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Driver acquitted in deaths of Kansas City-area cyclists

A Jackson County, Mo., jury deliberated for five hours before finding William K. Johnson not guilty of two counts of involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of cyclists Larry Gaunt, 59, and Larry's grandaughter, Sierra Gaunt, 14, the Kansas City Star reported in today's editions.

On Aug. 6, Larry Gaunt was helping Sierra prepare for an MS-150 bike ride, a long-distance ride that benefits victims of multiple sclerosis. The two were cycling on Raytown Road nearing Harry Truman Drive when Johnson’s blue 1985 Chevrolet pickup slammed into their bikes, throwing them to the pavement. Larry Gaunt died at the scene. Sierra died at a hospital.

According to the Star's story, prosecutors considered Johnson's action reckless enough to be considered at tim. They pointed to police calculations that determined that Johnson was going at least 54 mph in a 45 mph zone. They called witnesses who testified that the road was flat, straight and dry. They continually went back to evidence that showed the left lane next to Johnson was completely clear.

A portion of the Star's account is particularly interesting:

That’s what baffled assistant prosecutor Traci Stansell. When Johnson took the witness stand Wednesday, he said he often drove that stretch of road. He knew cyclists frequented it, he said.

He was 960 feet — more than three football fields — away from the Gaunts when he first saw them. And more than 12 seconds passed before he caught up to them. Yet Johnson, a handyman who was taking his son to football practice, agreed that he never moved into the open left lane and never slowed down until slamming on his brakes right before the impact.

Just because Johnson did not move over, that did not make him a criminal, defense attorney Brian Greer argued.

“There is no law requiring operators of motor vehicles to switch lanes of a roadway when there is a vehicle on the shoulder except when that vehicle is law enforcement,” he told jurors.

Greer questioned much of the state’s evidence, especially calculations by police that determined Johnson was speeding. During closing arguments, the Star reported, he said the state took wrong measurements and failed to consider the truck’s weight when computing its minimum speed.

The jury forewoman told the Star that deliberations were divided at times, and that jurors discussed a lesser charge, but came to the unanimous decision on acquittal. When asked what they relied on to reach that decision, she said: “The evidence that we had.”

The Star's story has generated 11 pages of comments as of noon. Most are supportive of the Gaunts, but there are some anti-bike comments thrown in the mix.

The KCBike.Info blog had this to say about the verdict: "Many people will be shocked and upset at the verdict, but it’s important to remember that this case was brought to justice. Unlike most cases in this area, this particular motorist was actually charged with a felony and went to trial. Regardless of the outcome, just the fact that it went to trial is huge step forward for traffic justice in Kansas City."

This afternoon, the Missouri Bicycle Federation made a statement about the verdict on its Web site. It contains interesting comments from Ken Cobb, a lawyer and avid bicyclist who is active in the Johnson County (Kan.) Bicycle Club, including this one: "We don't know if any cyclists were on the jury. We also know that a certain percentage of people don't think that cyclists should be on streets in the first place, which may have been a factor in the jury room, too."

In an earlier post on the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation's message board, MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh said: " I know many of you have been following this case. The verdict shows how far we have to go in Missouri to have a justice system that can address this type of issue."

Here's links to TV coverage of the verdict:

• KSHB-TV, Channel 41
• KCTV, Channel 5
• myfoxkc.com
  

Labels: advocacy, fatal accidents, Kansas City, Missouri, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 12:20 PM

Monday, June 23, 2008

Back from the Katy Trail

As you can see, the Missouri River keeps on rolling along -- albeit a bit higher than normal -- along the Katy Trail.

Yes, I did ride the Katy Trail last week. I hope to have the full article up on the Web site later this week, but here's a brief summary.

In some ways, it was the kind of ride where everything that could go wrong did. For example, I wasn't happy to find out that when I got to Hermann, Mo., last Monday that I had left my towel and comb at home. Ugh.

At our final camping spot in Liberty Park in Sedalia, a heavy thunderstorm blew through town and knocked down my tent, drenching everything in it.

And yet, it was a rewarding ride. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources does a first-rate job of supporting cyclists, and it's hard to top the Katy Trail for scenery in this part of the world. The bluffs near Augusta and Rocheport are very scenic, but I also found the rolling plains between Sedalia and Clinton rewarding as well.

Flooding on the Missouri River did force a couple of detours, as I expected, but the flooding on the Missouri is nothing like the flooding on the Mississippi right now.

I really didn't have the opportunity to find Internet access during the trip, and that was a blessing in disguise. I found I really needed to take a break from the Internet, e-mail and blogging. I spent way too much time on this computer this spring because of organizing work I did for the Tour de Stooges and The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery Bicycle Ride, and it was great to spend time on a bike!

My mountain bike made it through the trail OK, although I probably would have been happier on a lighter hybrid or at least with less-aggressive mountain bike tires on the crushed limestone surface on the Katy Trail. I do now have a name for my mountain bike, a Raleigh -- Behemoth!

Another reason I was glad I didn't access e-mail or the Internet last week was because the parent company of the Belleville News-Democrat, McClatchy Newspapers, announced that it was eliminating 1,400 jobs nationwide through layoffs, voluntary departures and attrition. The News-Democrat will be cutting 12 jobs. I am grateful none of them are in our newsroom, but I feel for those who will lose jobs in other departments.

It is discomforting when you think about the troubled state of the newspaper industry. Recently, fellow bicycle blogger and journalist Jill Homer reported in her Up in Alaska blog that her newspaper in Juneau, Alaska, is indefinitely cutting retirement benefits.

Yes, a week away from reality did do me a lot of good!

Labels: bicycling, Katy Trail, Missouri, newspapers, tours

Roger 1 comments links to this post 11:51 AM

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Ride West on the Katy Trail

In a matter of hours, I will begin the Missouri Department of Natural Resource's Katy Trail Ride in St. Charles, Mo. Monday's trek takes us through the thick of Missouri's Wine Country as it passes through Augusta and continues on to Hermann.

This ride will mark at least a couple of firsts for me.

• This ride will be the first I've ever done on my mountain bike, a Raleigh M-80. Nearly all of my other major multiday trips have been done onroad bikes. The only exception was the 2006 BubbaFest in the Florida Keys, when I rented a flat-bar road bike. I'm on the mountain bike because the Katy Trail is a crushed limestone trail. I fully expect parts of the trail to be soft because of all the rain we've had here in the Midwest this spring, so a mountain bike should work just fine on the trail.
• It will be first time I've done the full length of the trail, from St. Charles to Clinton. I've done some of the prettier parts of the trail between St. Charles to Augusta, but I can't wait to see the entire thing.

Unlike the Mississippi River, which is now experiencing major flooding, the Missouri River is only seeing moderate flooding. I wouldn't be surprised if we have a few detours to navigate to avoid flooded areas, but most of the trail is open.

When I decided to take this week off, I was expected to do either the Katy Trail or the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure. Gasoline prices ultimately made me decide to stay closer to home.

Another factor, though, is a lack of miles compared with where I've been in previous springs. All the work I did on Tour de Stooges and The Gerry Frierdich Road to Recovery really ate into my training time, and when I did have time, the weather was either really bad or I was sick. My strategy for this trip is to go slow, stop often and treat the ride as a bunch of short segments instead of a long day.

I will try to write reports from the road when I can, although socializing will take a higher priority over blogging this week.

Wish me luck!

Labels: Katy Trail, Missouri, tours

Roger 2 comments links to this post 10:39 PM

Saturday, June 14, 2008

RAAM may be in for a wet surprise

Will Race Across America riders be in for a soggy surprise when they approach the Mississippi River this weekend?

UPDATE: Longtime ultramarathon supporter Mike Hahn, who is overseeing the volunteers at the Mississippi River time station, tells me that RAAM officials have found a detour around the flooded part of Highway 94, so the race will go on!

The above video from The (Alton, Ill.) Telegraph shows that floodwaters from the Mississippi are starting to lap over Highway 94 near West Alton, Mo. The footage of Highway 94 is in the second half of this short video. The first half was shot at the Lincoln-Shields Recreation Area just across the Clark Bridge from Alton.

RAAM riders are slated to ride on Highway H and and Highway 94 between St. Charles and West Alton before turning on U.S. 67 to the river. The Mississippi definitely is on the rise in the area -- it's not expected to crest until June 23.

Here's a description of the situation near West Alton from The Telegraph's story:

Part of the access to the Lincoln-Shields Recreation Area in West Alton ... was closed Thursday morning by rising water on the Mississippi River. Not far away, floodwaters were creeping over Missouri Highway 94 near West Alton.

Tens of thousands of frogs and tadpoles could be seen in the shallow floodwater along the shoulder of Highway 94, just upstream from West Alton.

UPDATE: Jure Robic maintains his huge lead in the men's solo division. He reached the Jefferson City, Mo., time station at 10:20 p.m. CDT. He is on target to reach the Mississippi shortly before 8 a.m. today. David Haase is about 180 miles back and is expected to reach the Mississippi sometime between 12:07 and 5:19 a.m. Sunday.

Labels: Missouri, RAAM, racing

Roger 0 comments links to this post 3:20 AM

Thursday, June 05, 2008

McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle grand opening

The Great Rivers Greenway District and the Metro East Park and Recreation District will jointly celebrate the grand opening of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle at Branch Street on Saturday, June 7, from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

The McKinley Bridge Bikeway is a 2,600-ft. long by 14-ft. wide cantilevered lane separated from vehicular traffic lanes on the McKinley Bridge. Offering dramatic views of the Mississippi River and downtown St. Louis, the bikeway is a unique and distinctive feature of the reconstructed bridge that was reopened for vehicular traffic last November.

Also new on the Missouri side is the Trestle at Branch Street, a 2,400-ft. long by 24-ft. wide paved path that rises from street level at Branch Street to the height of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway. The trestle provides a direct connection to the popular 11-mile Riverfront Trail.

Eventually, an additional extension on the Missouri side will connect the Trestle at Branch Street, an adjacent historic elevated steel trestle that continues to downtown St. Louis. The trestle, which was a former rail corridor, will distinguish St. Louis as only the third city in the world, after the High Line in New York City and the Promenade Plantée in Paris, to convert an historic elevated railroad viaduct into a linear urban recreation area.

In a press release for the event, Madison County Board Chairman Alan Dunstan highlighted another important aspect of the project. “Thanks to the vision and hard work of the Madison County Transit District (MCT), we have a world-class bikeway system featuring over 100 miles of interconnected trails in Madison County. The opening of this landmark project by MEPRD and Great Rivers Greenway brings us another step closer to providing Missouri residents with enhanced access to those trails.”

While there are existing on-road connections to both the Confluence Trail and Schoolhouse Trail, MEPRD and MCT are in the planning stages for a trail connection that will link the McKinley Bridge Bikeway directly into the one of those existing MCT trails.

No bicycle riding will be allowed on the McKinley Bridge during the event, but participants will be able to walk or take a shuttle bus to take advantage of bands, food and other activities in St. Louis and across the Mississippi River in Venice, Ill. There's an early bird ride from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. from North Riverfront Park in St. Louis down to the bridge. The bikeway will be officially dedicated at noon.

Columbia, Ill.-based Helmets First will giving away bicycle helmets to the first 100 children.

Labels: bicycling, Illinois, McKinley Bridge, Missouri, St. Louis, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:39 PM

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Missouri gets a D in cycling

On Monday, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote about the Missouri Bicycle Federation's recent report, "Bicycling and Walking in Missouri -- A Report Card" (PDF file).

"The overall grade for Missouri's walking and bicycling environment for 2007 was a D," Missouri Bicycle Federation Executive Director Brent Hugh said in a recent post on MoBikeFed's Web site. "We are quite frankly behind most other states in accommodating for safe walking and bicycling. With gas prices near $3.50 a gallon and rising, it's hitting us right in the pocketbook."

The Post-Dispatch quoted a St. Louis-area cyclist who thought the area deserved a grade of C+. I would have to agree that the St. Louis area has a better cycling environment than the rest of the state, but that's not saying much.

Here's a couple of areas of concern MoBikeFed cited:

• MoDOT stops meetings of Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee for over 18 months; essentially shuts down bicycle/pedestrian program for most of the year; fires bicycle/pedestrian coordinator; halts Missouri Complete Streets bill; over 95% of MoBikeFed supporters disapprove of MoDOT's handling of bicycling and walking.
• Numerous important transportation projects statewide continue to move forward without needed bicycle and/or pedestrian accommodations or with facilities that do not meet ADA requirements--including Hanley Rd in St. Louis County, Hwy 45 in Parkville, and Hwy 150 in the Kansas City area, and many others.

Having done the former Cycle Across Missouri Parks ride twice in the 1990s and having been a volunteer/rider on last year's Cycle Across Missouri, I can say that part of the problem is the quality of the roads themselves. Once you get out of the state's metropolitan areas, the roads often are barely safe for motor vehicles, let alone for cyclists.

The roads often are in poor shape with potholes, cracks and crumbling pavement. In rural areas, there often are no shoulders whatsoever, not even an extra foot or two that would make a big difference for cyclists.

Last year, I rode on Highway 116 in northwest Missouri. The road had no shoulder and plenty of fast traffic. On top of that, motorists were not particularly accommodating of me or other cyclists, and I was forced to bail onto the grass once because of that. I was happy to get off that road, except that turning onto U.S. 63 toward Lawson was even less fun. Not only was it narrower than Highway 116, the edge of the road was in extremely poor shape. I didn't have to bail off that road, but I sure was saying plenty of prayers!

Early on CAM last year, cyclists were forced to ride on U.S. 136 toward Bethany. I was glad I was supporting the ride instead of riding that day. Again, there was no shoulder on much of U.S. 136, and cyclists weren't happy about that or the refusal of some motorists to give sufficient space to pass them.

Part of the problem in rural Missouri that there are few options besides the busy roads. Many of the country roads are dirt and gravel roads totally unsuitable for cycling (unless you own a mountain bike). Illinois has its share of country roads, but at least a great number of roads have oil-and-chip surfaces, making them viable alternatives to the busier highways.

While I would agree that the Missouri Department of Transportation is behind the times when it comes to maintaining road, I also would add that they are hindered by a lack of revenue. Missourians enjoy some of the lowest gasoline taxes in the country, but I would argue that the quality of Missouri roads is a case of you get what you pay for.

I can only base this on anecdotal evidence, but many motorists in Missouri have the attitude that bicycles only belong on the Katy Trail, not on the state's highways.

Clearly, Missouri has a long ways to go to become a truly bike-friendly state, but at least MoBikeFed saw signs of hope: the successful 2007 Tour of Missouri bicycle race, the addition of more miles to the Bike St. Louis system and new connections to the Katy Trail.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Missouri, safety

Roger 1 comments links to this post 8:49 AM

Monday, May 05, 2008

Bike St. Louis expands

Just in time for National Bike to Work Week, May 12-16, the Great Rivers Greenway District is announcing the opening of 57 miles of additional on-street Bike St. Louis routes through St. Louis County and St. Louis City.

With the expansion, the Bike St. Louis system will today 77 miles of dedicated bike lanes and shared traffic lanes.

The dedication of the expansion will take place Thursday at three locations:

• 10 a.m. in Maplewood, Mo., in front of Schlafly Bottleworks, 7260 Southwest Avenue
  
• 11 a.m. in Clayton, Mo., at the MetroLink station at Central and Shaw Park Drive
  
• 12:30 p.m. in St. Louis at the intersection of St. Louis Avenue and Blair Avenue
  (a half-block block west of Crown Candy Kitchen)

Here's a brief excerpt from the press release (Word document) Bike St. Louis has published about the expansion:

The new routes are the first major expansion of the Bike St. Louis network since 2005, when the first 20 miles of continuous on-street bicycle routes were dedicated and connected downtown St. Louis to surrounding neighborhoods. Nearly 50 miles of the expanded Bike St. Louis routes are located in the City of St. Louis, providing connections from downtown to neighborhoods, business districts, educational, cultural and recreation amenities in North and South St. Louis. The new routes also provide on-street connections to the North Riverfront Trail and the McKinley Bridge Bikeway along the Mississippi River in North St. Louis, as well as the River des Peres Greenway and Christy Greenway in South St. Louis.

“In just a few short years, I have seen an important change in residents’ attitudes about bicycle trails and lanes,” said St. Louis Mayor Francis G. Slay. “What was suspicion and resistance five years ago is now enthusiastic support. A nearby trail is viewed – and, more importantly for our physical fitness, used – as an important amenity for city neighborhoods."

All Bike St. Louis routes feature highly visible customized designation signs, standard federal bicycle route signs and on-street pavement markings. In addition, Bike St. Louis maps are available online at www.bikestlouis.org and at many convenient area locations throughout the region. The maps provide information to assist riders plan their routes and feature safety tips and other pertinent resource information.

And if that wasn't enough, the Great Rivers Greenway District will hold the grand opening of the McKinley Bridge Bikeway and Trestle on June 7. After a major renovation, the bridge reopened to vehicle traffic late last year, and now the McKinley Bridge will link the Bike St. Louis system to the Madison County Transit Confluence Trail in Illinois.

Once the bridge is open, St. Louis cyclists will have four safe ways to cross the Mississippi River between the two states. The existing crossings are the Eads Bridge, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and the Clark Bridge, which connects St. Charles County, Mo., and Alton, Ill.

Not surprisingly, I applaud the efforts to make the St. Louis area more bicycle friendly, and I hope the trend continues.

Labels: commuting, cycling, Missouri, St. Louis, trails

Roger 2 comments links to this post 12:10 AM

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Driver hits bicyclist with gun

A Columbia, Mo., man was arrested Tuesday night on suspicion of hitting another man in the head with a gun after an apparent traffic dispute, the Columbia Tribune reports.

Nuvan F. Brown, 25, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault and armed criminal action, police said.

A 34-year-old cyclist told police he was riding his bicycle eastbound on Walnut Street between Second and First streets when a van pulled in front of the bicycle, and the victim told police he had to brake quickly to avoid hitting the vehicle. He said he slapped the back window of the van "to let the driver know he was there," according to a Columbia police news release.

The van then drove through the parking lot and cut the man off again on Second Street near Walnut, police said. Brown got out of the van, hit the victim in the head with a handgun and threatened to kill him, police said.

Brown is back on the streets after posting bond.

Labels: Missouri, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:38 AM

Saturday, April 12, 2008

On the legislative front

Advocacy groups in Missouri and Illinois have been busy trying to push bicycle-friendly bills through their respective legislatures. Here's a rundown of the activity:

Missouri

The Missouri Bicycle Federation has been pushing a Complete Streets bill. The Missouri House passed the bill overwhelmingly, but it hit a snag in the Senate.

MoBikeFed Executive Director Brent Hugh reports that Missouri Department of Transportation Pete Rahn has voiced his opposition to the bill. Here's an excerpt from the group's blog:

"Although MoDOT's research group had returned a fiscal note indicating the impact of the bill on MoDOT's budget would be $0, Rahn apparently became concerned that the bill would require MoDOT to pay more attention to the needs and safety of bicyclists and pedestrians than it wishes to. The agency could face real consequences for failure to safely accommodate for pedestrians, bicyclists, and people with disabilities, where now it faces none."

Rahn told the bill's sponsor, Rep. Mike Sutherland, that MoDOT would implement what's needed so that the bill isn't needed. MoBikeFed is skeptical. "In great degree thanks to MoDOT policy, Missourians bicycle at less than half the national average," the organization contends.

Here's some other initiatives MoBikeFed is pushing:

DEAD RED FOR BICYCLES AND SAFE PASSING OF BICYCLES PROVISIONS PASS MISSOURI SENATE: SB 761, sponsored by Senator Bill Stouffer, was debated and passed the Missouri Senate on March 26.

The bill includes two important provisions for bicyclists: safe passing (allows cars to pass bicyclists safely even in solid yellow lined "no passing zones") and dead red (allows bicyclists to proceed through a red traffic signal when it is malfunctioning and will not change).

http://mobikefed.org/2008/03/dead-red-for-bicycles-and-safe-passing.php

SAFE STREETS BILL HAS HEARING IN MISSOURI HOUSE; FAMILIES TESTIFY: The "Safe Streets" bill with enhanced penalties for those who injure or kill while driving, had a hearing in the House Judiciary Committee on March 26.

Brad Gaunt, son of Larry Gaunt and uncle of Sierra Gaunt, who were killed last summer while bicycling in the Kansas City area, testified about the family's response to that tragedy and the difficulties they have faced in working with the prosecutor's office to get appropriate prosecution in that case.

http://mobikefed.org/2008/03/safe-streets-bill-has-hearing-in.php

BILL INTRODUCED TO ALLOW MISSOURI COUNTIES TO FUND BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN FACILITIES: A bill to allow certain counties to create a county sales tax to fund bicycle and pedestrian facilities has been introduced in the Missouri legislature.

A group of parks officials has worked hard to create and advance this bill. Since it is in MoBikeFed's current Legislative Platform it allows us to come in strongly in support of the bill.

http://mobikefed.org/2008/04/bill-introduced-to-allow-missouri.php

Illinois

The League of Illinois Bicyclists and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation are pushing legislation that would create the offense of infliction of serious physical injury or death to a vulnerable user of a public way. Vulnerable users include bicyclists, pedestrians and highway workers.

Under the bill, a person convicted of operating a vehicle upon a highway in a careless or reckless manner and causing serious physical injury or death to a vulnerable user of a public way would face a minimum $12,500 fine and possible suspension of driving privileges. The offense would be a Class A misdemeanor.

The House and Senate versions of the bill are awaiting action by the full chambers. An amendment also has been proposed in the Senate bill that would add motorcyclists to the list of vulnerable members.

Meanwhile, a task force is continuing its look into creating a negligent vehicular homicide law. The task force is required to issue its report to the General Assembly by July 1. That task force was prompted by the 2006 death of Matt Wilhelm, who was killed by a car driven by a woman downloading a cell phone ring tone in Urbana.

TRANSPORTATION ENHANCEMENTS AND SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL: Both LIB and the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation say problematic funding practices at the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) have hindered the creation of safe places for adults and children to walk and bicycle in Illinois. IDOT distributes funds to two key efforts that promote safety and active transportation: bicycle trails and Safe Routes to School, a movement to encourage and enable children to safely walk and bike to school.

The legislation would hold the state more accountable for these funds by requiring that the selection committee’s project criteria and rankings are publicly reported, funding decisions are based solely on project ranking, funding decisions are promptly announced, and public and local government representatives are added to existing selection committees. It would ensure a more predictable and more public funding process, which will encourage more communities and municipalities to take advantage of the funds available to them.

Both the House and Senate unanimously passed their versions of the legislation, and the bills await votes in the opposite chambers.

Labels: advocacy, Illinois, Missouri, safety

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:36 AM

Friday, February 15, 2008

Economic impact of the Tour of Missouri

Two recent reports by Tour of Missouri organizers and the University of Missouri’s Tourism Economics Research Initiative reveal some interesting numbers about the economic impact of the inaugural 2007 event. It already had been revealed that the race was estimated to bring in $26 million into Missouri's economy. Here's some more numbers:

• The estimated number of spectators totaled 367,566 with 255,529 unique stage spectators.
• St. Louis is estimated to have hosted the most spectators at the beginning or end of a stage,
  with an estimated 50,000 at the final stage of the Tour. Of those, 20,089 were at the St. Louis finish line (Union Station), with the rest scatted along the circuit.
• The fifth stage between Jefferson City and St. Charles came in second with an estimated 45,000 spectators. Of that, 7,478 were at the St. Charles finish.
  
• Household travel parties averaged 2.05 people spending $560.85. In Fiscal Year 2006, average expenditures by domestic travelers in Missouri (per household travel party) were $307.25.
• On average, 41.8% of the start/finish line spectators came from outside the local area. Kansas City had the highest percentage (60.19%), followed by Branson (59.24%) and
  St. Charles (48.23%).
• 25.6% of the out-state respondents stated they had not visited the interview site within the
  past five years. 73% said the Tour of Missouri was very important or extremely important
  in planning their trip.

The organizers of the event contend that the higher numbers at St. Louis and St. Charles stages were the number of spectators at the finish. That may be possible, judging from anecdotal evidence I heard from spectators and personal observations. Many people who may have watched an earlier portion of a stage also traveled to the finish line.

You can see the unfiltered numbers in the Tourism Economics Research Initiative's "The Economic Impact of the 2007 Tour of Missouri" (PDF file). Filtered numbers can be found in the Tour of Missouri's Annual Report (PDF file).

Labels: cycling, Missouri, racing, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:36 PM

Sunday, December 23, 2007

New mecca of cycling?

I had hoped to make it out to one of the sessions of the World Class Cycling Summit held Tuesday and Saturday in Wentzville, Mo., but work and Christmas obligations got in the way.

Fortunately for us, the Suburban Journals made it out to Tuesday's session at the Holiday Inn in Wentzville.

There, conversations revolved around one central theme, the Suburban Journals reported: How to make the St. Louis region a mecca for the sport of cycling. "It has gone from bottom to top; we've got more support than we've ever seen, and right now is really the time to capitalize on it," said Brent Hugh of the Missouri Bicycle Federation.

Wentzville Mayor Paul Lambi hopes to build an indoor velodrome in his community, located in western St. Charles County. The Suburban Journals reported that Lambi announced he is working to acquire for the city land for park ground. Although in the preliminary stages, the property could house a velodrome along with soccer fields, baseball diamonds and trails. Other options would be asking voters to approve a general obligation bond or seeking local sponsorship.

The panelists who spoke discussed other general goals, including obtaining state money for bicycle routes and cyclist education. To see the full list, go to the story.

Labels: advocacy, cycling, Missouri, St. Louis, velodrome

Roger 0 comments links to this post 12:25 AM

Thursday, December 06, 2007

World Class Cycling Summit

The Missouri Bicycle Federation and the Westplex Sports, Arts and Entertainment Local Organizing Committee will host a "World Class Cycling Summit on two dates -- both will have the same program, so you can plan to come to either of the two:

* Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2007, 3:00 - 5:00 p.m., I-70 Holiday Inn in Wentzville, Missouri, 900 Corporate Pkwy, Wentzville, Mo.

* Saturday, Dec. 22, 9:00 - 11:00 a.m., Crossings at Wentzville, 100 Mall Parkway, Wentzville, Mo.

The groups are looking for the help of a select group of people to make the Westplex region of the St. Louis metropolitan area -- St. Charles, Warren, Franklin and Lincoln counties -- and the entire state of Missouri a world=class bicycling center.

You can reserve your spot at the summit by sending an e-mail to Ed Watkins of the Westplex group at edwatkins@charter.net

Why a "World Class Cycling Summit?" And why in the Westplex? The groups offer reasons listed here:

The success of the 2007 Tour of Missouri has brought unprecedented international attention to bicycling in Missouri.

The recent announcement of a 46-mile "Kansas City Connection" to the Katy Trail on the western end, and 11 additional miles between St. Charles and Machens on the eastern end, means that the nation's longest rail-trail will soon be even longer -- over 280 miles.

Our dream of making a trail connection between Missouri's two largest metropolitan areas is very close to reality. Imagine bicycling from the St. Louis Arch to Kansas City's Liberty Memorial on a network of trails stretching state line to state line!

These two events have put our state out on the world stage as a place where people want to live, work, visit--and bicycle.

Now what is it going to take to make Missouri into the bicycling Mecca that it really should be? ...

At the World Class Cycling Summit, we will talk about where we are, where we need to go, and what we need to do now to become a world-class bicycling center -- both as a region and as a state.

Representatives of MoBikeFed, Trailnet, and other bicycling and community organizations will be there to talk about the statewide, regional, and local perspectives.

Why in the Westplex?

When Stage 5 of the 2007 Tour of Missouri ended in St. Charles--to the biggest finish line crowd of the week -- several Westplex leaders saw the future of their region before their eyes.

The Tour of Missouri Local Organization Committee had already made the decision to become a permanent, standing committee dedicated to bringing events into the Westplex area -- events like marathons, runs, triathlons, and -- of course -- bicycle races.

Area leaders, organized by Ed Watkins, were able to raise $70,000 in just a few weeks to create the Westplex Sports, Arts and Entertainment L.O.C.

Ed has played a central role in creating support and raising funds for an amazing number of local, state, and national project such as: The St. Charles Family Arena, the TR Hughes Ballpark, the Robert F. Hyland Performance Arena, the St. Peters Rec-Plex and Olympic Swimming & Diving Center, the National Fantasy Baseball Camps for the Hearing Impaired, the Ozzie Smith Stadium, and many others.

The Westplex L.O.C. now wants to make the Westplex area a model "Bicycling Center."

The Bicycling Center will implement many of the best practices for creating bicycle-friendly communities, practices that have been tried and tested by communities across the U.S. and the world. To these proven best practices we will add opportunities unique to the Westplex area.

Here are just some of the possibilities we will explore:

• Bicycle-friendly cities where children and adults feel comfortable riding for health, recreation, or to visit friends, parks, schools, and shopping by bicycle.
• A regional trails network anchored by the statewide Katy Trail.
• Better promote the Katy Trail and the region as a tourist and recreation destination.
• A world-class velodrome.
• Regular bicycle rides, races, and events, both amateur and professional.
• Bring unique bicycle-related businesses to the Westplex.
• Creating a "culture of bicycling" what will set Westplex apart from almost everywhere else in the United States.

The groups have a rather ambitious goal. In the past, St. Charles County has developed a reputation of being somewhat unfriendly toward cyclists, who sometimes are told by motorists to "get on the trail," referring to the Katy Trail that runs through the county. I don't do enough riding in St. Charles County to know first-hand whether that reputation is deserved.

I do think the Tour of Missouri may have opened some eyes to the economic impact of cycling, and the success of the trail system in Madison County, Ill., can serve as a model for the Westplex to follow.

Labels: cycling, Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:40 PM

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Katy Trail Connection

On Wednesday an event that the Missouri Bicycle Federation, bicycling and trails groups, and thousands of individuals across Missouri have been working hard to achieve for many years came to fruition with an agreement to "complete the Katy Trail" by connecting it to the Kansas City metro area.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Attorney General's Office, and the electric utility AmerenUE announced a settlement regarding the Taum Sauk dam disaster Wednesday,

The settlement includes about $180 million in reparation payments from Ameren.

Included in the settlement is a "trail use agreement" and $18 million that will allow DNR to build the Katy Trail Connection to Kansas City and will pay a good part of the expense of building the trail connection.

"Our thanks go to Governor (Matt) Blunt, Attorney General Jay Nixon, and DNR Director Doyle Childers for working together to make sure the Katy Trail Connection was included in the Ameren agreement," said Dr. Brent Hugh, president of the Missouri Bicycle Federation. "Political differences made the negotiations rocky at times, but all sides were able to see the benefit of the Katy Trail connection for all Missourians and, in the end, all sides had to work together to make it happen.

"All involved can consider the Katy Trail Connection to be an important part of their legacy--a new 46-mile long state park that will be enjoyed by many millions of citizens for decades and centuries to come," he said.

Here's some details about the connection provided by the federation:

• The Katy Trail connection will be built on the Rock Island railroadcorridor between Windsor and Pleasant Hill. Pleasant Hill is on the edge ofthe Kansas City metropolitan area. (Union Pacific owns the Rock Island line from From Pleasant Hill on in to Kansas City, and plans are already underway to connect the trail through Lee's Summit and eventually to downtown Kansas City via alternate routes.)
• The portion of the Rock Island corridor that will be used for the trail isabout 46 miles. Putting this together with the 'Machens extension' on theeast end (about 11 miles), this will increase the total size of thecomplete Katy Rail-Trail network to approximately 282 miles.
• The Rock Island portion of the trail will be a "rails-with-trails" project--the trail will be built in the railroad right-of-way alongside the railroad tracks so that the railroad can still use the corridor in the future. Building the Katy Trail Connection alongside the existing track will be relatively expensive compared with building a trail on the railbed, as the rest of the Katy Trail and most rail-trails are. Much grading and foundation work must be done, and bridges and underpasses built alongside existing railroad bridges and underpasses.
• However, the agreement includes $18 million from Ameren to assist in construction expenses. Apparently this is not enough to completely construct the 46-mile segment and additional funds will be needed--either from the Missouri General Assembly or from other sources.
• The state also receives first right of refusal for purchase of the railroad corridor if Ameren ever decides to sell it.

Here's some more links about the Katy Trail Connection

• Complete text of the agreement with Ameren (PDF format): http://ago.mo.gov/pdf/2007/TaumSaukConsentJudgment.pdf
  
• Where will the Katy Trail Connection go? What will it look like? A map and visualization of the "shared corridor concept" be found at the federation's site.
  
• Gov. Matt Blunt's press release
• Attorney General Jay Nixon's press release
• Kansas City Star
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch
  
• Associated Press
  

Labels: Katy Trail, Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 3:01 AM

Monday, November 26, 2007

Missouri trail plan suffers setback

Dardenne Greenway, initially proposed as a recreational trail across most of St. Charles County, Mo., is shrinking by more than a third, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported today.

The Great Rivers Greenway District hoped to build a 36-mile trail along Dardenne Creek from the Warren County line to the Mississippi River, the Post-Dispatch reported. But indifference or even hostility from some creekside landowners led the district to abandon its plan for the project's eastern and western ends. As a result, the trail will probably run from just west of the Busch Wildlife Area to just east of St. Peters' Lakeside 370 Park.

Nancy Thompson, the district's project manager for the Dardenne Greenway, said few landowners west of the Busch area and along the creek near the Mississippi were willing to grant trail easements.

"What happened is that we listened to the people and found that in the west part of the county there's very little willingness from property owners for a trail," she said.

Labels: Missouri, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 2:40 PM

Friday, November 16, 2007

McKinley Bridge dedication

Just a reminder: The dedication of the refurbished McKinley Bridge, which connects St. Louis with Venice, Ill., will take place at 9:30 a.m. Saturday on the Illinois side of the bridge.

After the dedication, the bridge won't be open to vehicles until later this month, when the two vehicular lanes will be open to the public. Illinois Department of Transportation construction engineer Ted Nemsky told the Belleville News-Democrat that "very minor" steel repairs remain, bridge and bike rails need to be installed, and some touch-up painting needs to be completed.

Once the bridge is open to cyclists, there will be no direct connections -- for now, anyway -- from the bridge to any existing trails, the Riverfront Trail in Missouri and the Madison County Transit's Confluence and Schoolhouse trails in Illinois, but you can use streets and highways to get to them.

A trail to connect the bridge with the bridge with the Confluence Trail is likely to be finished in 2008. Until then, you can use Illinois Route 3 to get to 20th Street in Granite City, the southern trailhead of the confluence trail. The trail is on the west side of Route 3. Between the bridge and 20th Street, Route 3 has a wide, paved shoulder.

There also will be a direct connection from the bridge to the Riverfront Trail. Until then, you can take the bridge to the North Broadway intersection in St. Louis. Turn right on North Broadway, turn right on East Grand Avenue, turn left on Hall Street, turn right on East Prairie Avenue, and that will take you to the Mary Meachum Freedom Crossing stop on the Riverfront Trail.

Someday, MCT hopes to connect the Schoolhouse Trail to the bridge, but that's many years down the road. I suppose you can go from the bridge to the Route 3/Broadway intersection in Venice, turn right on Route 3/Broadway, stay on Broadway when Route 3 veers to the right, turn right on Second Street in the city of Madison, turn right on Illinois Route 203 (McCambridge Avenue), turn right on Harrison Street and hop on the trail there.

However, I would advise you not take to use option unless you're sure of where you're going and feel comfortable riding in urban areas. A wrong turn could put you in some dicey neighborhoods in the Venice-Madison area.

Labels: Illinois, McKinley Bridge, MCT Trails, Missouri, St. Louis

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:01 PM

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Final thoughts on the 2007 Tour of Missouri

By most accounts, the first-ever Tour of Missouri was a big success. Thousands of people -- many of whom had never seen a bicycle race before -- got a taste of what big-time bicycle racing is all about.

Here's some final thoughts about the race and its future:

Will there be a 2008 version of the Tour of Missouri? Yes. Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder says the state is committed to supporting the race in 2008 and 2009. This year, the state put in $1 million toward the race. While some folks are concerned about how the money is being spent and whether using a bicycle race to promote tourism in the state is a wise investment, Kinder and his boss, Gov. Matt Blunt, believe the event will promote tourism in Missouri.

While the Tour of Missouri did not have a title sponsor in 2007, lots of Missouri businesses did pour money into the event. The fan turnout may convince those businesses to maintain or increase their investment into the event, and if the sport of cycling can further clean up its act as far as doping is concerned, Medalist Sports just may succeed in finding a title sponsor.

Why prompted the strong fan turnout? Two words: Discovery Channel. The fact that Tour de France winner Alberto Contador and third-place finisher Levi Leipheimer, along with George Hincapie, were in the race automatically increased interest in the race. The fact that the Tour of Missouri was the final U.S. appearance for Discovery Channel was another drawing card.

The crowd estimates for Stage 6 in St. Louis ranged from 55,000 to 60,000, very strong considering there were two other major sporting events that drew more than 100,000 between them in St. Louis at the same time. While some spots on the 10.6-mile circuit only had a few fans, such as the backstretch on Olive Street pictured above, the start-finish line at Union Station and many streets in or near the Central West End neighborhood were jammed with fans.

Kansas City's Stage 1 had a turnout of about 40,000, and Stage 5 from Jefferson City to St. Charles drew about 30,000, including a large contingent on the Schluersberg Road hill.

Can Tour of Missouri repeat the buzz? That depends on whether Hincapie's and Leipheimer's new teams are interested in coming to Missouri next year. While there were a lot of promising riders in the Tour of Missouri, those cyclists don't get a lot of attention in the mainstream media.

I'm not sure how many top European pros will come over for the Tour of Missouri. If the 2008 version of the race is run in September, it once again will conflict with the Vuelta a España.

Where will the Tour of Missouri in the future? You would think that the event would go to St. Louis and Kansas City every year, and you can make a strong argument that the Springfield-Branson area should get a stage annually. Only a small portion of this year's route went north of Interstate 70, so St. Joseph and the hilly countryside in northwestern Missouri could get some consideration. No doubt, Cape Girardeau and its cycling community will be seeking a piece of the action as well.

Highlights of the Tour of Missouri: The obvious ones: Hincapie's overall victory, especially his finish in Stage 2 in Springfield; Leipheimer's time trial victory; the challenge cyclists faced with the seemingly unending "rolling" hills of Missouri; and the fan turnout.

Lowlights of the Tour of Missouri: Dan Schmatz's encounter with the armadillo in Stage 2 and Brad Huff's accident on the final sprint in Stage 6. Both were unfortunate because they are Missouri natives who wanted to put on a good show in the Show-Me State.

Labels: cycling, Missouri, racing, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 1:01 AM

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Post-Dispatch Tour of Missouri preview

Today's edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch has an eight-page special section about the Tour of Missouri.

As an employee of the Belleville News-Democrat, it's not every day that I recommend that you buy a competing newspaper, but you really should if you're a cycling fan.

You can get most of the information in the special section online, but the print edition of the guide is well-designed and packed with lots of good information, maps and photos. It'll be handy to have around as you follow the race.

Other Missouri newspapers also had stories about the Tour of Missouri today. These included

• (Springfield) News-Leader
• (Jefferson City) News-Tribune
• Kansas City Star
  

Labels: Missouri, newspapers, St. Louis, Tour of Missouri

Roger 0 comments links to this post 10:41 AM

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Spoofhounds and Bushwhackers

BETHANY, Mo. -- Today is the third day of this year's Cycle Across Missouri. CAM often is a loop tour of a region of Missouri, and this year is one of those.

The ride began Sunday at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and will end there Friday. Sunday night, we stayed in St. Joseph, Mo., then we moved on Monday to Maryville, Mo.

Maryville probably is the most obscure of the communities that host a public university in Missouri, Northwest Missouri State, but Maryville High School probably has one of the most obscure nicknames in the country, the Spoofhounds. The Spoofhounds are so unique that they even have their own entry in Wikipedia!

The story goes that a football coach had seen a bunch of Plaster of Paris toys called The Spoof Hound, then told his players after a particularly bad practice that they looked like Spoof Hounds. The name stuck, and the schools' teams are still known as Spoofhounds.

The Bushwhackers are people like Jesse James and others of his ilk who once roamed that part of Missouri.

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I am doing this ride more in a support role rather than a cycling mode, although I'm trying to get some miles in when I can. It certainly is educational being on the other end of a supported weeklong trip. What I've learned isn't quite clear yet, but I'll let you know soon.

Labels: cycling, Missouri, tours

Roger 0 comments links to this post 4:07 PM

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Old Chain of Rocks Bridge parking update

Starting April 1, Trailnet will make monitored attendant parking available at the Missouri entrance to the historic Old Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River.

Monitored parking will be available from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday through Sunday until November 1. St. Louis Parking will be collecting fees of $3 per vehicle and $10 for 15-passenger or larger vehicles at the Missouri lot. Walkers and bicyclists entering the bridge from the St. Louis Riverfront Trail and Madison County Transit's Confluence Trail will not be charged.

Because of vandalism and car thefts in the Missouri parking lot, Trailnet closed access to the parking area during the off-peak season when monitored parking is not provided. The bridge is open daily for bicycle and pedestrian access, from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset.

“Trailnet is committed to keeping the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge open to bicyclists and pedestrians,” Trailnet Executive Director Ann Mack said in a press release. “There is also free parking at the Illinois entrance to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge."

Trailnet, in partnership with the city of Madison, Ill., renovated the bridge as a bicycle/pedestrian bridge. For many decades the bridge was a key link in the beloved Route 66 and was recently named to the National Register of Historic Places. Today, the bridge is a key link in the bi-state trail system and is part of The Confluence Project, a riverside conservation, heritage and recreation corridor being developed in the St. Louis region.

Labels: Missouri, Old Chain of Rocks Bridge, safety, St. Louis, Trailnet, trails

Roger 2 comments links to this post 12:57 PM

Monday, December 04, 2006

Bike trails taking shape across area

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch today reports the idea of a two-state web of interwoven bicycle trails is beginning to take form. Tax-supported local agencies in Illinois and Missouri, like the railroad builders of old, extending a network that will allow riders a choice of routes for pedaling the breadth of the metro area.

As you might expect, Madison County Transit's extensive 85-mile network of trails is a big part of the story, and so are the efforts by Trailnet and the Great Rivers Greenway District in their efforts to build trails on the Missouri side of the river.

"Trails connect us," David Fisher, director of the Great Rivers Greenway District, told the Post-Dispatch. "They let us be healthy together. And they have become very, very popular."

More trails are in the works. Some of those not included in the Post-Dispatch story include a trail that would link O'Fallon, Ill., with the Madison County Trails system near Troy and a trail in Swansea that would tie into the MetroLink Bike Trail in Belleville. And let not forget about the efforts of the ITS Trail Committee, which is trying to build a trail from Staunton to Benld in Macoupin County, Ill., with a long-term goal of linking the Madison County trails to the south and Springfield, Ill., to the north.

Labels: bicycling, Illinois, Missouri, trails

Roger 0 comments links to this post 11:10 AM