2024 Bike Friendly State Rankings for Kansas and Missouri
The League of American Bicyclists recently released their 2024 rankings of bike-friendly states, and the results were once again a mixed bag for Kansas and Missouri. Kansas improved its ranking from 30th to 21st (the largest improvement of any state in the country), while Missouri fell further behind from 45th to 49th. Click here for the state report […]
4 champions fighting for safer streets in the KC metro
A common phrase used at BikeWalkKC is that “Advocacy is a team sport.” What this means is that the progress that we make towards redefining our streets as places for people is not something that BikeWalkKC can do alone. It is often because of everyday people and champions in key positions that we’re able to […]
Survey says… protected bike lanes WORK!
By Tresa Carter, BikeWalkKC Director of Community Planning After years of advocacy, neighbors along Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard have a bit more room to breathe, thanks to safety improvements that slow down drivers and protect pedestrians and bicyclists from car traffic. “I’ve gone from actively avoiding the street to feeling like it’s a lovely addition […]
All about the Community Transportation Academy
Have you ever wondered why your street doesn’t have sidewalks? Who pays for public transit? How does Kansas City’s past continue to impact street design today? BikeWalkKC sought to answer these questions for members of the public and much more in our Community Transportation Academy (CTA). The purpose of this course was to help everyday […]
Safer streets and a survey for Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd
Remember when you helped us win city support for connected trails back in 2023? Thanks to everyone who talked to their neighbors, contacted their city leaders, came to a meeting, and/or signed a petition, the new protected bike and pedestrian infrastructure along Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd is ready to ride! The next step is evaluating how […]
Speaking Up for a Safer Troost Avenue
Learn more about what makes Troost Avenue dangerous and how we can make it safer for everyone. The recent crash that killed UMKC student Yuxi Wu reinforces that much of Troost Avenue is unsafe for pedestrians and other vulnerable road users. Here’s what we can do to push the city to make that corridor safer: […]
ADVOCACY ALERT: Stop bus route cuts in KCK!
Attend the Neighborhood and Community Development committee meeting on Monday September 30 at 5:00pm at City Hall (701 N. 7th Street, KCK 66101) to ask commissioners to preserve transit funding. Unified Government (UG) leaders are proposing cuts to two fixed routes in KCK to fill an anticipated budget shortfall: 18th Street, which runs from Quindaro […]
Niná’s 4 tips for getting stuff done
Niná (pronounced Nine-uh, and “No ‘Ms. Niná.’ It’s just Niná”) Whiteside-McCord won safer streets for her neighbors and the families served by schools in her neighborhood, but she didn’t do it alone. The redesign of a formerly complicated and dangerous intersection in front of the Ewing Marion Kauffman School just off of 63rd Street in […]
50 miles of sidewalks for families in Topeka
By Tresa Carter, Director of Community Planning, BikeWalkKC The City of Topeka is funding their plan to make walking to school safer and easier! This is an excellent example of how communities can imagine a brighter future and make a plan that’s ready to roll when funding opportunities arise. Step 1: Make a plan and […]
Do you know the difference between advocacy and organizing?
By Avery Jones, Community Organizer, BikeWalkKC In the realm of social changemakers, we often hear people label themselves and their work by a variety of names that may, at first, seem interchangeable. Aren’t organizers and advocates all the same archetype of person beyond a few minor differences we don’t need to concern ourselves with? No, […]