Last updated: 3rd July 2003

I am billed as the local perspective for this briefing, so I will provide my perspective as Mayor of Columbia, Missouri. Just to give you a little background on Columbia, we have a population between 85,000-90,000, are home to the main campus of the University of Missouri, and Stephens and Columbia colleges, and have a steady economy, which, in addition to the educational facilities, includes medicine, insurance and some manufacturing. Columbia is a highly rated place; a place that surprises many people. The quality of life is good in many ways, but Columbians are always trying to improve it and hope to make it a place that offers options and inducements for active lifestyles.

Still, Columbia has its problems, and as Mayor, I am in the level of government where the rubber hits the road. I am in position to feel the pulse of the citizens. The job of Mayor requires balance. It is the position to which constituents complain because they can't get across town fast enough and then they complain about speeding in and around their neighborhoods.

Any mayor knows that good transportation of all kinds is fundamental to a successful community. A good transportation system must meet a variety of needs. People want choices, which includes the choice to drive cars in as little congestion as possible and the choice to be active...to be able to bike or walk with as much comfort and safety as possible, so that they and their children can enjoy the healthful benefits of both in their neighborhoods and as they commute.

Unfortunately, in the past, in Columbia and elsewhere, this demand for choice has been to a great extent overlooked in road building.

Too many, probably most, streets and roads have been designed only to move auto traffic without considering the barriers that they created for bicyclists and pedestrians and neighborhood activities and shops. These barriers include fast traffic; no bike lanes; few, if any, cross walks; cut off neighborhoods; lack of sidewalks; no off road bike paths; badly designed intersections, etc.

As a result, in Columbia and in most cities, people, because of such barriers, often can not get around their neighborhoods, get to work, go to the store or school, or even to parks without getting into a car. This removes opportunities for an active life and creates more congestion. Very importantly, it removes choice for many people. I believe and a growing number of my constituents tell me that they want the choice to bicycle or walk. That choice requires that they feel safe and comfortable doing so. They want the streets and roads to be designed to accommodate them; they want sidewalks, cross walks, bike lanes and trails and trees and landscapping. They want safe bike/pedestrian routes to school, church, nearby stores, and they want frequent bridges over or underpasses under high speed roads and interconnectivity so that they can commute by bicycle or on foot or in combination with public transportation to their work or other destinations. Those are just the kind of projects that enhancement funds have helped Columbia achieve. Columbia has benefited enormously from ISTEA and TEA-21 funds. We have built over 15 miles of wonderful trails that connects neighborhoods to downtown and the University and to parks and to each other. Columbia, with more than 50 parks finds that the trails top them all in popularity. We have built sidewalks, improved crossing, removed at grade crossings, landscaped intersections, trails and roadsides, extended trails, built bridges over high speed roads and over creeks, built ped-ways and more.

These improvements have led to an increase in cycling and walking to the benefit of the health and pleasure of the participants.

Our trails are very popular. People tell me their favorite feature of Columbia is its trails. When I see people using them by the thousands, I can't help but wonder what were these people doing for activity before they were built? Columbia's trails are used as a recruiting tool for businesses, employees and tourists. They are a true and effective economic development feature of our city.

Columbia has built on the successful projects that used federal funds as part of the cost. Call it serendipity if you will, but the ISTEA and TEA-21 funds have indirectly led to many unexpected benefits to the community. Examples include:

• Bike/Ped Commission created by the City Council and me to give us advice on relevant issues. It is very active.
• The PedNet Coalition, an original partnership of 10 members, which is now up to 3,700 members. They have planned and advocated for a ped-way and bike route plan that has been adopted by the council. They are also working with the city staff and others on model street design standards that accomodate bicycles and pedestrians. They will soon to be debated, and I hope and expect them to be adopted.
• The Mayors Challenge: Bike Walk Wheel Week - Nearly 1,000 participants either biked, walked or used their wheelchair around Columbia during the week. I asked for comments on possible improvements the city could make. Over 100 were returned. There was much business support for this event and an outcome is growing support by businesses to make it easier to commute by bike.
• Cycle Recycle: This program has provided 300 rebuilt bicycles to Hispanic and lower economic neighborhoods. These people often don't have cars or can't afford the ones that they have. These bicycles have given them, in many cases, sudden and much appreciate freedom to get to employment and stores. Many of the recipients were kids who had never had bicycles. Think about the activity added to the recipient's lives.
• Safe Kids hosts bike helmet giveaways
• Mayor's Council on Physical Fitness and Health which awards recognition for minutes of exercise including bicycling and walking
• New City bike map just published by the Department of Planning
• A new demand for neighborhood traffic calming.
• Imrovements in sidewalk ordinances and increased sidewalk funds
• Many more crosswalks and experiments with flags and countdown timers
• Bike racks on buses

Every transportation project has an impact on people's choices, including the choice to bicycle or walk. The law needs to include funds that make sure that the projects are not barriers to these activities but positive supporters.

The ISTEA and TEA-21 funds have helped leverage local funds to provide opportunities for a more active and healthy life which are available to Columbia citizens regardless of their age, means or mobility. They have helped Columbia begin the fight against the developing public health crises due to inactivity resulting in rapidly rising rates of heart disease, stroke, obesity and diabetes. In addition, roads should not deprive people of the basic opportunity to walk and ride bicycles. Having those options, not only gives people the opportunity to live a more active lifestyle, it also makes life much more fun; and if they are added, it makes new road projects much better accepted.

I am convinced the bicycle and pedestrian funds are for many people the most popular part of the transportation bill. These funds help the people of the community regardless of age, means or mobility, have valuable choice to lead an active life in their own neighborhoods. They are extremely important on a local level, and they need to be retained and even enhanced in the next reauthorization.