The KCMO City Council recently passed a very extensive climate protection plan designed to dramatically reduce the city’s greenhouse gas emissions. The plan includes some significant directives designed to encourage more bicycling and walking for transportation. Bike/Ped facilities are to be included in new and rebuilt roads and infrastructure, 1% of the city’s transportation budget is to be spent on bicycle projects, with 2% for pedestrian projects.
With transportation accounting for as much as 30% of the city’s greenhouse gas, it is imperative that we begin moving some trips from single-occupant automobiles to bicycling, walking, and transit. Simply increasing KC’s rate of walking and bicycling to the national average would go a long way towards meeting the city’s climate protection goals.
The Missouri Bicycle Federation has more details, and I have send out special thanks to MBF Executive Director Brent Hugh. He represented our interests as a member of the citizens steering committee and worked very to hard to make sure that the final plan included such strong language regarding bicycling and walking.
