Don’t forget to vote today for bike-friendly cadidates.  Then go check out MoDOT’s proprosal for widening Route 150 on the south edge of the metro.

From Brent Hugh, Executive Director, Missouri Bicycle Federation

Many of us have attended the previous meetings about the project to
widen Route 150 between Route 71 and Route 291. Route 150 is
currently very uninviting and dangerous for bicycling and walking.
With improvements it could become a major and important route for
walking and bicycling.

In the meeting Tuesday, MoDOT will present the results of their study
and the public input. This is a good opportunity to give them feedback
about whether they are going the right direction or not.

The main messages we have been giving MoDOT on this project:

1. Sidewalks are needed on BOTH sides of the road in urban areas.

2. Putting a wide sidewalk on one side of the road does NOT remove
the need to include adequate on-street bicycle accommodations.

Keep in mind that this area is projected to become completely
urbanized in the lifetime of this project. So it is appropriate to
treat Route 150 as an urban route that requires complete bicycle and
pedestrian compatibility.

MoDOT's new policy requires bicycle and pedestrian facilities when
the public asks for them--so let's ASK!

If you can't attend the meeting you could send an email supporting
the above points to stephen.porter@modot.mo.gov
<mailto:stephen.porter@modot.mo.gov> (please remember to be polite
and persuasive–and thank them for listening to our viewpoint,
because they really have listened to us on this project).

Meeting details:

Route 150 Widening in Jackson County

Tuesday, February 27, 2007
 Meadowmere Elementary School
 7010 E. 136th Street
 Grandview, MO 

6 p.m. - 8 p.m.

Google map of meeting location:

* http://tinyurl.com/2cl2el*

 A proposed alignment for the Route 150 widening project will be on
display for comment at a public hearing. An eight-mile section of
Route 150 is scheduled for widening to four lanes between Route 71
and Route 291. The project is expected to begin in 2008 and be
completed by 2010. The $30 million project is funded with Amendment 3
dollars, which have been allocated to accelerate the completion of the
state’s priority highway projects. MoDOT engineers, right-of-way
specialists and engineering consultants will be available to explain
details and answer questions at the open-house, come-and-go-formatted
meeting. No formal presentations will be made.