[ALERT: PLEASE SHARE WIDELY THROUGH 13 JUNE 2014]
St Charles County just released its list of projects for the proposed transportation sales tax--$279 million worth.
And failed to include even one single bicycle, pedestrian, or transit project.
What you can do to help:
* Write or call the St Charles County Council to let them know this is not OK (details below)
* Make sure you MoBikeFed membership is current and/or make a special donation, so we can continue full steam to keep the pressure on this issue at the local and statewide levels.
WRITE OR CALL THE ST CHARLES COUNTY COUNCIL
The list of projects suggested by the St Charles County Council for the new MoDOT funding includes no bicycle or pedestrian project.
Contrast this with the St Louis City & St Louis County lists, which include numerous bicycle and pedestrian projects and also explicitly call for a Complete Streets approach to included needed bike/ped elements in every road that is built or improved.
Please call or email the County Executive and your County Council member and make these points:
* This new funding is the first to allow bicycle and pedestrian projects. These projects are much needed in St. Charles County and you expect the County to include bicycle and pedestrian projects on any project list they submit.
* St Louis City and St Louis County are requiring MoDOT to include needed bicycle and pedestrian elements on every road, highway, bridge, and interchange they build, as needed. St Charles County should take the same "Complete Streets" approach--because St Charles County residents enjoy bicycling and walking as much or more so.
* The County has noticed many conflicts between bicyclists and motorists on the state lettered routes in the area. A portion of this new funding should be used to build shoulders wide enough for bicycling (3 foot shoulder clear space bare minimum, 4 foot or more preferred) so that this conflict is reduced/eliminated.
* List an example project or two that you know is needed--sidewalks along a major state road, crosswalks across major roads or highways, trail connectiosn needed, a highway or freeway interchange that needs better pedestrian access, a state road that needs a wider shoulder, etc.
SUPPORT MOBIKEFED'S STATEWIDE WORK IN SUPPORT OF BICYCLING AND WALKING
We have created the opportunity for many millions of dollars in new funding for much needed bicycle and pedestrian projects in Missouri.
With your help we preserved bicycle and pedestrian funding in this $6 Missouri transportation funding proposal, defeated a proposed bicycle ban, and defeated a plan to discourage cities and counties from working with bicycle, pedestrian, trails, and other sustainability groups.
Now we are working hard to ensure that every city and county across Missouri gets its fair share of the $6 billion in proposed new Missouri transportation funding
Make sure you MoBikeFed membership is current and/or make a special donation, so we can continue full steam to keep the pressure on these and related issue at the local and statewide levels.
ST CHARLES COUNTY COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION
Steve Ehlmann, County Executive
executive@sccmo.org
636.949.7520
All county council members: 636.949.7530 or council@sccmo.org
Specific County Council members:
Council District 1
Council District 2
Council District 3
Council District 4
Council District 5
Council District 6
Mike Klinghammer
Chairperson
Council District 7
THANK YOU! When you speak up with your elected officials, it really DOES make a difference!
--Brent
director@mobikefed.org
