Wheels & Heels

Email news from MoDOT Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator Caryn Giarratano

Greetings Windbenders,

We are on a roll now! Our progress on the bicycle and pedestrian program in our state has taken a leap forward. As the information hub for bicycle and pedestrian issues in Missouri, I remain in contact with national as well as state and local groups. I work with MoDOT district and central office staff to offer advice on how to incorporate the needs of nonmotorized travelers into design, policy and construction, and I chair the BPAC. I represent Region 3 on the AASHTO Technical Committee on Nonmotorized Transportation and take the minutes for the phone conference meetings of the State Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinators. The MoDOT Webmaster and I are working together to update the bike/ped pages. The passage of the Federal Transportation Bill, SAFETEA-LU, continued to support the Transportation Enhancements program (that can be used to build bike/ped facilities) and added a new program called Safe Routes to School. The Federal Highway Administration has requested that each State DOT have a SRTS Coordinator hired by the end of the year.

Trailmap - The BPAC, Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee, is writing a state strategic plan called Missouri's Trailmap for Nonmotorized Transportation. This plan identifies what needs to happen in Missouri to make it a world-class state in which to ride and walk. Soon it will be ready for public comments.

TransAmerica Trail News - Representatives from many groups have been meeting to discuss improving the portion of the Adventure Cycling's Transamerica Trail that crosses the southern part of our state. The focus is on how to make this national bicycle route safer for all road users. For more information on the TAT, see http://www.adventurecycling.org/routes/transamerica.cfm.

MoDOT Sponsors Conference - For the first time, MoDOT has stepped up to become one of the sponsors of a bike/ped conference, Missouri Trail Summit, to be held in Columbia October 27-29. See http://www.mopark.org/2005_TrailSumm_Brochure.pdf.

Ride for BP Advocacy - MoDOT will help with the Missouri Bicycle Federation's Bike ride on Oct. 15 in Holts Summit at 9 a.m. to raise money for bicycle and pedestrian advocacy in our state. See www.mobikefed.org.

Walk to School Day A Success - Walk and Bike to School Week (Oct. 3-7) reports indicated a huge increase in participation in Missouri (for more information, see http://www.walktoschool-usa.org/ or www.walktoschool.org ).

Bike Maps - A statewide set of bicycle road maps designed to help bicyclists choose their routes is now available for public review and comment. These maps, produced by the Missouri Department of Transportation, provide information for bicyclists planning to ride across the state or between two towns. The maps do not indicate where bicyclists must ride; they provide traffic volume and shoulder information to allow these travelers to make good route decisions. See http://www.modot.mo.gov/othertransportation/bike_ped/bike- pedprogram-- roadandrouteinfo.htm.

Bike Maps: Next Step - Effort has begun to identify locations of abandoned railroad corridors and to track down the procedures for rail banking rail lines being proposed for abandonment in order to convert them to shared use paths. Rail banking is a federal provision to allow rail lines to be held for future transportation use. In the meantime, shared use paths may be constructed on the former railroad beds. Stay tuned for future updates. Eventually the plan is to collect shared use path shape files to include on the bicycle maps. For a list of paths in the state, see http://www.modot.mo.gov/othertransportation/bike_ped/Bike- PedProgram--RoadandRouteInfo.htm .

Bike Safety Legislation Works - A feature article by bicyclist Jaime Baranyi in Oct. 1 Rolla Daily News details changes to Missouri's law in the recently passed bicycle safety legislation and shows that the legislation is already having a noticeable effect: Cyclist Jon Cunningham, Fort Leonard Wood, is happy to see the new legislation being enforced already. Cunningham was riding at the fort when the mirror of a passing car hit him. Because of the new law requiring motorists to leave a safe distance when passing a bicyclist, the driver of the vehicle was fined $1,000. See http://www.therolladailynews.com/articles/2005/09/30/news/news.txt. To see copies of the Missouri state statutes regarding bicyclists and pedestrians, see http://www.modot.mo.gov/othertransportation/bike_ped/BikePedPolicyandLegislation.htm .

Bike Sales Top Car Sales - For the first time since the 1970s, bicycle sales have exceeded car sales in the United States. And bicycle sales in the U.S. are near an all-time high. According to a YahooNews story, more bicycles than cars have been sold in the United States over the past 12 months, with rising gas prices prompting commuters to opt for two wheels instead of four. Not since the oil crisis of 1973 have bicycles sold in such big numbers, according to Tim Blumenthal, executive director of Bikes Belong, an industry association. See http://www.mobikefed.org/ 2005_10_01_cyclingtipsarchive.html#112827383393779008.

Plans Have Begun to Connect KC to Katy - The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is seeking options regarding extending the Katy Trail to Kansas City. See http://www.mobikefed.org/2005/10/mo-dnr-now-starting-to-move-ahead- with.html and see here for a map of the Katy Trail http://www.katytrailstatepark.com/.

The East-West Gateway Council of Governments has posted a forward-thinking draft bicycle and pedestrian plan St. Louis Model BP Plan - online. Luis Porrello of HNTB wrote the St. Louis Regional Bicycling and Walking Transportation Plan. See http://www.ewgateway.org/trans/Bikeways/bikeways.htm.

Springfield focuses on BP - The Springfield News-Leader recently published a series of articles promoting walking and biking in the community. See one article at http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=/20050918/NEWS01/509180372/1001/ARCHIVES , another at http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article? AID=200550907003&template=theme&theme=COMMUTING , http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050920/NEWS/509200348 and a blog on this topic at http://orig.news-leader.com/blogs/soundoff/2005/09/ join-our-commuting-challenge.html , http://www.mobikefed.org/2005/09/ going-car-free-in-springfield-news.html.

The Frisco Highline Connects to Bolivar - The grand opening ceremony was Saturday, Sept. 24. Mayors from the towns along the trail met for an old-fashioned ribbon cutting. Lunch and beautiful scenery along the new 18-mile section were provided. The trail is now 35 miles long, the second longest in Missouri to the Katy Trail - which is the longest in the country. See http://www.ozarkgreenways.org/trails.html.

Fix Shoulder Debris - If you need a shoulder swept, call 1-888-ASK-MODOT.

OTHER STATE NEWS

AZ - Pima County is providing bicycle driver and commuter education classes that include a free bike lighting kit ($40 value) and free food. The classes and perks are funded via local non-profit support, a $15 registration fee and a Transportation Enhancement Activities (TEA) grant ($567,000 program over three years). Contact Matthew Zoll, AICP, Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Manager, Pima County Department of Transportation, 201 N. Stone Avenue, 5th Fl, Tucson, AZ 85701-1215, 520-740-6746, Matt.Zoll@dot.pima.gov.

MA - The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) has announced that more than 250 new bike racks will be placed on buses in Massachusetts. In all, the MBTA plans to purchase close to 300 bike racks (some will be kept as spares) at an estimated cost of $255,000. Federal grant monies distributed by the Boston MPO are funding the program, and installation is scheduled to begin in the spring of next year. MBTA bus operations staff will closely monitor the bike rack program and make recommendations on whether to expand the program to other bus garages and routes.

NATIONAL NEWS

Bikes Belong Offer SRTS Lead - Deb Hubsmith of Marin County, California, has been selected to coordinate the Safe Routes to School National Partnership. This network of organizations is working to set goals, share best practices, secure funding and provide detailed policy input to implementing agencies for Safe Routes to School, a new $612 million federal program. The funds will be available to all 50 states during the next five years to build facilities and run educational programs that will create safe ways for kids to pedal and walk to school. The safe routes program addresses the alarming trend toward child obesity and inactivity, while also reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. Goals include: build the Safe Routes to School National Partnership; synthesize Best Practices for Safe Routes to School; provide policy guidance for the Federal Highways Administration and State Department of Transportation; generate media attention for safe routes; and create resources to help communities and states launch new Safe Routes to School programs. See http://tinyurl.com/cx3zh.

OTHER NEWS

Cutting Edge Bike Rentals - A new program in Lyon, France, has signed up 15,000 people to rent 1,500 silver and red bikes. With a prepaid card, one extracts a bike from a 'smart' rack with brakes, tire pressure, gears and lights digitally checked and approved. See http://www.guardian.co.uk/france/story/0,11882,1547732,00.html#article_continue .

Walking Was Normal - The Federal Highway Administration has reported that half of all students either walked or biked to school in 1969. See http://tinyurl.com/aexom.

New Use for Old Bikes - Discarded bicycles are being used to create wheelchairs for the poor. See http://www.treehugger.com/files/2005/09/rotary_runner_w.php.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Adventure Cycling http://www.adventurecycling.org
American Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals http://www.apbp.org/
Bikes Belong Coalition http://www.bikesbelong.org
Channing-Bete Company www.channing-bete.com
Columbia PedNet Coalition http://www.pednet.org
Institute of Transportation Engineers http://www.ite.org/
League of American Bicyclists http://www.bikeleague.org,
bill@bikeleague.org
Missouri Bicycle Federation www.mobikefed.org, brent@brenthugh.com
National Center for Bicycling & Walking http://www.bikewalk.org,
info@bikewalk.org
Rails to Trails Conservancy http://www.railtrails.org/,
membership@railtrails.org
Traffic Safety Center http://www.tsc.berkeley.edu/
Transportation Research Board http://www.trb.org, rhouston@nas.edu
Victoria Transport Policy Institute litman@vtpi.org, http://www.vtpi.org

CALENDAR

October 15, 2005 - Ride BikeMO, a bike tour of Callaway County from the
Holts Summit and Fulton area in mid-Missouri. This ride will offer route
choices 35-100 miles and will benefit Missouri bicycle advocacy. See
http://www.mobikefed.org.

October 27-29 - Missouri Trail Summit, Stoney Creek Inn, Columbia. Paula
Diller, 573-636-3828. See www.mopark.org.

May 17, 2006 - Ride of Silence at 7 p.m. to honor bicyclists killed or
injured while riding on the road. See www.rideofsilence.org.

Please forward this newsletter to anyone you feel may be interested. If you
are not on the mailing list and would like to be added, tell me!

Tailwinds, Caryn

Caryn Giarratano, Ph.D.
MoDOT Senior Transportation Planner
Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Coordinator
573-522-9297, caryn.giarratano@modot.mo.gov
POB 270, Jefferson City, MO 65102-0270, 573-526-8052 (fax)
www.modot.mo.gov/othertransportation/bike_ped/Bikepedprogramintro.htm
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