This week, work on the MKT-Parkade Bike Boulevard began. The project creates a new north-south Bike Boulevard connecting Business Loop 70 at Parkade Boulevard to the MKT Trail on Lathrop Road. The project also provides a connection to the Bike Boulevard from West Boulevard, Hickman High School and Providence Road--adding some pedestrian safety measures for students crossing Providence at Forest. Overall, this will be a great new route for cyclists to get to The Loop and for kids to bike to Hickman High or Cosmo Park.
What is a bike boulevard? Good question!
You may already be familiar with the one on Ash Street that runs from downtown to Stephens Lake Park. According to the National Association of City Transportation Officials:
Bicycle boulevards are streets with low motorized traffic volumes and speeds, designated and designed to give bicycles travel priority. Bicycle Boulevards use signs, pavement markings, and speed and volume management measures to discourage through trips by motor vehicles and create safe, convenient bicycle crossings of busy arterial streets.
Residential car traffic can still travel along the route but the pavement markings, signage, and other infrastructure changes make it a more bike-friendly route than other streets may be.
The evening work on Providence Road includes installing a new crosswalk, center median island and pedestrian signals near Hickman High School. Daytime “Bike Boulevard” striping work will take place on sections of Lathrop Road, Forest Avenue, Madison Street, Banks Avenue, Alexander Avenue, Aldeah Avenue, Edgewood Avenue and Maupin Road during the summer-long project. The project includes improvements at the intersection of Business Loop 70 and Madison and the intersection of Worley and Alexander. There will be a pedway constructed on the north side of Worley between Banks and Alexander. The project also includes installing a new crosswalk, center median island and flashing pedestrian beacon at the intersection of Broadway and Aldeah. The project is scheduled to be completed by early fall.
For more information about the Bike Boulevard (MKT Trail to Parkade) Project, visit CoMo.gov/PublicWorks/MKT-Parkade-BikeBlvd.
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