Advocacy Alert - Olathe Bicycle Transportation Plan
Eric Rogers
a real transportation system with a combination of on-street bike
routes and off-street trails. It is a very progressive plan for
providing transportation options in a suburban community. Tonight the
Olathe City Council will hear a presentation on the plan, so a big
show of support would be very helpful.
Tonight, Dec. 23, 7:00 p.m.
City Hall, 100 West Santa Fe St., Olathe, KS (135th Street west of I-35)
Dale Crawford of the Johnson County Bike Club and KanBikeWalk sends
along these details…
To all Olathe & Johnson County Bicyclists
————-YOUR PRESENCE IS NEEDED ————–
The long dormant Olathe Bicycle Transportation Plan has
resurrected and is being discussed at the Olathe City Council this
coming:
Tuesday, Dec. 23 @ 7:00 PM
Olathe City Hall, 100 W Santa Fe, Olathe, KS
This will be a Study Session, so public discussion will be
minimal. But there is plenty of seating available to show support for
this progressive approach to addressing the needs of bicyclists in a
suburban community. Council rarely has citizens show up in support of
something (usually in opposition), so a strong showing from the
bicycle community will leave a huge impression. To see the Council
Agenda Item go to:
http://www.olatheks.org/files/CityDocuments/CityCouncil/agendas/12-23-08.pdf
No formal action will be taken since this is a Study Session, but
the bike plan is early in the agenda so please be on time. There will
be a presentation by staff followed by discussion with Council during
which Council will give staff direction on future of the plan.
Primary discussion will focus on costs to implement the plan. If, and
it s big if, Council supports the plan, staff anticipates bring the it
back to Council for hopeful adoption by March 2009. We can expect at
least one more Study Session to discuss additional policy/
implementation issues following a presentation of the bike plan in
January at an upcoming public Developer Forum. More on these future
meetings will follow when timing is confirmed.
If you can’t attend, consider a short personalized email to City
Council members stating something along the line of the following
examples. Any personal touches of experience bicycling in Olathe
would be great.
If from Olathe: As an Olathe resident, I support the dual system
plan currently proposed in the Olathe Bicycle Transportation. It
addresses the needs of “all” bicycling citizens from children to
advance commuters. As a road bicyclists, improving the arterial
roadway network by adding wide outside lanes and bike lanes improves
the safety of the road for all users, not just bicyclists. Safety
alone is enough reason to justify the small additional cost to road
improvement projects in Olathe. As the plan is incrementally
implemented through future road improvements, Olathe residents will
begin to feel they have a safe alternative to always driving their
car. As you constituent, I urge your support of the Olathe Bicycle
Transportation Plan.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
If not from Olathe: As a frequent bicyclist of Olathe’s roadways,
I support the dual system plan currently proposed in the Olathe
Bicycle Transportation. It addresses the needs of “all” bicycling
citizens from children to advance commuters. As a road bicyclists,
improving the arterial roadway network by adding wide outside lanes
and bike lanes improves the safety of the road for all users, not just
bicyclists. Safety alone is enough reason to justify the small
additional cost to road improvement projects in Olathe. As the plan
is incrementally implemented through future road improvements, Olathe
residents will begin to feel they have a safe alternative to always
driving their car. Thank you for supporting the Olathe Bicycle
Transportation Plan and the safety of all roadway users.
Sincerely,
Name
Address
email addresses for Council members are listed below and can be
found at: http://www.olatheks.org/Council/Members
mcop...@olatheks.org -Mayor Copeland
jba...@olatheks.org - John Bacon
bmont...@olatheks.org - Bob Montgomery
lcam...@olatheks.org - Larry Campbell
jran...@olatheks.org - Jim Randall
khut...@olatheks.org - Kathlenn Huttmann
mv...@olatheks.org -Marge Vogt
The weather has been lousy for bicycling, so why not spend an
evening making Olathe and your Johnson County a better place to ride
when the weather is better. Staff needs citizen support on this
initiative to gather enough Council support to get it adopted. It is
by no means fully supported at this time making your presence all the
more important.
This plan proposes both bike lanes and trails so please forward to
any bicyclist or runners you may know who like trails, too.
Dale Crawford
JCBC Advocacy Co-Chair
KanBikeWalk Vice-President