging citizens to walk and bicycle more, it is clearly in the public interest for authorities to take strong action against drivers who intimidate and harass cyclists.

At a time when Missouri has received national attention for its poor record of motorist harassment of bicyclists, it is time for police to make a difference by taking strong, decisive, and well-publicized action in this clear-cut case of assault and intimidation.


The public--motorists and bicyclists alike--need to know that such behavior will not be tolerated on our streets.

The cyclist's account of this incident is here, here, and here (subscribers only). permanent link to article: "Road rage incident in Richmond Heights"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/06/2003 11:35:00 AM |comment on this article

According to a KCStar article about companies trying to attract the best and brightest to live in the Kansas City area:

Richard Florida, a Pittsburgh college professor who has popularized research into “creative class” professions ranging from arts to the law, contends such workers are interested in places offering a certain lifestyle. This lifestyle includes a cafe and music scene, biking and outdoor recreation, plus diverse mixes of people.

Last year Florida came to Kansas City to analyze how the area shaped up in wooing domestic migrants. He noted the Country Club Plaza, the emergence of the Crossroads arts scene and the evolution of suburban park trails.

Making communities walkable and bikeable attracts the best and brightest; making them un-walkable and un-bikeable drives them away.

Hmm . . . which do you think we should do? permanent link to article: "Cycling opportunities important in making area attractive to creative professionals"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/03/2003 12:53:00 PM |comment on this article

Henry Hungerbeeler, head of the Missouri Department of Transportation, resigned Tuesday. Hungerbeeler, who has led MoDOT since 1999, will continue to run the agency for several months while a replacement director is found.

According to an article in the Kansas City Star,

Henry Hungerbeeler, whose resignation is effective June 1, said he was proud of his achievements.

"But as I review where we have been and what we have accomplished, I realize it is not enough," Hungerbeeler wrote in a letter to Barry Orscheln, chairman of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission.

Management of the Department of Transportation, which has been burdened by a crumbling road system, was criticized last month by a blue ribbon panel. In August, a series in The Kansas City Star portrayed a dysfunctional agency that had earned its poor reputation.

MoDOT roads form the backbone of Missouri's transportation system, including primary arterial streets in every city and town. MoDOT's policies have a great deal of influence in determining local transportation policy around the state. Bicycle and pedestrian advocates should work to ensure the Hungerbeeler's replacement at MoDOT will support bike- and pedestrian-friendly policies.

Over about the next 10 years, Missouri's crumbling transportation system must be rebuilt, one way or another. This presents both a tremendous opportunity and a challenge to those who would like Missouri to become a more bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly place. At the end of this rebuilding process, we could have a thoroughly modern, multi-modal transportation system that nurtures walkable, bikeable, anlivablele communities.

Or we could be back to square one, with a brand-new transportation system that is designed for automobiles but not for the people who drive them--and back to the kind of transportation system that discourages walking and bicycling and has helped place Missouri among the worst states in the scandalous epidemic increase in both childhood and adult obesity that has swept the United States in the past twenty years.
permanent link to article: "MoDOT chief resigns"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/03/2003 11:43:00 AM |comment on this article

According to a Reutershealth story:

"We need to stem the rising epidemic of obesity in this nation," U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said in a prepared statement. "These findings show that clinicians can have a significant impact on the health of their adult patients by screening for obesity and offering or referring patients to intensive counseling and behavioral interventions."

It's no secret that Americans have gotten heavier in recent years. During the last 40 years, the percentage of U.S. adults who are obese jumped from 13 percent to 31 percent. Another 34 percent of U.S. adults are overweight but not obese, according to the report in the December 2nd issue of the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.

Can we say it again? One b-i-g reason for the explosion in obesity in America is that we have made it difficult, unpleasant, and risky to walk and bike in our cities and towns. Walking and bicycling is a much smaller part of the average daily routine than it was just 10 or 20 years ago.

MoBikeFed is proposing a big step to improving the situation in Missouri with the "Highway Safety and Driver Accountability" legislation. permanent link to article: "Sec. of Health says, "We need to stem the rising epidemic of obesity""
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/01/2003 09:51:00 PM |comment on this article

2004 Midwest Regional Bike-Ped Conference is planned for March 18-20, 2004, in Overland Park, Kansas.

Sessions include

• On-road facility design
  
• Accessibility
  
• Retrofit challenges
  
• Developing community bike/ped plans
  
• Safe routes to schools programs
  
• Trail development

Keynote Speaker Andy Clarke, League of American Bicyclists: "Connecting Communities Through Better Design"

Click here to visit the conference web site. permanent link to article: "2004 Midwest Regional Bike-Ped Conference, March 18-20, 2004, Overland Park, KS"
posted by Brent Hugh at 12/01/2003 05:37:00 PM |comment on this article