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Missouri Bicycle Federation, Inc.

Post Office Box 104871
Jefferson City, MO 65110-4871

MoBikeFed is a 501(c)(4) non-profit corporation

Webmaster email: webmaster @ mobikefed
.org

Send MoDOT and the Missouri legislature a message to build roads friendly for walking and bicycling

Mission Accomplished! Thanks for letting MoDOT and the legislators know that bicycling and walking are important parts of our transportation system.

Would you help us now with the next step . . .

few people send a printed letter

In the letter, tell your personal experiences and feelings about the reasons it is important for MoDOT to accommodate walking and bicycling on (and across!) their roads.

It doesn't need to be very long (in fact, shorter is better).

Sending a paper-and-envelope letter like this helps them know that we are "real people". Combined with our email campaign, writing and mailing an actual letter helps create a much bigger impact. Politicians know it is quite easy to send a lot of email messages, so they listen much more carefully when they know someone has taken the time to put their ideas on paper and mail them.

If you are one of the few willing to take on writing a real letter, you could make these points:

THANK YOU for listening to our concerns. (Stouffer, St. Onge, and Rahn have all been open to listening to our ideas and coming up with solutions.)

We will present specific legislative ideas for next session and we would appreciate their support.

MoDOT roads are the main roads in most communities and are the biggest barriers to bicycle and pedestrian travel in most Missouri cities. Give a personal example if possible. (Which roads are MoDOT roads? Generally any numbered or lettered route such as 40 Hwy, Route V, Route CC. Sometimes MoDOT roads have a second, "common" name. For instance, Noland Road is also Route V--it's a MoDOT road.)

Explain that walking and bicycling and important parts of the transportation system and are an important part of the solution to Missouri's transportation problem. Eliminating bicycle and pedestrian accommodations leads to greater congestion and pollution.

Little to no Amendment 3 money has been going for bicycle and pedestrian accommodations. Big, new arterial roads are being built in urban areas with Amendment 3 money and without adequate bicycle/pedestrian accommodation. Let them know how you feel about that (tactfully).

MoDOT is going to be looking for funding soon because Amendment 3 funding is running out. Let them know that adopting a "Complete Streets" policy will play a big part in whether you can support that funding.

Pete Rahn, Director
Missouri Department of Transportation
105 W. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65102

The Missouri Highways and Transportation Representative from your area
(click here to find out who that is)
MoDOT Central Office
105 W. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City, MO 65102

Senator Bill Stouffer
Chair, Senate Transportation Committee
State Capitol Building
Room 332
Jefferson City, Missouri 65101
(573) 751-1507
FAX: (573) 751-9764
Toll-Free: (866) 768-3987

Representative Neal St. Onge
201 West Capitol Avenue, Room 401B
Jefferson City MO 65101
573-751-5568
Fax: 573-522-9204

Of course you can still send an email if you like. But at this point, please keep it short, use the words "THANK YOU" a lot (for listening to us, if nothing else) and mention your support for making MoDOT roads that go through your town 'complete streets'.

In just a couple of minutes you can send an email message asking any new funding for MoDOT be tied to a Complete Streets policy. This would mean the new and rebuilt streets in our communities would be "complete"--designed and operated to enable safe access for all users, including pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities.

If you are in a hurry, just enter your name & email below & hit "submit". It should take you about a minute.

But if you have a couple of minutes, even a little personalization of the message (like one sentence) increases the impact a lot. How would having complete streets in your community affect you? Is there a road in your community that divides the community because it is so dangerous for walking and bicycling?

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Email Subject: *		Background Think of the worst road for walking and bicycling in your entire city or town. Odds are--that's a MoDOT road. Amendment 3 funding is running out and MoDOT will soon be coming back to Missouri citizens to ask for more funding. Are you willing to let the state spend hundreds of millions of dollars of your money to build roads that make Missouri a worse and more dangerous place to walk and bicycle? It doesn't have to be that way. Other states and cities around the country are adopting Complete Streets policies. Complete Streets are designed and operated to enable safe access for all users. Pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities are able to safely move along and across a complete street. Complete Streets are essential for children and older Americans, as well as people who use wheelchairs, have vision impairments, or simply cannot afford a car. Complete Streets are supported by a broad coalition, including AARP, the disability community, transit operators, bicycle, pedestrian, and running groups, the American Planning Association, and the Institute of Transportation Engineers. Complete Streets unite communities rather than dividing them. We are asking Missouri legislators and policy makers to tie any new MoDOT funding to a policy and commitment to build roads that safely accommodate all users--Complete Streets. Will Complete Streets be expensive or difficult to build? Will Complete Streets require building exotic "bicycle paths" through the Missouri countryside where no one will use them? The answer to these question is (of course), no. Find out why by reading the Complete Streets FAQ. If you would rather not use this form you can simply send email or call: Pete Rahn, Director Missouri Department of Transportation pete.rahn[at]modot.mo.gov 105 W. Capitol Avenue Jefferson City, MO 65102 Senator Bill Stouffer Chair, Senate Transportation Committee State Capitol Building Room 332 Jefferson City, Missouri 65101 (573) 751-1507 FAX: (573) 751-9764 Toll-Free: (866) 768-3987 bstouffer[at]senate.mo.gov Representative Neal St. Onge 201 West Capitol Avenue, Room 401B Jefferson City MO 65101 573-751-5568 Fax: 573-522-9204 Neal.St.Onge[at]house.mo.gov
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Take Advocacy Action

Send MoDOT and the Missouri legislature a message to build roads friendly for walking and bicycling

Would you help us now with the next step . . .

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