Here is the Spring 2008 newsletter.  Topics covered include bus tax renewal, Bike Week and the Car-Free Challenge, KCMO development code, light rail, and car-free Cliff Drive.

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CONTENTS

1.  KCATA asks for continued bus transit support
2.  Bike Month coming in May includes Bike Week and Car-free Challenge
3.  Let’s Go KC passes first hurdle to include bicycle/pedestrian amenities in new KCMO development code
4.  KCATA is looking for your ideas on Light Rail
5.  Fun stuff! Bike, walk and run on Cliff Drive summer and fall weekends without cars!
6.  Upcoming Events
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This is the quarterly e-mail newsletter of the Let’s Go KC, Alliance for Transportation Choice. We are sending this to keep you up-to-date about bicycle/pedestrian issues in the Kansas City region.

Let’s Go KC is a coalition of individuals, local organizations and advocates who support transportation choice in the Kansas City region. We work to educate, engineer, encourage and evaluate our region in the interests of better walking, bicycling and transit opportunities.

We want to get various regional clubs, neighborhood groups, non-profits, companies, etc. to sign up as members including representatives from Kansas, Missouri, advocates for the disabled, advocates for the poor, health advocates and others. We have a short membership form so we can have a record of the member group and an individual from that group to contact. That individual can be on the steering committee or we would just like them to distribute our e-news to their members.

There is no fee to join Let’s Go KC. You can join as an individual or as a group. We are supporting issues only, not candidates. We are considering forming a PAC to support specific candidates but that will be a separate group.

If you would like to join, see: http://letsgokc.com/join-us

To find out what we have done and who our member groups are see: http://letsgokc.com/about

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WELCOME NEW MEMBERS!

Johnson County Bicycle Club   http://www.jcbikeclub.org/
Hyde Park Neighborhood Association   http://www.hydeparkkc.org/
Mental Health Association of the Heartland http://www.mhah.org/
Sierra Club Thomas Hart Benton Group  http://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb/
Greater Kansas City Bicycle Federation   http://www.kcbikefed.org/

We now represent more than 13,000 people who want transportation choices!
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1.  KCATA ASKS FOR CONTINUED BUS TRANSIT SUPPORT
Posted on: Jan 09, 2008

Mark Huffer, General Manager of the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA), presented some sobering facts at the Kansas City City Council’s Transportation & Infrastructure (T&I) Committee Meeting yesterday regarding the need to renew KCATA funding and the consequences if the current 3/8-cent sales tax, set to expire in April 2009, is not renewed.

“The ATA is underfunded and undersized compared to other cities,” Huffer said. “We’ve been creative in the way we’ve delivered service given our funding levels, but without renewal of the sales-tax we are looking at a substantial loss in what we will be able to provide area citizens.”

For more information: http://www.kcata.org/news/kcata_asks_for_continued_bus_transit_support/

The current bus tax does not end until April 2009.

Ordinance No. 080034
Enacting a new Section 68-475, continuing a 3/8% city sales tax for a period of 15 years for the purposes of developing, operating, maintaining, equipping and improving a bus, bus rapid transit, or similar system by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority for Kansas City, Missouri, pursuant to Sections 94.600 through 94.655, RSMo.; providing for submission of this ordinance to the qualified voters of the City for their approval at a special election called for April 8, 2008, authorizing and directing the City Clerk to notify the responsible election authorities of this election; authorizing and directing the City Clerk to notify the Missouri Director of Revenue if the proposal is approved by the voters; and recognizing this ordinance to be an emergency measure.

KCMO election, April 8 read about the issues  http://www.kcmo.org/cco.nsf/web/elect0408

All KCATA buses have bike racks on the front so you can combine biking with a bus ride any time.
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2.  BIKE MONTH COMING IN MAY INCLUDES BIKE WEEK AND CAR-FREE CHALLENGE

Many people have been working diligently since January to bring the area exciting events and prizes for Bike Week and the Car-Free Challenge. Every year this event gets more events, more participation and more fun! Some of the events include:

• Commuter Convoys from several locations for those who want to start riding their bikes to work or just want some company
• Overland Park will host breakfasts on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. See online schedule for places to stop.
• Tuesday movie, “The Triplets of Belleville” at the Downtown library movie vault.
• Several rest stops on the Trolley Track Trail, Monday through Friday.
• Frisbee golf on bikes
• Rides for beginners and experienced riders
• Clinics to improve riding skills and learn about safe riding.
• Scavenger hunt by bicycle starting in the Crossroads
• Blessing of the Bicycles at St. Francis Xavier Church
• Wrap party at Boulevard Brewery with great prizes and beer!

For events and schedules see: http://www.kcbike.info/bikeweek/

Sign up for the Car-free Challenge!

Here it is, a week when many people in the region will challenge themselves to travel without a car and to win great prizes! Here is your chance to learn how to commute, run errands and just have fun traveling by bus, walking, bicycle and even carpooling or any combination of the previously mentioned travel modes. Start now to get a team together and plan your strategy. Your team could include your coworkers, bike riding group, friends, neighbors, church group or just yourself. Register here to learn how. http://www.kcbike.info/bikeweek/
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3.  LET’S GO KC PASSES FIRST HURDLE TO INCLUDE BICYCLE/PEDESTRIAN AMENITIES IN NEW KCMO DEVELOPMENT CODE

Review: Kansas City, Missouri is revising it’s development code for the first time since the 1950s. Members of Let’s Go KC have been working with city staff for a year and a half to incorporate bicycle and pedestrian amenities in the development code to bring it up to date with other cities. Our concerns are bicycle parking for long and short term, traffic impact analysis to include pedestrians, transit and bicycles (see completestreets.org) and streamway buffers for future trails and water quality.

We want to make sure the development code supports the Walkability Plan, FOCUS plan, Citywide Trails plan, BikeKC, Climate Protection Plan and Complete Streets provision of the new U.S. Energy bill. All of these plans support walking, transit and bicycling as viable methods of transportation.

On February 5, several members of Let’s Go KC, Missouri Bicycle Federation, KC bike club, Johnson County bike club and others spent a few hours at the City Planning Commission meeting convincing them of the value of including bicycle, pedestrian and transit considerations in the development code. The code must go through the Planning Commission before it goes to the council Planning and Zoning committee and then to a vote of the council. We had been to two previous CPC meetings to explain the issues as drafts of the code changed. The meeting on Feb. 15 had a crowd of 15 bicycle/pedestrian advocates that impressed the commission by their dedication and commitment. Representatives of the development community were there to disagree with our position but the commission decided that it was time to bring KC up-to-date with other cities and that we should start now.

Upcoming: The new code should be going to the Planning & Zoning committee in April or May 2008. Representatives of the development community will return to fight our requests. We will need to stay in contact with council members and be at meetings until the code is passed by the council. We will keep you up to date as this important piece of legislation progresses and let you know if you need to contact the council in support of transportation choice.

For more information on the development code issues see:  http://letsgokc.com/new-development-code
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4.  KCATA IS LOOKING FOR YOUR IDEAS ON LIGHT RAIL

How is the KCATA moving forward with light rail?

ImageKCATA and the City of Kansas City, Mo., are working to create a light rail transit plan that reflects the desires of voters, responds to our community, is technically feasible and financially responsible. Both agencies are committed to developing light rail in concert with a bus system that supports our community’s needs and coordinates with regional transit planning.

To achieve these goals, the KCATA and KCMO have launched what is called an Alternatives Analysis, or AA for short.

The Alternatives Analysis is a tool that reviews a wide range of issues, from funding to alignments to ridership. The findings in the Alternatives Analysis will aid the local decision-making process by providing the KCATA, the city, community leaders and citizens with the information necessary to evaluate strategies to build, finance and maintain a robust transit system that includes light rail.

For more information see: http://kansascitylightrail.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=24&Itemid=46 and
http://kansascitylightrail.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=19&Itemid=35

For schedules of meetings see: http://kansascitylightrail.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=60&Itemid=99
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5.  FUN STUFF! BIKE, WALK AND RUN ON CLIFF DRIVE SUMMER AND FALL WEEKENDS WITHOUT CARS!

An agreement between the Northeast Neighborhood and KCMO Parks and Recreation has brought about a wonderful opportunity for citizens of the region to have a dedicated area for walking, running and bicycling without motorized traffic. The Grand Opening for Car-free Weekends on Cliff Drive will be Friday, May 16 at 2 p.m. The drive will be closed weekly to motorists between 2 p.m. Fridays to 8 a.m Mondays (including Monday holidays) from May until October 2008.

Cliff Drive is a gorgeous wooded drive that has a long history in Kansas City. It was designed by George Kessler as part of the Kansas City park and boulevard system and built between 1893 and 1915. In 2000 it was designated a state scenic byway as it preserves several features of the Missouri River valley such as native limestone bluffs, natural vegetation and wildlife within a city setting.

Infrastructure improvements are going on now before the opening and several amenities will be available or become available in the future. Toilets and water will be available at the Visitor Center at the KC Museum. Also water fountains will be at the concourse and soon be by the reservoir near the disk golf course. Porta-toilets will be near the lake by Chestnut Tfwy. Curbside parking is at each entrance. Police will patrol the area on bikes, ATV or horses and trash will be picked up weekly.

Since Cliff Drive is on the north side of the bluff, it is one of the few naturally air-conditioned areas in the region. We hope many people will use this great asset frequently.
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6.  UPCOMING EVENTS

KCMO election, April 8 read about the issues  http://www.kcmo.org/cco.nsf/web/elect0408
KCATA Light Rail public meetings  http://kansascitylightrail.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
EarthWalk/EarthFest, April 19th, http://www.bridgingthegap.org/egap.php?id=183
Earth Day, April 22nd
Bike Week, May 10-18, 2008
Ride of Silence, May 14, 2008, 7:00 pm at 63rd and Brookside, KCMO   www.rideofsilence.org/main.php
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CLUBS AND GROUPS

Members of Let’s Go KC
Downtown Neighborhood Association   http://www.dnakcmo.org/
Earthriders Mountain Bike Club  http://www.earthriders.com/about/
Family Bicycle Store  http://familybicycleskc.com/
Greater Kansas City Bicycle Federation   http://www.kcbikefed.org/
Hyde Park Neighborhood Association   http://www.hydeparkkc.org/
Johnson County Bicycle Club   www.jcbikeclub.org/
Kansas City Bicycle Club   www.kcbc.org/
Kansas City Track Club   http://kctrack.org/
Mental Health Association of the Heartland  http://www.mhah.org/
Missouri Bicycle Federation   http://mobikefed.org/
Sierra Club Thomas Hart Benton Group  http://missouri.sierraclub.org/thb/
Stratford Gardens Homes Association   http://www.haccd.org/moassoc/home.asp?assoc=Stratford%20Gardens
Volker Neighborhood Association   http://volkerkcmo.org/

Local Links
Mid-America Regional Council   www.marc.org/
Kansas City Area Transportation Authority   www.kcata.org/
Johnson County Transit   http://www.thejo.com/
Kansas City, Missouri    http://www.kcmo.org/kcmo.nsf/web/home?opendocument
Northland Neighborhoods, Inc.   http://www.nni.org/
Major Taylor Foundation of Kansas City   http://localcycling.com/content/blogcategory/40/53/
Local Cycling   http://localcycling.com/
Bridging the Gap   http://www.bridgingthegap.org/
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http://letsgokc.com/

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