Missouri Bicycle News

A recent lawsuit over the injury of a bicyclist in a Columbia intersection brought the issue of traffic signal timings to the fore.

The bicyclist's lawyer argued that a period of "all red" lights at the intersection might have prevented the collision.

The court ruled that the city was not required to program the all-red signals. But, argues Columbia Mayor Darwin Hindman, it is still an idea worth pursuing:

Hindman, an avid cyclist, has been fighting to improve Columbia’s streets and intersections throughout his tenure in office. His daughter was injured while riding her bike at the intersection of Providence and Stewart roads in 2003. Though Nov. 3 was not the first time he has proposed such a plan for all-red delays, the personal injury lawsuit put the issue back in the spotlight.

“I have proposed it before, but it kind of gets lost,” he said. “The lawsuit raises the awareness of the issue by having a case where it was argued that somebody might not have been hurt had you had the delay.”

While pedestrian countdown displays have been added to many intersections in Columbia, MoDOT took down the displays at the intersection of College and Rollins in the fall of 2006 — a year after the accident. Although there is a pedestrian walkway over College between Ashland and Rollins, the intersection is still busy on work days.

MoDOT sees some practical difficulties in implementing the policy:

Campbell, the MoDOT intermediate traffic studies specialist, said MoDOT likes to keeps its traffic signals consistent across the entire state “so drivers know what to expect from one intersection to another.” And most of MoDOT’s signals do not have the delay.

The decision to use the all-red delay at a particular intersection is based on several factors, he said.

“What we do is measure the intersection and take into account the speeds, and we use an equation that has different factors it takes into account," he said. "Really what changes the clearance time from intersection to intersection is mostly dependent on the speeds of the cars and size of the intersection.” . . .

MoDOT’s policy on the state-wide consistency could pose a problem to the mayor’s plan.

“To change our signals only in Columbia would place those signals out of compliance with that policy,” Campbell said. “Before MoDOT would do that, we would need a compelling reason to rethink the way they are currently timed.” . . .

The mayor thinks the plan would have a universally positive effect on Columbia’s streets.

“Bicycles are the most efficient form of human movement there is,” he said. “It doesn’t pollute, it gives you exercise, it relieves congestions and it is cheap. I think the bicycles, the pedestrians and cars will be better off if you have that four-way delay.”

Read the complete article in the Columbia Missourian.

One wonders whether MoDOT's policy even considers any factors beyond motorized traffic. Surely it is reasonable to program a traffic signal differently in a city with high pedestrian traffic vs in a rural location? permanent link to article: "Columbia Mayor Hindman works to improve intersection safety for walking & bicycling"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/21/2008 12:20:00 PM |comment on this article

Eric Rogers forwarded the following announcement:

Yesterday the KCMO City Council formally approved the Trails KC plan,
which includes a 230 mile network of trails covering the city and
connecting to suburban trail systems. This is a huge step forward for
our city, and I know many of you spent time attending meetings, looking
at maps, and making suggestions.

Special thanks should go to Councilman Russ Johnson for getting the ball
rolling, and to bicyclists Kenneth Walker, Todd Posson, and Brent Hugh
for volunteering on the planning committee. Now we all need to keep
working to make sure the city follows through with the money and
resources to build these trails.

Read more about the plan here.

Eric Rogers

permanent link to article: "Kansas City approves Citywide Trails Plan"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/21/2008 12:15:00 PM |comment on this article

The campaign to Put People on Paseo by including a separated bicycle/pedestrian path on the new interstate freeway bridge near downtown Kansas City Missouri--creating the first good, safe bicycle/pedestrian crossing of the Missouri River in the Kansas City area--has generated some questions.

Here are some answers:

Q: Doesn't it cost too much? $4 million is a lot of money!

In fact, the opportunity with the Paseo Bridge Bicycle/Pedestrian Path is to save a lot of money.

This project saves money in two ways:

• Thanks to advocacy by thousands of KC area citizens, MoDOT has agreed to provide 10 feet of deck space on the bridge for the bike/ped path. That is the most expensive part of any bridge crossing. If we do not come up with the additional $4 million to connect the bike/ped system to the bridge deck, that 10 feet of space will simply go to waste.
  


• If we make the connection to the bridge deck now, MoDOT will re-configure the lanes on the entire bridge to accommodate the path during initial construction. This involves shifting over every lane and shoulder a little bit.
  
  If this is not done now, then shifting all those lanes and barriers over later will be very expensive and it will be very difficult (if not impossible) to get necessary approvals.

In short, the opportunity is to build the bicycle/pedestrian crossing now and save a lot of money.

How much?

Omaha recently built a bicycle/pedestrian river bridge at a cost of $22 million.

We can complete this bike/ped crossing for only $4 million more. That gives an idea of how much the bridge deck space is worth.

And how much we'll be throwing away if we don't complete the bike/ped crossing now.

Q: Wouldn't $4 million be better spent building many miles of trails across the entire metro area?

The Kansas City metro area already has many miles of trails.

But you notice the area still doesn't have anything like a trail system. Instead, it's a mile here and two miles there, a trail here and a bike lane over there.

In short, Kansas City has no network.

The reason is because Kansas City never tackles the hard parts--the barriers.

The bigger the barrier, more expensive it is to bridge it. And the Missouri River is the biggest barrier of all, to bicycle and pedestrian travel in the Kansas City area.

Cities that have successfully built trails system, and that have successfully increased the number of bicycling and walking trips, have made the most progress by tackling those biggest, most expensive barriers first.

And precisely because it bridges the biggest barrier, a river bridge gets much higher usage than a similar length of trail.

It costs far more, but it is also used far more.

Q: Aren't bicyclists and pedestrians prohibited on interstate freeways?

A: The proposal is to create a bicycle/pedestrian path on the bridge, separated from the interstate freeway by a concrete barrier and fence.

This is not only legal and allowed, it is very commonly done on interstate freeway bridges in urban areas. Because it is barrier separated, the bike/ped path is not considered part of the freeway itself.

MoBikeFed has compiled a very long list of interstate freeway bridges that include bicycle/pedestrian paths. It is very commonly done--almost universal for river bridges within metro areas these days, unless another existing bridge already provides identical bicycle/pedestrian access.

Q: Isn't a bicycle/pedestrian path on the interstate freeway bridge dangerous?

A: It's not like we are asking people to run around in the middle of freeway traffic. This is a separated bicycle/pedestrian path, with a concrete barrier and fence between the path and the rest of the bridge.

This concrete barriers are designed to keep even errant semi-trucks from crossing them. They are the same type of concrete barriers currently lining the Paseo Bridge, which keep traffic from dropping off into the river below.

Have you heard of any cars driving through those barriers and falling into the river?

The statistics bear this out. John Thomas of Alta Planning+Design, who has studied this issue, writes, "While bike/ped injuries happen, they certainly aren't happening on the bridges of limited access highways."

Q: Wouldn't it be better to have a bike/ped path on the nearby Heart of America bridge? We don't need both, do we?

The Heart of America Bridge isn't so near--about a mile away, and that detour adds two miles to the typical journey.

That's a long ways to walk.

What's more important, though, is that each bridge serves separate and distinct areas. In particular, the Paseo Bike/Ped Path will serve the Paseo Industrial District--with its thousand of jobs. That area is difficult/dangerous for bicyclists & pedestrians to access from the Heart of America bridge because it is cut off by the freeway itself as well as the railroad yard.

You can see this issue clearly explained and illustrated here.

Because of these issues, cities that are really bicycle/pedestrian friendly very often have multiple bicycle/pedestrian accessible bridges within a short distance. For example, Portland, OR, has 4 bicycle/pedestrian accessible bridges within about 1.5 miles. Most of the 10 Mississippi River bridges within a 3.5 mile distance in Minneapolis are bicycle/pedestrian accessible.

Q: But Heart of America is still the better location, isn't it?

A: MoDOT has agreed to create a separated bicycle/pedestrian lane on the Heart of America Bridge as soon as the Paseo construction is finished, by 2012.

And yes, Heart of America is a very good location. It serves hundreds or thousands of locations that Paseo doesn't.

And Paseo serves hundreds or thousands that Heart of America doesn't.

Indications from other cities with bridges similarly located, are that each bridge will be used thousands of times per day by pedestrians and bicyclists. In Portland, 16,711 daily bicycle trips are made over four bridges in a 1.5 mile area. Trips are fairly evenly distributed over all four bridges. Other cities with similar bridges have, similarly, thousands of bicycle/pedestrian trips over each bridge.

Q: I ride my bicycle everywhere in the Kansas City area, and I just don't need to go where the Paseo Bridge would take me.

A: Since you can't cross the Missouri River at that point on foot or bicycle, you probably haven't even given any thought to the destinations you would reach if you could go there.

Among the north side destinations that are potentially reachable via Paseo, that are impossible or much more difficult via Heart of America are:

* Paseo Industrial District (thousands of jobs)
* North Kansas City Hospital
* Cerner Campus
* Harrah's Casino

And even if you, personally, will never cross at Paseo, the connection between the low-income neighborhoods just to the south of Paseo (Columbus Park and Helm Park neighborhoods--with the highest percentage of zero-car households in the KC metro area) and the thousands of jobs in the Paseo Industrial District, just north of the river, is impossible to ignore.

And that is a connection that can't be made by a bike/ped path on the Heart of America Bridge.

Q: Isn't it dumb to dump bicyclists and pedestrians right at the downtown freeway loop?

The Paseo Bicycle/Pedestrian Path will not follow the freeway corridor.

It will simply use the freeway bridge to cross from the north bank to the south bank of the Missouri River.

Bicyclists and pedestrians will approach these points using the extensive existing local street and trail system.

Q: There would be nowhere to go once you got off the bridge.

A: MoDOT staffers have repeatedly made this statement to media representatives.

Please look at the map below and see if you can find any destinations that could be reached within easy walking distance of each end of the Paseo Bridge.

Note that each rooftop represents a destination. The colored areas represent areas that are easily reached from either end of the bridge, on foot or by bicycle, using only the existing road and trail connections.

Note that the light green section represents an area that can only be reached via the Paseo Bridge. The railroad yards, clearly visible in the photos, prevent easy/safe/reliable bicycle/pedestrian access from the Heart of America bridge (Burlington St) to this light green area.

permanent link to article: "Put People on Paseo FAQ"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/20/2008 12:33:00 PM |comment on this article

As the campaign moves forward to include a bicycle/pedestrian path on the new Paseo Bridge in Kansas City--creating the first safe way for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross the Missouri River in the Kansas City area--some questions have come up.

Again.

One of them: Is it safe to include a bicycle/pedestrian path on an interstate freeway bridge?

It's not only safe, it's commonly done in pretty much every other part of the country.

See MoBikeFed's extensive list of interstate freeway bridges that include bicycle/pedestrian paths for numerous examples.

Terry Richard of the Oregonian bicycled two bridges (one interstate, one multi-lane state highway) that include separated bicycle/pedestrian paths in Washington and writes about his experiences:

One bridge is 187 feet above the water; the other floats on it. Both make an excellent bike ride.

With thoughts about what Portland and Vancouver could do for cyclists and pedestrians on the planned Columbia River Crossing, I visited Tacoma and Seattle to pedal the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and the Interstate 90 Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge. . . .

Interstate 90 Homer M. Hadley Memorial Bridge
The I-90 bike paths must do the job because I encountered more than a thousand cyclists during my two-hour exploration. Of course, it was Seafair Sunday, with the Blue Angels getting ready to perform overhead.

To cycle across the I-90 floating bridge, I parked in Bellevue's Enatai Beach Park, directly beneath the freeway as it enters Bellevue from the west. Signs note Bellevue's bike-friendly reputation, with links east all the way to Lake Sammamish, but I was bound west for Seattle.

A bike path leads directly from the park to the bike lane on the north side of the freeway. The westward crossing of Lake Washington's East Channel was partially obstructed by construction in the bike lane, but the lane soon emerged onto Mercer Island for a much more pleasant ride away from the freeway.

The crossing of Mercer Island is through a string of neighborhoods and pleasant parks, though the bike path is a bit confusing as it joins the sidewalk to pass in front of the island's park and ride.

The floating bridge awaits on the west side of the island, with the bike lane heading toward it with no fanfare.

The I-90 Lake Washington bike crossing carries traffic both ways on the north side of the twin highway bridges. It's a 9-foot-wide concrete path, with a 54-inch outside steel railing and a 35-inch inside concrete railing. A narrow hazard parking strip separates the bike lane from three lanes of speeding traffic. (Two reversible lanes on another part of the bridge increase the auto capacity each day.)

Crossing the lake, the second-largest in Washington, is memorable because of the type of bridge. With the bridge floating on the lake, the water looks close enough to reach out and touch.

As the bridge climbs off the lake to enter Seattle via a tunnel, the bike lane veers uphill to the East Portal Viewpoint, five miles from where I started in Bellevue. This is a grand vantage point for two of Washington's four floating bridges. (The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge carries I-90 eastbound traffic but has no bike lane.)

The bike path continues west through the 15-foot-wide I-90 Bike Tunnel, emerges into Sam Smith Park, then threads its way past the twin major league sports stadiums to the central city skyscrapers. . . .

Tacoma Narrows Bridge
The Tacoma Narrows Bridge is built across the narrowest part of Puget Sound.

I started riding the Scott Pierson Trail on South 25th Street, one block west of Sprague Avenue, in a south Tacoma neighborhood. The bike path passes Cheney Stadium, Tacoma Nature Center and Living War Memorial Park to reach the eastern side of the magnificent bridge.

Despite the oddity of a floating bridge, it can't match the spectacle of the twin Tacoma Narrows Bridges, the closest thing the Pacific Northwest has to the Golden Gate Bridge. The westbound bridge opened in 1950, the eastbound bridge, with its bike lane, just last year.

The ride across the bridge is simply stunning, with its high perch above Puget Sound, views of distant mountains and close-in neighborhoods, plus the components of the bridge itself. The cables are mesmerizing.

The 10-foot-wide two-way bike lane is on the south side of the new bridge. Railings are similar in height to those on the I-90 bridge, but the hazard lane that separates it from four lanes of traffic is nearly twice as wide. And the bridge surface is still new enough that traffic is less noisy. I passed about 60 cyclists during a two-hour ride.

The new Tacoma Narrows Bridge is a thing of beauty, well worth the drive just to ride a bicycle across it. Portland and Vancouver should be so lucky to have something similar one day.

MoDOT has already found 10 feet of deck space to include a bicycle/pedestrian path on the new Paseo Bridge.

That represents about 75% of the cost of creating a bike/ped river crossing.

But they don't want to cough up the remaining 25% that will turn a potential bike/ped crossing into an actual crossing--the first safe bike/ped river crossing in the Kansas City metro area.

Your pledge to the Put People On Paseo Campaign can help turn that around. permanent link to article: "Bicycling on interstate freeway bridges--yup, it does work"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/20/2008 12:20:00 PM |comment on this article

KCStar:

Circle the correct answer: The new Paseo Bridge WILL/WILL NOT have a bicycle and walking lane when the $245 million Missouri River crossing opens in 2011.

The answer — WILL NOT — is a shocker to many, particularly in this era of “green solutions,” “transit options” and “urban trail construction.”

Some bicycle enthusiasts are so distraught they’ve created a homemade pledge drive. The money might be a drop in the bucket, but they figure any effort is better than inaction in the face of what they consider backward urban planning.

Reading this article--and particularly the quotes from MoDOT officials--made me so mad I just went and personally pledged another $500 $1000 to the Put People on Paseo campaign.

Read on for the reason . . .

Bicyclists and pedestrians make the case; MoDOT stonewalls
MoBikeFed has been involved in this issue for about the past four years. The Paseo Bridge project is a quarter billion dollar project, one of only three major projects in the state cleared for the new "design-build" process.

Bicyclists and pedestrians have attended every public meeting from the time the project was publicly announced, and carefully and clearly detailed the important bicycle and pedestrian connections the Paseo Bridge would create--connections which would not and could not be created by adding a bicycle/pedestrian path to any other nearby bridge.

Frankly, in each and every case talking to MoDOT has been like talking to a mud wall.

They don't want to hear it, they don't want to acknowledge it.

So they simply don't.

The Paseo Bridge is at the heart of a major urban area
The Paseo Bridge is precisely in the heart of the Kansas City metro area, in the most densely populated portion of the urban core.

On any given day, over 150,000 people are living or working within the 7.5 square mile area immediately surrounding the bridge.

The way MoDOT talks about the bridge, you'd think it's way out in farm country with the cows and chickens--rather than within spittin' distance of the highest concentration of households without a car ("zero-car households") in the Kansas City area, which is just to the south of the bridge.

To make it worse, the north side of the bridge isn't filled by miles of empty cornfields as MoDOT seems to think--but is instead an industrial area with one of highest concentrations of jobs and industry in the region. The Paseo Industrial District is completely cut off from nearby low-income neighborhoods by the freeway and railroad yard on one side and the river on the other.

Throw in another major industrial area just to the south of the bridge (the East Bottoms), the Isle of Capri Casino adjacent bridge on the south side, and the Port Authority's planned mixed-use urban village just to the southwest of the bridge, and you're looking at thousands of jobs and residences within easy walking distance of each end of the bridge.

For MoDOT, major urban area = "Nowhere to go"
I have personally given MoDOT staff, including Kidwell and Benefield quoted in this article, detailed presentations showing exactly where, how, and why people would use the Paseo bike/ped path to access jobs on the north side of the river and why no other bridge can possibly replace the connections that the Paseo Bridge makes.

So, frankly, to have MoDOT's Jennifer Benefield say, repeatedly, to the press, "There would be nowhere to go once you got off the bridge" is nothing short of infuriating.

I have personally shown Benefield where bicyclists and pedestrians would go, once off the bridge.

And I would be more than happy to show her again.

In fact, I've got a tandem with an empty back seat and I'll make the offer right now: I would be more than happy to take Benefield and Kidwell on a ride and show them exactly how people can--and do--access jobs, work, and housing easily and safely from either end of the Paseo Bridge on foot and on bicycle.

What they can't do now is cross the river safely.

In MoDOT-land, people can't walk or bicycle on public roads
The problem is that MoDOT is some sort of a state of denial, where they cannot comprehend that people can walk along roads that don't have officially designated sidewalks and can bicycle on roads that are not officially designated bicycle routes.

In fact, people do walk and bicycle extensively in the neighborhoods and industrial areas in either side of the bridge.

And they depend on walking, bicycling, and transit to reach jobs, shopping, and other necessities.
But--they can't walk or bicycle across water.

Below are some of the diagrams and aerial photos we have prepared for MoDOT, and shown to Benefield and Kidwell, that show the barriers to walking and bicycling in this area and how the Paseo bike/ped path would make connections that cannot be made any other way.

Even a small donation to the Put People on Paseo campaign can help bring MoDOT back to reality.

That's the difference between "Nowhere to go" and "Thousands of places to go."

Put People On Paseo campaign. permanent link to article: "Put People on Paseo Campaign in Kansas City Star; Boneheaded MoDOT comments drive me to pledge another $1000"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/18/2008 10:00:00 PM |comment on this article

Ron and Rick Osborn with a photo of their brother Robert

Yesterday a Jackson County judge sentenced Fabian Brown, Jr., to 15 years in prison for his part in the murder of bicyclist Robert Osborn.

Today's Kansas City Star features an article detailing the Osborn family's issues with the plea bargain process and sentence:

The family of a Kansas City crime victim fumed Monday as a Jackson County judge sentenced their loved one’s killer to 15 years in prison.

Before Judge Jay Daugherty announced the sentence for Fabian D. Brown Jr., Robert Osborn’s brothers urged him to tear up the plea agreement and take Brown to trial, hoping that he would get a life sentence.

But with conflicting testimony between co-defendants — particularly as to who pulled the trigger — the plea bargain held.

“The judge followed the bureaucratic guidelines,” said Rick Osborn, Robert’s oldest brother. “That was the safe course to go.” . . .

The senseless brutality of the crime sparked outrage.

“He’s shooting at my brother as if he’s hunting on safari, shooting big game on the run,” said brother Ron Osborn. . . .

“This is truly a uniquely tragic case,” Daugherty said. “It defies imagination.”

MoBikeFed's report of the sentencing hearing is here. permanent link to article: "Family of Robert Osborn displeased with sentence in murder"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/18/2008 09:22:00 PM |comment on this article

According to a Kansas City Star article, forwarded by several contributors:

Kyle Van Meter was driving west on a county road when he rear-ended Lt. David Dillon’s bicycle on June 28, said District Attorney Charles Branson, who also said Van Meter told authorities he was distracted by the radio and did not see the officer until the impact.

The Kansas Highway Patrol investigated the accident and reported the outcome to Branson. He said he has sent the case back to them suggesting that tickets be issued for unsafe overtaking/passing, following too closely and failure to wear a seatbelt, he said in a press release.

The death does not warrant state criminal charges, Branson said, but “it is a difficult time for the family, the sheriff’s Department and all those involved.”

He also noted that studies have shown that 80 percent of crashes are caused by distracted drivers.

The problem we face--in both Kansas and Missouri--is that the penalties from the tickets will be trivial. Yet the District Attorney is undoubtedly correct that the situation does not, under current law, rise to the level of felony charges like involuntary manslaughter.

The result is the driver will get a few hundred dollars worth of fines, at most.

For the past several legislative sessions, MoBikeFed has supported an intermediate penalty for situations like this--more severe penalties and restrictions on the driving privilege of drivers whose carelessness and inattention leads to serious injuries or fatalities.

The situation seems to warrant more than a slap on the wrist and yet less than hard prison time. permanent link to article: "Fatal rear-end collision with bicyclist results in traffic tickets only"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/18/2008 09:14:00 PM |comment on this article

Ron and Rick Osborn with a photo of their brother Robert

Today several bicyclists from around the Kansas City area and I, along with friends and family of Robert Osborn, attended the sentencing hearing of Fabian Brown Jr., one of the two men accused of killing Robert Osborn as he bicycled home from work on a Sunday morning just three years ago.

Brown and co-defendant Rapheal L. Willis both entered plea agreements recently. Brown had pled guilty to 2nd degree murder and a weapons charge, with the plea agreement stipulating a range of punishment of 10-20 years for the charges.

Today's hearing was to determine Brown's sentence.

On the morning of November 20th, 2005, the two murderers followed Robert, shooting at him from the car (twice, apparently) but missing. They then drove ahead and ambushed Osborn from beyond a tree near 47th and Blue Ridge Blvd in Kansas City, Missouri, killing him with a shotgun blast to the head.

This is just a few blocks from the school where our 6-year-olds attend kindergarten--which we bicycle to and from almost every day. And Robert lived just a few blocks down Raytown Trafficway from our home.

So besides our concern about this case from the perspective of the Missouri Bicycle Federation, I have a real personal interest in this case. My family and I bicycle on the same streets Robert did almost every day--and (we found out today at the hearing) for many of the same reasons Robert did.

Robert's family members share memories; plead for justice
Robert's family gave a really excellent summary of Robert's life and the impact his killing has had on them and their family. Rick Osborn, the oldest brother, made a particular point of the unusual and heinous nature of the crime. Ron Osborn spoke about the weapon Brown had fired twice at Robert (missing both times)--it is the same type used in elk hunting, and the cartridges he showed the judge were really mammoth.

Randy Osborn talked about the toll the murder has taken on him personally, while Robert's father Glenn spoke movingly about the way Robert conducted the funeral of his mother (Glenn's wife) and the many losses he has faced in life, including his shipmates in World War II, his wife, and now his son.

The Osborn family, as typical in these situations, was not allowed to participate in the negotiations leading to the plea agreement. They were dismayed at the reduced charges which resulted from the plea bargains, feeling that for such a heinous crime, far stronger penalties are justified and needed--both to provide a deterrent to future similar crimes and to protect society from these particular criminals.

The Osborns argued for a sentence of the maximum allowed under the guidelines (20 years) or even higher.

Defense attorney expresses remorse; Brown remains silent
Brown's defense attorney spoke briefly indicating that, although some of the family members had not heard Brown express remorse and in fact had heard him laughing and making light of the murder, Brown had indeed expressed remorse to him. Brown himself, in fluorescent orange prison garb and shackles, did not address the court or the family.

The defense attorney asked for a sentence of 15 years, more than the minimum of 10 years but less than the maximum.

Judge passes sentence
The judge spoke briefly, indicating that the practicalities of the case did not allow him to give a sentence that would truly serve justice for Robert or his family. (Apparently by "the practicalities" he meant the plea bargain, the sentencing guidelines, etc.)

He then handed down the sentence: 15 years for 2nd degree murder, and 3 years for a firearms charge, to be served concurrently.

The concurrent sentences mean they will both be served simultaneously--so 15 years total.

Brown has already served about 3 years while waiting for trial and sentencing. With the normal 15% reduction in time in prison for good behavior, he will likely be released in about 10 years.

Sentencing hearing for co-defendant Rapheal L. Willis, who (according to Brown) actually pulled the trigger on the shotgun blast that killed Osborn, is currently scheduled for December 11th, 2008. Willis faces a prison term of 10-30 years.

Online:

* RobertOsborn.org
* SafeStreetsKC - founded by Osborn family members
* KC Star Crime Scene blog
* KCTV 5
* Fox4 News

MANY thanks to the bicyclists attended the hearing today. Robert's family, their attorney, and the District Attorney, all made a point to say how important it is to have that community support, and how much they appreciate it.

permanent link to article: "Murderer of bicyclist Robert Osborn sentenced to 15 years"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/17/2008 04:54:00 PM |comment on this article

Let's Go KC--a coalition of walking, bicycling, environmental, and community groups (including the Missouri Bicycle Federation) that represents over 20,000 individuals in the Kansas City metro area--issue an update on the effort to Put People on the Paseo.

The Paseo Bridge is the new quarter billion dollar Missouri River bridge near downtown Kansas City--which still does not have a safe way for bicyclists and pedestrians to cross Missouri.

But over 250 people, pledging nearly $15,000, are changing that right now:

Only one week left to help!

Many people have pledged their support for a walking and bicycling trail on the new Paseo bridge and we want to say "Thank you!" There is only one week left for you to help this important cause that will make our community more green and equitable for all citizens. We need your support now.

See the supporters and pledge on the Put People on Paseo web site.

Our goal is to get 5,000 pledges of $20 each by November 24, 2008. Kansas City, Missouri has CMAQ funds that need a match of 20 percent. Your pledge could go to help raise the match. MODOT will not construct this bridge unless KCMO and other agencies raise the money.

This campaign is similar to the City Market capital fund raising campaign of the late 1980's and 90's. At that time people were sold bricks with a message on them that became part of the pavement at the Market. You can see them today and now enjoy a renovated and energetic urban market because people were willing to buy a brick.*
Though we can't give you a deed, you will be buying a piece of the walking and bicycling trail and helping to get a great amenity for our region.

Here are some community concerns:

• There is no safe Missouri river crossing for bicycclists or pedestrians in our region.

• If Kansas City is serious about thhe Climate Protection Plan and other green initiatives we need to offer transportation choices now.

• To get energy independence aand improve air and water quality we need to include more walking, bicycling and transit options. One-third of greenhouse gases come from transportation.

• More people than ever want to walk and bicycle.

• We need this river crossing for region connectivity to trails and roads both north and south and to the future KATY Trail connection.

• The council of the City of Kansas City, MO has ttwo resolutions that support the trail and MARC has policy that supports it.

• This is an important step for making Kansas City aa League of American Bicyclists' certified Bicycle Friendly City that will attract tourism, businesses and residents.

• Everyone should be able to use the bridge not just motorists, but families, walking and cycling commuters, hikers, runners, people of all ages.

Our pledges will show how much we want good walking and bicycling facilities in the Kansas City region by helping to meet the match requirement needed by KCMO.

No money will be collected until the project goes forward.

Visit the Put People on Paseo web site to make a pledge today!

Thanks for your support,

Laurie Chipman
Let's Go KC, Alliance for Transportation Choice, representing 26,500 people
Kansas City Bicycle Club Advocate

* From the city market Web site: In the late 1980's and 90's, $14.5 million in public and private funds were invested in the City Market with additional funds committed to energize the surrounding River Market neighborhood.

The City Market structures were modernized in 1986 and rehabbed in 1990, resulting in over 100,000 square feet of restaurants, food-related shops, retail and museum exhibit space. With the addition of the Arabia Steamboat Museum, the City Market took a major step forward leading the way toward downtown redevelopment.

permanent link to article: "Put People on Paseo Bridge campaign raises over $14,000--but looking for more"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/17/2008 03:50:00 PM |comment on this article

Kurt Schaefer, who negotiated the Katy Trail connection from Windsor to Pleasant Hill with AmerenUE, has won his bid for Missouri Senate in the 19th District.

The 19th District, which includes Columbia, had been represented by Democrat Chuck Graham. Schaefer, who formerly worked for the Department of Natural Resources as a lawyer, defeated Graham in a hard-fought race.

Schaefer's first priority?

Schaefer said his first move in office will be securing approval for the Katy Trail extension to Kansas City. He was the state prosecutor who negotiated the settlement from the Taum Sauk reservoir failure in 2005, thus securing funds for the trail extension and the dam recovery.

It sounds like Schaefer will be a great advocate for the Katy Trail in office--something that will certainly help in creating the connections from the Kay to communities across Missouri.

Creating more connections from the Katy to Missouri communities--including St. Louis, Washington, Hermann, Jefferson City, Springfield, Kansas City, and others--is one of the main points of MoBikeFed's Vision of Active Transportation in Missouri. permanent link to article: "Kurt Schaefer, Katy Trail negotiator, wins MO senate seat"
posted by Brent Hugh at 11/11/2008 08:32:00 AM |comment on this article