This spring I joined the city of Lee’s Summit Livable Streets Advisory Board due to my interest in the quality of living in Lee Summit. Some of the things I’ve learned, I think would be of value to other people who may not know about ways the city encourages biking and walking. It has been a very enlightening experience as I am learning much about Lee Summit I didn’t know even after working and living here for over 30 years.
Every seen those green and white signs saying “Greenway Trail?”
On most of our major roads in Lee Summit there are sidewalks on both sides the streets. Did you ever notice that one of those sidewalks is wider than the other? I recently learned that is the solution to having bike and walking paths in our city. The wider sidewalk is a greenway trail for pedestrians and also for bicyclists so they are protected from the traffic. It’s a safe way to bicycle or walk with the family. These trails are generally 10-12 feet in width, follow arterial street rights-of-way, and provide linkages to neighborhoods, parks, and other areas within the community. So if you see a bicyclist riding on a wide sidewalk, they are doing the right thing. These trails are for low speed recreational riders so you will also see bicyclists who prefer a faster pace on the roads.
New to bicycling or just want to take the family out for an afternoon?
You can rent bikes at Longview Lake and take a ride on the paved bike/walk trail going up to 11 miles round trip. There is a bike share station at Longview Lake with 10 docks, holding up to 10 bikes and a tricycle for the little one. It’s a good way to see if you enjoy bicycling or to be able to go for a family ride without loading up all the bikes.
The self-service station is available 24-hours a day, seven days a week at the trailhead at Shelter 14 in Longview Lake Park. Bikes can be checked out starting at $3 for a 30-minute ride. Annual memberships are available which provide unlimited 60-minute rides and can be used to check out bikes in 28 additional US cities. More information about rates and membership is provided at kcbcycle.com.
Volunteering for one of the advisory boards has been an educational and productive way to be involved in our city. If you are interested in volunteering, the advisory boards are listed on the Lee’s Summit city webpage under Boards and Commissions.
This article was submitted by Jan Nelson, who is a member of the Livable Streets Advisory Board. The Livable Streets Advisory Board is a Mayor-appointed, volunteer board whose goals include working to make our community and our streets more “livable”, safe and accessible for all of our citizens.
