Columbia's Business Loop 70 Feels Unsafe for Walkers and Cyclists

A recent city survey found that nobody feels safe walking or biking along Business Loop 70 in Columbia. The poll collected 156 responses, and more than 60% said they felt a little or very unsafe while driving. Nearly half reported feeling very unsafe when biking, and about 20% said they felt only a little unsafe during the same ride. When it comes to walking, every single respondent said they felt unsafe, with about 60% describing the feeling as very unsafe and many others as a little unsafe.

The city approved a $2.1 million study in 2025 to look at safety on that stretch, from Stadium Blvd to Eastland Circle. The Department of Transportation maintains the road. The audit, released Oct. 8 2025, gathered 156 answers online and on paper. The biggest worries were distracted drivers, missing sidewalks, poor lighting, speeding cars and rush‑hour traffic.

Around Hickman High School the picture is even tougher. Students said speeding cars and drivers ignoring walk signals make them nervous. They travel to Subway for lunch but have no safe path; they asked for a crosswalk at 7th St. Other top concerns include a lack of safe routes for kids who don’t get a bus, parents not following pick‑up traffic rules, trouble turning left onto Providence Rd from the west side, and the habit of crossing mid‑block instead of at intersections.

The audit will be shown to the council in a 2027 work session. Officials hope the data will push for better sidewalks, crosswalks and traffic calming so people can move around without fear.