Urban Bike SafetyHow to Not Get Hit By Cars

Urban Biker’s Tips and Tricks

Believe it or not, many Kansas Citians commute to work daily or at least occasionally. The city has an extensive street grid with wide boulevards and side streets parallel to most major arteries. Meanwhile, some suburbs are developing trails linking residential areas to office parks.

Local Resources

  • MARC RideShare - The Mid-America Regional Council offers registered bike commuters a Gauranteed Ride Home in case of emergency.
  • Metro bus/bike info - Most bus routes in KCMO, KCK, and Missouri suburbs have bike racks.
  • JO bus/bike info - Johnson County Transit offers bike racks on most “JO” buses in the Kansas suburbs.
  • Advice from local bike commuters Les Sire, CommuterDude, Noah, Warren, and Jeff.
  • Bike Escorts (PDF) - Volunteer bike buddy program.
  • Regional Bike Map - Shows on-street bike routes, multi-use trails, bike shops, hospitals, etc. Look for the new 2006 edition at local bike shops, order a free map online, or download the PDF version.

Going Downtown?

  • Downtown construction updates - Check the latest street closure bulletins, especially in the South Loop area for construction on the Power & Light District, Sprint Center arena, and Bartle Hall expansion.
  • When coming from the south try Baltimore, Oak, or McGee instead of trying to climb the bluff by going up Broadway.

Crossing the River?
There are few good options for crossing the Missouri or Kansas Rivers, especially for novice or cautious cyclists.

  • The Heart of America Bridge (a.k.a. Burlington or North Oak) is doable, but intimidating for many.
  • The Chouteau Bridge is a little out of the way, but much better than the H.O.A. However, Front Street between Chouteau and Downtown has a lot of truck traffic.
  • Adding the bus to your bike commute is a good option, and three Northland bus routes do have bike racks: #142 North Oak, #133 Vivion/Antioch, and #129 I-29 Express.
  • See Also: Bike-N-Bus info and Northland bus routes.

Tips and Tricks



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