KCMO to get Bike/Ped Coordinator
Published October 18th, 2006 in Advocacy
Great news on the advocacy front. The city of Kansas City, Missouri has finally moved forward with hiring a full-time bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. This is a huge step forward in improving bicycling in this region, as we will finally have a person whose sole job is focused on bike/ped issues. This is exactly what we need to jump-start the stalled plans for bike lanes, bike parking, and other facilities. Job description follows below. Please forward this to anyone with an urban planning background, especially if they are also a cyclist.
Job Title: PLANNER III
Location: 20th Floor - City Hall Reference: 400342
Pay,Benefits, & Work Schedule
Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator
Position available with the City Planning & Development Department in a major metropolitan community where the median house price is approximately $140,000 for a single family residence. This position will be a merit system position and filled for a 2-year term with the possibility of extension.
Salary Range: $3840-$6,273/month. Starting salary dependent on qualifications and experience level. Application Deadline: Open until filled. Responsibilities Professional Planner needed to coordinate all bicycle and pedestrian transportation issues within the City. Kansas City is developing a Citywide Trails Plan and is seeking the expertise of a coordinator with a background in the planning and design of bicycle and pedestrian transportation and recreation systems. The Bicycle/Pedestrian Coordinator will assist in the development, financing and implementation of the Citywide Trails Plan. Responsibilities will also include reviewing and analyzing current plans and regulations and making recommendations for necessary amendments/revisions to improve non-motorized transportation, reviewing major capital and developer projects to ensure compliance with City plans and goals for non-motorized transportation and accessibility, preparing grant applications for development of bike/pedestrian projects, and advising City departments, elected officials, and community organizations regarding issues and program activities. Will coordinate bike and pedestrian projects and planning work with other City departments (including Public Works, Parks & Recreation, Water Services, and Environmental Quality) and external stakeholders. Will chair the City¿s Trails Plan Advisory Committee. Must possess knowledge of principles and practices of planning and design related to bicycle and pedestrian facilities according to AASHTO standards, as well as, knowledge of ADA requirements, MUTCD standards and the UVC, excellent organizational skills and the ability to construct strong relationships with elected officials, other City departments and various stakeholders including regional agencies, the development community, neighborhood groups, and community members and organizations. Qualifications Requires an accredited Bachelor¿s degree in one of the social sciences, engineering, city planning, landscape architecture or architecture, supplemented by the completion of a Master's degree in planning and 4 years of professional experience in city, regional, or urban planning work; OR an accredited Bachelor¿s degree in one of the social sciences, engineering, city planning, landscape architecture or architecture and 6 years of professional experience in city, regional, or urban planning work, including 3 years of responsible supervisory and professional work in the fields of urban, community and regional planning (at the level of Planner II).
Ideal candidates will possess 3 to 5 years of professional experience in bicycle and pedestrian facility planning and design. Other Information The evaluation of applications is based only on the information submitted by the posted application deadline. Therefore, in order to have your application properly considered, you should include all relevant dates, i.e., attendance at educational institutions, date degree(s) conferred, etc. Further, you should provide a detailed description of relevant work experience and dates, including months/years of employment. Failure to submit a completed application may eliminate you from the selection process.
For positions requiring college education as part of the minimum requirement and/or an equivalency, the minimum education acceptable is high school graduation or possession of a state-issued GED certificate.
For positions requiring a degree or professional license, the date these were obtained should be included on all applications/resumes submitted. For positions that require an accredited degree, qualifying professional, responsible experience must be obtained AFTER receipt of the accredited degree. The requirement of "high school graduation" also includes the state-issued GED certificate.
Unless otherwise stated, the requirement of "an accredited" degree includes only those degrees obtained from colleges or universities accredited by one of the following institutional accrediting bodies:
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Northwest Association of Colleges and Schools North Central Association of Colleges and Schools New England Association of Colleges and Schools, Inc. Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Western Association of Colleges and Schools
Applications submitted in person or by USPS mail must be received by the published application deadline, 5:00PM, C.T.
Applications submitted by FAX or online must be received by the published application deadline, midnight, C.T.
Normal work hours are 8:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. Monday through Friday, unless otherwise specified.
All positions require successful completion of a pre-employment criminal history/background check. Non-residents, if appointed, must establish residency within the city limits of Kansas City, MO within nine months.
The City of Kansas City, Missouri is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. EOE.
POLICY OF NON DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY The City of Kansas City, Missouri does not discriminate on the basis of disability in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities. Ms. Michele Ohmes, ADA Specialist, 17th Floor, City Hall, (816) 513-2533, has been designated to coordinate compliance with the requirements contained in The Americans with Disabilities Act. FOR MORE INFORMATION, call (816) 513-1929/FAX: (816) 513-2639 JOB INFORMATION LINE 24 HOURS A DAY: (816) 513-1127 WEB SITE: www.kcmo.org E-MAIL ADDRESS: jobs@kcmo.org
2 Responses to “KCMO to get Bike/Ped Coordinator”
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“huge step forward in improving bicycling in this region”
Anyone care to tell me WHY that’s a goal? Who does it benefit other than, obviously, people who ride bicycles?
First, KC is on the “trailing edge” of cities in the U.S. as far as bicycle and pedestrian accommodation, safety, and usage.
The typical U.S. city isn’t exactly cutting edge in this area, so being among the very worst out of a group that isn’t all that great to start with–not exactly bragging rights.
The number of bicycle trips in the KC metro area is less than half the national average. (And in a populated metro area you generally expect to be above the national average on this, not below.)
Same goes for walking trips.
Yet the injury and fatality stats show that KC is ABOVE the national average in the number of bicycle and pedestrian injuries (seen as a percentage of total traffic injuries).
So–way below average on the amount of walking and bicycling, well above average on the amount of injuries.
So first–we have a safety problem.
Second, a recent study showed that of 28 major US cities, KC has the highest rate of single occupant vehicle travel to work and the lowest of transit, bicycling, and walking.
The result is that KC residents pay on average $1000/year more in transportation costs than the national average. That means lack of good transit, walking, and bicycling facilities is costing the KC metro area $700 million dollars EVERY YEAR (700,000 households time $1000 each).
Based on the study probably about half to two-thirds the additional cost can be attributed to transit and the rest to bike/ped. (But do remember that every transit trip includes a bike/ped component.)
So, lack of good transit, walking, and bicycling facilities is costing the metro area in economic competitiveness. At a time when gasoline prices can go from $1/gallon to $3/gallon in a short time, it puts us in an economically vulnerable position.
Third, Missouri is one of the states with the biggest obesity problems and, even worse, one of the states whose obesity problem is growing at a high rate.
Obesity costs Missourians an estimated $1.6 billion in direct health care costs each year.
Everyone who has looked at the obesity problem has agreed that building normal human physical activity out of our cities, towns, and daily lives is one of the biggest contributors to the obesity situation. Missouri has been one of the worst states for engineering bicycle and walking facilities out of our transportation system so it is little surprise that we are also one of the most obese states.
Fourth, walking and bicycling affect a much greater percentage of the population that you might think. Of course, practically everyone is a pedestrian.
But in addition, over 25% of the adult population bicycles regularly (more than once a month).
The most common place for people to bicycle is on the streets near their own homes.
Finally what all this adds up to–far less bicycling and walking, well behind the national average, worse safety than the national average, well behind the national curve in providing for safe bicycling and walking–is that individuals and companies looking to locate in the Kansas City region come from other places in the country where there is an expectation that bicycling and walking will be accommodated safely and that they will be normal and regular parts of every day life.
People are used to living in areas where a large portion of the population walks for bicycles for recreation and a good chunk of people get to work, errands, shopping, and all the rest via walking, bicycling, and transit.
People see all this as–not even a plus or positive–but simply as an expected part of any major metropolitan area.
So when they get to Kansas City and find bicycle and pedestrian accommodation so sorely lacking they frankly wonder what is wrong.
The result is it costs us jobs, good people, and companies who would consider relocating here–if only essential community services and infrastructure were not missing.