When Members of Government Do More Harm Than Good

Poor Missouri. Lately, their cyclists have to fight poorly thought out legislation from one troublesome Rep. Houghton. Clearly not a cyclist but wants to come up with lots of laws that will greatly impact cyclists statewide.

First, Missouri Rep Houghton is the guy that wants to require a 15 foot flag on bikes and now he wants to allow ATVs and golf carts on the Katy Trail. It's not wide enough so this would be a very costly and dangerous edition to the famous and historic bike trail.

The 238-mile-long Katy Trail is one of the nation’s premier rail-trails with many towns along its route that benefit from bicycle tourism to the tune of $18 million a year. It was named a Hall of Fame Trail by Rails to Trails Conservancy and has been designated a Millennium Legacy Trail.

Putting ATVs and golf carts on this gravel trail just sounds like a bad idea. And it will be costly.

According to the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Foundation, the research division of the Missouri legislature said the trail isn’t wide enough for two golf carts to pass each other and needs widening to 14 feet. The cost for a new base, ballast and surface, if contracted out, would be about $168,000 per mile … This does not include what it would cost to modify our bridge decks.”

Full article: http://www.bikingbis.com/2016/02/16/proposed-laws-affecting-missour...