Bad news from Jefferson City… The Missouri Department of Transportation has sacked Bicycle & Pedestrian Coordinator Caryn Giarratano.  It doesn’t appear to be a personnel issue but rather a change in direction of MoDOT’s bike/ped program.  The state’s Bike/Ped Advisory Committee hasn’t met in over a year. During that year the department has pulled the Coordinator off of obviously-related projects like the Paseo Bridge controversy, Columbia’s national non-motorized transportation program, even the Tour of Missouri planning committee!

As of right now MoDOT has not announced a search for a replacement or any news about its future bike/ped strategy. While federal transportation laws require that every state have a bike/ped coordinator, there is a few that Missouri could go the direction of Kansas.  That state only has a part-time position that does little real work.  This an ominous sign for bicycling and walking in Missouri, but so far more information is not available.

If this bothers you, and it should, please contact MoDOT director Pete Rahn at pete.rahn@modot.org.