I've been doing a lot more biking to work lately. Part of it is because I have a goal to do it once a week. Part of it is because I drive older, late model cars that sometimes need some preventative maintenance or repair. I dropped off the car in Parkville yesterday so I biked into downtown along every part of Route 9 and survived.
I took a break here this morning and pondered increasing my life insurance policy online..... pic.twitter.com/vZ69qPhMOh
— Wes Minder (@WesKCMO) June 26, 2018
I've blogged about the US 169 and Route 9 issues and the railroad "bridge of death" before. We've got a pretty amazing connected trail system that's come together but unfortunately there are some glaring unsafe gaps that 99% of you would never even think about riding a bike through.
I wasn't the only one navigating the @MoDOT_KC Route 9 #bridgeofdeath commute this morning pic.twitter.com/mMVvcydKTb
— Wes Minder (@WesKCMO) August 3, 2017
I am no longer going to complain or think it's tough biking from Platte County to downtown KCMO or North KC because today (since it's kids eat free night everywhere) the kids had a dentist appointment in the Shoal Creek area so after work I biked up to the Liberty area to meet the family so we could go to Zaxby's™. Let's just say there's no comfortable way to bike from downtown KCMO to Liberty or southern Clay County.
There's no low stress bike route from DT KCMO to Liberty pic.twitter.com/OL78JnSNb0
— Wes Minder (@WesKCMO) June 26, 2018
I chose to go through the Old Northeast and down the hill on Chestnut Trafficway but had to ride Front Street for a little then Riverfront Road. After crossing the Chouteau Bridge, I really didn't want to take the hill on Chouteau Parkway and the steady climb on Parvin. I would have loved to have gotten on old Birmingham Road but there is no way to get from the bridge down. I ended up using the shoulder of Route 210 over to Searcy Creek Parkway and then cut through the Maple Park area.
Anyways, there is a competitive planning grant funding opportunity underway so there are some projects north of the river in this area you might be interested. Two of the projects I could have really used the past two days. The Mid-America Regional Council is looking for feedback on projects so here are links to the applications where you can comment one way or the other.
Platte/Clay County Bike/Ped Gap Removal Project (aka US 169 and Route 9 Briarcliff area)-Kansas City
North Missouri Riverfront Buck O’Neil and Chouteau Bridge Trail Connections-Kansas City
NKC Bike Master Plan-North Kansas City
North Oak Complete Streets-Gladstone
Surprisingly, cars shooting by at 65+ mph hasn't been the scariest thing I've dealt with on my bike route......
That wasn't a tarp strap on the shoulder on my way in the I almost biked over...... pic.twitter.com/ba9osMtDdx
— Wes Minder (@WesKCMO) June 25, 2018
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