[this is the original version of the letter I sent to the Kansas City Star. Their edited version is posted here, also.]
Support BikeKC
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Mike Hendricks' July 3rd column in the Kansas City Star, "It's Time to Cycle into Action" (http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/3588452.htm) outlined the issues surrounding BikeKC, a proposal to create a network of on-street bike lanes and routes and reserve a little more right-of-way in future developments for pedestrian and biking facilities. Details about the plan can be found at www.bikekc.org.
Bicycle riders, groups, clubs, and shops around the area strongly support BikeKC and have worked hard to get it passed.
Why should Kansas Citians support BikeKC?
* The availability of transportation alternatives will make Kansas City a more thriving, modern, liveable city. Developers lose a small amount of real estate to right-of-way in the short term, but the long-term payoff is a more attractive city with higher overall real estate values. People like to live in areas where walking and biking are options, and developers do well to keep that in mind.
* Bicycling, even just a few miles a week to work, school, the store or the park, is a healthy and eco-friendly alternative. Some choose to emphasize the (very minimal) risks of cycling, but the health *benefits* of cycling outweigh the risks by at least 20-to-1. Bicycle commuters have a 40% lower all-cause mortality risk. That's a *big* health benefit.
* In my own rides around the city, I see an astonishing number of bicyclists already. Bike KC will encourage more of these neighborhood cyclists to safely travel further from home: numerous studies show that on-street bike paths and routes increase bicycle safety, reduce friction between bicycles and autos, and are effective in increasing bicycle use. In fact, studies show that a well-designed on-street bike lane or route is even safer for bicyclists than a typical off-street urban bike path (such a path is likely to have many awkward intersections with city streets, and intersections are where 75% of car-bike accidents happen).
* Millions of federal dollars are available (up to 95% federal subsidy) to smooth streets, replace grates, and repair curbs and gutters on bike routes. These improvements benefit *all* road users, not just bicyclists. If we do not pass BikeKC and use these federal funds to improve our roads, other cities will.
I applaud the city council and staff for having the vision to bring BikeKC forward. I particularly applaud the statesman-like actions of Councilman Ed Ford, chair of the Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee, who has kept an open mind and allowed discussion on BikeKC to progress, even though he personally has had serious reservations with the proposal.
And it does take vision and leadership for politicians to support a plan like BikeKC, because some short-term costs and pain are involved. But the experience of many other cities has shown that developing transportation alternatives is a key step in revitalizing the urban core.
BikeKC is an important step towards making our roads and our city friendlier, not just for bicyclists but for everyone.
I urge Kansas City road users to persuasively and politely let the city council know that you support the modern roadway standards and alternative transportation options of BikeKC. Write the City Council, 24th Floor, 414 E. 12th St., KCMO 64106, call (816) 513-1625, or find email addresses at www.kcmo.org.
Please consider attending the meeting of the Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee when BikeKC will be considered. The meeting is July 31st, 2002, at 1:30PM, in the Council Chambers, 26th Floor of City Hall, 414 East 12th Street.
Council members on the Planning, Zoning, and Economic Development Committee (who most need to hear from you on this issue) are Ed Ford, Troy Nash, Bonnie Sue Cooper, and Mary Williams-Neal.
Dr. Brent Hugh, pianist and professor of music at Missouri Western State College, has bicycled about 2000 miles on Kansas City-area roads in the past year. He can be reached at bhugh@mwsc.edu.
posted by Brent Hugh at
Sunday, August 25, 2002 |
permanently archived here
