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, 2% of the city’s transportation budget shall be spent on pedestrian projects, and 1% on bicycle projects.

With transportation accounting for as much as 30% of the city’s carbon footprint, 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. Special thanks go out several bike/ped advocates who sat on the steering committees and worked hard for the inclusion of these measures in the final plan – including Regional Transit Alliance board member Ron McClinden, KCMO Bike/Ped Coordinator Deb Ridgway, and Missouri Bicycle Federation Executive Director Brent Hugh.