Archive Page 3
A trial date has been set for William K. Johnson, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the deaths of Larry and Sierra Gaunt last summer. Jury selection starts at 9:00 a.m. on June 30th, with the trail to follow that afternoon or the next morning. The trial will Jackson County Courthouse Annex in Independence, not the main Downtown KC courthouse. It’s at 308 West Kansas Avenue, Independence, MO. The building is one block west and one block south of the historic courthouse square.
KanBikeWalk, Kansas’ new state-wide advocacy group, now has a web site where you can learn more about the group and their mission to promote as safe bicycling and walking environment.
Last week the KCMO City Council unanimously approved an ordinace to establish a Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to help the city become more bike/ped-friendly. The new group of citizens will advise the city on issues like Bicycle Friendly Community designation, the Walktability, Plan, City-Wide Trails Plan, BikeKC, etc. Each of the twelve City Councilmembers will appoint a citizen to the committee, and the Mayor will appoint a chairperson.
The ordinance was sponsored by 2nd District Councilmember (and cyclist) Russ Johnson. Hopefully this will be a big step forward for walking and bicycling in KC by providing an official forum to discuss issues and provide respected advice to the city’s decision makers.
Several news outlets have reported a bicyclist hit this morning at 119th and Mission Road in Leawood, KS. While the injuries are serious, it sounds like he will survive. It also sounds like the motorist might have been at fault for making a left turn without yielding to oncoming traffic.
Johnson County Bike Club President Maggi Hacker has this info from Leawood Police:
The man is 47, he is still alive and the word is that he will survive this crash, he was westbound on 119th in front of Nativity at Mission Rd intersection. A westbound car turned left (north) into him at the entrance to Nativity where there is a stoplight there. We hope and pray for his speedy recovery.
I totally missed this one, but it’s great news. The first phase of new mountain bike and hiking trail in Liberty is officially opening this weekend. Earthriders Trails Association has completed two miles of trail in Liberty’s Stocksdale Park and the adjacent Walnut Woods state conservation area. It’s the first but hopefully not the last mountain bike trail on land owned by the Missouri Department of Conservation.
Opening day will feature food, local bike shops, and a beginner-friendly trail. Stop by and check it out the Northland’s second mountain bike trail. The location is in southeastern Liberty between MO-291 and Richfield Road/NE 84th Street.
The Missouri Bicycle Federation reports surging bike sales across the state, partly due to motorists turning to transportation alternatives as gasoline prices continue to rise. And it’s a national trend. New York is even experiencing shortages as the high demand exceeds supply.
Closer to home, I’ve mentioned before that KCMO gained three new bike shops in just three weeks earlier this year, for a total of four in the last year.
Good news on the BikeKC front. Bike lanes are coming to Beardsley Road. This road is a popular bike route connecting that runs along the west side of the downtown bluff, connecting the West Bottoms and Westside neighborhoods. The road has been closed for two years for reconstruction, but should reopen in late June or early July.
The BikeKC plan calls for an incremental expansion of bike routes in KCMO. Bike lanes are added to designated streets as they are repaved, widened, or otherwise reconstructed.
The directors of the Missouri and Kansas Departments of Transportation will be the guests on Steve Kraske’s Up To Date radio show on Wednesday. Please make sure that the discussion about the future of transportation in Kansas City includes bicycle and pedestrian issues. Call and/or emailing questions to either Pete Rahn of MoDOT or Deb Miller of KDOT.
Up-To-Date
Wednesday, May 28, 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
89.3 FM or www.kcur.org
Get your question on the air:
Call 816-235-2888 or email uptodate@kcur.org
Some possible questions to ask…
How will MoDOT and KDOT help cities respond to surging demand for transportation alternatives like bicycling, walking and transit?
What are the two states doing to reduce the number pedestrians and bicyclists injured or killed on state highways? (Missouri likes to tout its reduction in highway deaths, but forgets that bicycle fatalities have not decreased at the same time).
Will MoDOT quit messing around with bike/ped on the Paseo Bridge and just “get ‘r done” ? ?
How will MoDOT stick to Pete Rahn’s promise to integrate bike/ped into future projects after he killed the Complete Streets bill?
With spring in full swing and summer just around the corner, the KC region’s many group bicycle rides are going strong. There several rides that are particularly good for beginners. If you or someone you know would like to get some experience riding on the road with a group, then these are the rides to check out. They are slow-paced rides on low-traffic streets, with no one left behind.
Mondays in Johnson County - Localcycling.com Recovery Ride
Join Mark Thomas and company for an hour long ride followed by dinner. 6:30 p.m. at Tienda Casa Paloma. 82nd and Metcalf Ave, Overland Park, KS. More info at localcycling.com
Mondays in Platte County - Epic Bike and Localcycling.com Ride
Localcycling.com’s popular Monday night ride now has a second location at Epic Bike and Sport, also at 6:30 p.m. 6000 NW 63rd Terrace, Kansas City, MO (In the Tuileries Plaza on NW 64th Street, west of I-29). More info.
Mondays at the Trek Store
The Trek Store also has a Monday night ride for beginners and anyone wanting a easy ride to start the week. 6:30 p.m. at 10412 Shawnee Mission Parkway, Shawnee, KS. More info.
Mondays in Waldo - Family Bicycles
The new Family Bicycles store is starting new a beginners ride to destinations like Loose Park and the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art. The goal is help novice riders get comfortable on the road while having fun and seeing the sites of the city. 6:30 p.m. at 7140 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO. Starts June 2nd. More info.
Thursdays in Brookside - 8 miles at 8 miles per hour
Join Laurie Chipman of the Kansas City Bicycle Club for super-easy, one hour beginners ride. Then stay for dinner and libations at Charlie Hooper’s. The ride starts with a brief lesson about how to safely ride on the road and in a group. 6:30 p.m. at 63rd and Brookside in Kansas City, MO. More info.
Saturdays at Longview Lake - Bicycle Shack Cycling 101
Join the crew from the Bicycle Shack for an 11 mile ride around Longview Lake. They will help you learn about riding a group, riding technique, etc. 7:45 a.m. at the Longview Community College recreation center. More info.
Now that the Mayor and City Council have pledged to make Kansas City bike friendly, how do we get there? The first step is Bicycle Friendly Communities workshop taking place this week. KC has the honor of hosting Andy Clarke, President of the League of American Bicyclists. He will be in town conducting an intensive workshop for elected officials, city staff, and interest cyclists throughout the region.
Wednesday evening the general public is invited to a reception (free beer and food) and presentation on the Bicycle Friendly Communities program. Please plan to stop by and learn more about how we can make Kansas City and surrounding cities more bicycle friendly.
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