And the wheels stop (Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority)

Did you know, Kansas & Alaska, have something in common? Hard to believe, but true. This has nothing to do with Republicans or Mario Chalmers.

Last week, the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH), along with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a report, “How Obesity Policies are Failing America.” According to the report, Kansas & Alaska are tied for the 18th most obese states in America.

Yesterday, Mayor Bunten annouced, he would be vetoing a measure to spend $15,000.00 to help cover costs to hire a consultant to develop a bikeway masterplan for the city. In a story on cjonline.com, Bunten vetoes bikeway expense, $60,000 of the $75,000 study would be paid for with federal funds.

The bikeway proposal was presented before the city council after the Metropolitan Topeka Planning Organization. The organizations consists of three council members and one representative each from the Shawnee County Commission, Topeka Planning Commission, Kansas Department of Transportation and Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority.

Before vetoing this proposal, I think Mayor Bunten failed to examine some questions, which need to be asked.

First, does the City of Topeka have anyone on staff who has had previous experience in designing a master plan for bike ways? If so, where is their proposal? Why has this not been addressed previously?

Second, Mayor Bunten contends we have compent city staff to design the masterplan. Really? I may be incorrect, but was this not the same department, who attempted to convience people, a roundabout at 17th & MacVicar was a good, feasible idea?

Third, does anyone live in the City of Topeka, have previous expirence in desiging a masterplan for a bikeway?

Fourth, is the Mayor’s veto consistent with what the City of Topeka needs? Consider the state of Colorado. Throughout the major cities in Colorado, there are bike ways. Whether or not they had a master plan, I am not sure. Oh, and Colordao, is the LEAST obese state in America.

The City of Topeka needs to promote healthier living in order to attract people, attract business, and retain the people who already live here. Yes, the quality of life must improve in order for this community to obtain its full potential, regardless if others want to accept this reality or not, its the truth. In fact, there are plenty of other expenses the cities incurs that are far more wasteful and unproductive than this. How much staff is there between the Mayor and City Council?

I would encourage everyone who lives in the City of Topeka to contact the Mayor and the City Council to inform all of them to overturn the veto.

Last 5 posts in Topeka News

  • Hudson H Luce
    Here's a comment I submitted to the cjonline site in response to the article about the veto. I tend to be pretty skeptical about paying outside consultants lots of money for work which could be done for free by the people who live here. In fact, about 35 years ago, there was a group headed by Phil Menninger which created, in conjunction with the City, a network of marked bike lanes and bike routes in Topeka, which seems to have disappeared...

    ==========================
    Here's an alternative solution...
    Submitted by streamfortyseven on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 7:48pm.

    In these tough economic times, the veto makes sense. $75,000 for another study by an outside consultant seems to be a lot of money for something that could be accomplished by people interested enough to volunteer their time and expertise in planning out bike trails and bike lanes. There's no such thing as "government money", it's all money from taxpayers.

    Figuring out where bike lanes and bike trails would be optimally placed would be a task for this Bicycle Advisory Board, in cooperation with the people in the Planning and Transportation Departments. Ideally, the board would be made up of people who ride bikes for transportation, fitness, and fun, and people who know (or can learn) the details of city planning and transportation planning, enough to work well with the people in the Planning and Transportation Departments of city government. In a town of this size, getting such a board together should be a comparatively easy task.

    Right now, gasoline is pretty cheap. As the economy recovers, it may get more expensive, especially if we run into inflation, what with all the stimulus money being pumped into the economy. With lots of people out of work, riding a bicycle to work or to the grocery store instead of driving might become a more popular thing to do. It might be a good idea to plan ahead for such a possibility, instead of not making any plans, and dealing with a series of tragic accidents between bikes and cars, where the cyclist ends up much worse off than the motorist. A Bicycle Advisory Board staffed by volunteers might be just the solution we're looking for.
  • Terry Xidis
    I agree with Hudson and streamfortyseven. Instead of spending to study a problem. Let's ask the community involved for input. I think the mayor made a good decision. Since I've lived in Topeka, it seems we have a tendency to pay for study after study. My family and I are bicycle riders and would love bike lanes. I do agree with Transform Topeka that bike lanes would make the city more attractive to individuals and businesses. Ask where cyclist are riding. Then widen those streets as modification/repairs are done and paint a bike lane.
  • John Gary
    Does anyone know if there were proposed routes submitted to the city commisssion when they voted to approve of a bikeway? I would like to see some of the initital ideas out there. Who requested the bikeway be put on the city commission agenda?
  • John Gary
    http://www.topeka.org/pdfs/council_minutes/0707...

    Looks like a staff report and supporting documents probably sumbitted by the planning department is where all the information concerning this is gathered.

    Reply on this comment thread if you would like to participate in a research project culminating into a planning and design proposal for a bikeway route. I anticipate to finish in early December.
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