City of St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones told reporters in an interview session on Thursday, September 22, 2022 that the City intends to explore more comprehensive planning and budgeting in pursuit of Safe Streets for All in St. Louis.
Trailnet is excited about this announcement and encouraged that the Jones administration is looking to address the epidemic of traffic violence in our region. Read more in the press release below:
In response to the continued epidemic of traffic violence in our region, Trailnet is partnering with the Community Mobility Committee (CMC) to lead a series of discussions on street safety. The goal of these discussions will be to provide recommendations to the administration and the community on ways to make our city streets safer for all.
Full press release below:
We’re halfway through the year, which means it’s time for the second quarterly Crash Report of 2022. The quarterly Crash Reports compare the number of bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular crashes over a three-month period to the same time period in the previous year. The Quarter 2 Report examines crashes from April 2022 to June 2022.
When comparing April – June 2022 crashes to April – June 2021 crashes, there are a few trends worth noting.
We’re also releasing a mid-year breakdown of bike, pedestrian, and fatal car crashes for 2022. Click on the photo below to see the trends for crashes from January – June of 2022. Below are some noticeable trends for the first half of 2022:
The Calhoun County, Illinois Board of Commissioners passed a new Bicycle Ordinance in April 2022.
Trailnet has been mapping beautiful bike routes through Calhoun County for 16 years. Calhoun is the third-least-populous county in the state of Illinois—a peninsula nestled between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers just North of St. Charles County, where scenic country roads wind through local peach orchards, past small towns, and along the river. In other words, Calhoun County is a cyclist’s dream.
Unfortunately, our most recent ride through the area—the 2021 Ride The Rivers Century last October—brought to light some of the county’s long-time struggles accomodating large events. When nearly 500 people on bicycles (equal to over 1/10 of the county’s population) rode off of a small ferry and onto county roads, some residents were overwhelmed.
When Trailnet caught wind of county residents’ grievances, we immediately reached out to representatives from the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners to open a dialog and try to make things right.
Trailnet Rides Director Matt Hartman attended an initial council meeting on February 25, 2022. Since then, Trailnet staff have remained engaged in conversations with Calhoun County to make sure that cyclists and residents can operate safely and in a manner that is mutually beneficial for years to come.
“Prior to our meetings, Calhoun County didn’t have any established event permitting or application processes. The County Board knew this was something they were lacking so we [Trailnet and Mike Weiss from Big Shark] offered to help define and establish some guidelines to assist them in creating one of their own,” said Hartman
When we plan our rides, we work with cities and municipalities across the region to make sure we acquire necessary permits, collaborate with police and fire districts on our routes, create full safety plans, and track riders from start to finish via our TraQ Central app. Rides through Calhoun County should be no different. But with a small Sheriff’s department and a fully volunteer-based emergency medical staff, they do not have the capacity to provide the resources some other counties can.
Additionally, in order to ride through this picturesque area, we have to send our riders down narrow roads with no markings, and as local constituents pointed out, we are often riding during their harvest—the busiest time of year in farming communities. Together we discussed how to keep our riders safe in these unique conditions.
“The point of this ordinance is not to try to push riders away,” said Keisha Morris from the State’s Attorney’s Office. “It is intended to foster these relationships, improve communication, and make sure the community is well-prepared when large rides come through.”
Below you’ll find the most recent copy of the Bicycle Ordinance of Calhoun County, Illinois. Though we contributed our expertise to the drafting process, this final ordinance was written and ultimately passed by the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners in partnership with the State’s Attorney’s office.
“The new ordinance and permit process fulfill the requests of Calhoun County community leaders and allow more seamless communication between themselves and outside event organizers,” said Hartman.
With this partnership and these guidelines now in place, we look forward to more scenic rides through this gem of the St. Louis region!
For information or questions regarding the Calhoun County Bicycle Ordinance, contact Keisha Morris at the IL State’s Attorney’s office. keisha.morris@calhouncountyil.net or 618-576-9013
You’ve seen it: people driving while texting, watching a video or reading on their phones or tablets. You know how dangerous it is.
But did you know that Missouri is one of only two states that allow adults to interact with their phone screens while driving a vehicle?
Together, we are fighting to curb distracted driving across the Show Me State. We will not stop until our streets are truly safe for all.
Trailnet is helping to lead efforts to ban distracted driving through a statewide coalition called Hands-Free Missouri. This coalition is made up of diverse members that share a commitment to safer roads, including victims of distracted driving and their families, Missouri State Highway Patrol, other bike/ped advocacy groups like LocalMotion and BikeWalk KC, and insurance companies like AAA.
For the last two years, Trailnet has been working with state legislators to draft and introduce legislation to ban distracted driving.
This year, we finally saw bi-partisan support, with two bills introduced. In early March, Trailnet traveled to Jefferson City yet again to testify on behalf of these bills and to meet with legislators to gain support.
We supported victims of distracted driving and encouraged them to tell their stories in hearings in both the Missouri House and Senate.
Stories like Randall’s highlight the tragic toll that distracted driving has on individuals and families across the state.
As a result of our advocacy efforts, the Missouri Senate’s Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee finally voted to advance a bill that would limit phone use while driving in March 2022. It was the first time a distracted driving bill had been approved by a Missouri legislative committee since 2018.
Unfortunately, the legislative session ended last week, and the bill was not brought up for a vote. But we are proud of the progress we have made together. We are hearing more and more support from legislators and individuals across the state. We are optimistic that the culture around distracted driving is changing, and that a bill can be passed in the next legislative session.
But we cannot do this work alone. We need your help. Please join us. As a member, you directly support our advocacy work. Together, we will make our streets truly safe for all.
P.S.: If you want to do more to help, you can share some of these resources with family, friends and your elected officials:
For the second year, Trailnet is releasing quarterly Crash Reports, which compare the number of bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular crashes over a three-month period to the same time period in the previous year. The first report examines crashes from January 2022 to March 2022.
When comparing January – March 2022 crashes to January – March 2021 crashes, there are a few trends worth noting.
The Policy Catalyst leads Trailnet’s strategic policy and advocacy agenda through coalition-building, community outreach and government relations, and advising on organizational effectiveness and strategic planning. The Policy Catalyst works on initiatives and policies that align with Trailnet’s values and position Trailnet within strategic partnerships and projects that advance Trailnet’s mission. The Policy Catalyst highlights the important role of Trailnet as a regional leader and advocate that advances safer streets for all.
The Policy Catalyst collaborates with managers and directors to identify and recommend strategic policy pushes, campaigns, and messaging that sustains and builds upon Trailnet’s position as a leading advocate for safer streets. The catalyst leads the process of building internal teams and external relationships necessary to assure success. The Policy Catalyst works under the direction of the CEO and works closely with other staff for support and collaboration.
Policy Coalition Building & Management – 40%
Government Relations & Community Outreach – 40%
Organization Effectiveness & Strategic Planning – 20%
Salary range is $47,000-65,000
Salary is commensurate with experience– Salary is negotiable for qualified candidates with relevant (direct) experience exceeding 10 years.
This is a full-time, FLSA exempt position
The position is designed for full time 40hrs/week.
Benefits include medical insurance and dental insurance, life insurance and long-term disability insurance.
New employees accrue 16 days of paid time off per year with 9 paid holidays.
Other benefits include flexible hours, a casual work environment, and an office located in downtown St. Louis, a short walk from MetroLink. A company car is available for some business-related local and regional travel. Free membership to the Downtown Bike Station.
Trailnet is committed to support diversity and equal opportunity in its services, administration, and employment, as well as research and activities. We strive to foster a working environment that values contributions from team members including those based on race, color, creed, gender, faith background, culture, sexual orientation, sexual identity, mental disabilities, physical disabilities, or veteran status. We work with a wide range of external partners and stakeholders, and we seek candidates that are committed to their own cultural competency. Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to apply.
All employees are required to provide proof of full vaccination against COVID-19.
Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to hr@trailnet.org
For questions, email Taylor March: taylor@trailnet.org
Trailnet is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization with a 33-year history of advancing St. Louis as a place where walking, bicycling, and the use of public transit are a way of life. We work every day to make our region more sustainable by increasing active transportation options. If you share our mission and values, consider joining our team and help make St. Louis a premiere city for walking and biking
Come join Trailnet in its work to make St. Louis a better place to walk, bike, and use public transit! In the role of the Mobility Coordinator, you will create and coordinate Trailnet’s Education and Encouragement programming. The ideal candidate will be able to engage a wide and diverse audience in active transportation and bike riding whether in conjunction with a community, neighborhood, workplace, or university. The Mobility Coordinator works to address the needs of the population and provides the encouragement and education necessary to help people shift to a healthier more sustainable way of life. Major responsibilities include coordinating Bicycle Education Classes, Bike encouragement activities, building membership, multimodal commuting education, and community group rides.
Position is 20-30 hours a week, part-time and seasonal.
The Mobility Coordinator reports to the Director of Programs and coordinates with all team members.
The Mobility Coordinator will have primary responsibility for coordinating programs related to active commuting encouragement and education.
Responsibilities include:
Required
Qualifications
COMPENSATION:
Pay starts at $20 / hour, with stipend to attend League Cycling Instructor Training in a mutually agreed upon location
This is a part-time, seasonal position
The position is designed for part time work, no more than 30hrs/week.
Other benefits include flexible hours, a casual work environment, and an office located in downtown St. Louis, a short walk from MetroLink. A company car is available for some business-related local and regional travel. Free membership to the Downtown Bike Station.
COMMITMENT TO EQUITY AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Trailnet is committed to support diversity and equal opportunity in its services, administration, and employment, as well as research and activities. We strive to foster a working environment that values contributions from team members including those based on race, color, creed, gender, faith background, culture, sexual orientation, sexual identity, mental disabilities, physical disabilities, or veteran status. We work with a wide range of external partners and stakeholders, and we seek candidates that are committed to their own cultural competency. Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to apply.
WORK CONDITIONS:
Office environment with work-from-home options and flexibility. For virtual work, a high-speed internet is required.
The Mobility Coordinator should have a presence at 15-20 outdoor events in the bistate region, including community rides and education events throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Physical Responsibilities:
Applicants should send a cover letter and resume to hr@trailnet.org
For questions, email Taylor March: taylor@trailnet.org
A $50 million bond question including funding for sidewalk improvements, bike infrastructure and street repairs is will be on City of St. Louis voters’ ballots on Tuesday, April 5 vote.
The bond question, Proposition 1, would help pay for the backlog of infrastructure repairs and improvements that aren’t covered by federal assistance funds.
Read the sample ballot language here.
“This bond question is an important step to invest in safe, sustainable infrastructure. We need to see more funding focused on closing sidewalk gaps, improving accessibility for people with disabilities and supporting safer biking,” Kevin Hahn-Petruso Trailnet’s policy manager said.
Alderwoman Marlene Davis introduced proposal and it was passed without opposition by the Board of Aldermen and approved by Mayor Tishaura Jones in January 2022.
The debt from the bonds will be paid off using existing property tax streams and not result in a property tax increase.
In addition to street repair and biking and walking upgrades, the bonds would also help pay for a new emergency dispatch center and improving conditions at correctional facilities. Money from the bonds could also be used as matching funds for federal programs – including the transportation programs that help fund the city’s planned cycle tracks – and for repairs of city buildings.
Two-thirds of people voting in the election would need to support the bond issue for it to pass.
Since 2015, Trailnet has worked alongside residents, elected officials, and organizations within the Jeff-Vander-Lou (JVL) neighborhood in North St. Louis to demonstrate and plan for several neighborhood improvements. Several improvements Trailnet and residents began planning and advocating for 2015 are finally came to fruition in 2021 and 2020.
The work in JVL kicked off in 2015 when Trailnet, the Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association, the HEAL partnership, and the City of St. Louis hosted four pop-up traffic calming demonstrations across the City of St. Louis. Jeff-Vander-Lou, one of the four identified neighborhoods, demonstrated a neighborhood roundabout and chicanes (street narrowers) at the corner of Sheridan and Garrison Avenue with the goal of slowing down neighborhood traffic.
The demonstration proved extremely successful. Along Sheridan and Garrison, average traffic speeds dropped over 2 MPH, and complete stops increase from 48% to 63%, when compared to conditions before the demonstration. Several elected officials, like former Mayor Francis Slay, and key City staff, attended the demonstration. This allowed JVL residents to speak directly with the people responsible for funding and implementing traffic solutions across the City. Shortly after the demonstration in the Spring of 2016, several new speed humps were installed along Garrison Avenue in front of Dunbar Elementary and Ms. Tillies Corner, two JVL landmarks.
After the demonstration and the new speed humps, Trailnet continued to engage with partners and residents at community events throughout 2017 – 2019 like the annual Ms. Tillie’s Health Fair. 2020 brought revived momentum for traffic calming projects. Throughout the previous years, several residents noted excessive speeding and stop sign running throughout the neighborhood. The fence surrounding Ms. Tillie’s Corner was unfortunately hit by a driver speeding through the intersection of Garrison and Sheridan exposing that more infrastructure was needed throughout the neighborhood.
Trailnet staff attended several JVL neighborhood meetings and met with several residents and elected officials to determine which locations were of high priority and what types of infrastructure they preferred to slow down traffic. Through these conversations, an initial plan to implement a roundabout (similar to what was demonstrated during the 2015 pop-up) at the corner of Dayton and Glasgow, near the corner of Fresh Starts Community Garden and the Gamble Center. Trailnet and residents began an aggressive advocacy push to fund the roundabout project and other traffic calming solutions.
During this advocacy push, Trailnet worked with other partners in the JVL neighborhood to implement small-scale projects and identify gaps in the current sidewalk network. Trailnet partnered with the City of St. Louis Health Department and Columbia Elementary to purchase 20 new trees, “Stop for Pedestrian” signage to be placed in front of the school, and supplies to beautify two planter pots near the school. Trailnet staff also began an analysis of the existing sidewalk conditions in the JVL neighborhood to identify areas for sidewalk improvement. Every sidewalk from Natural Bridge Avenue to St. Louis Avenue (along Vandeventer to Glasgow Ave) was assessed and mapped by Trailnet staff.
The end of 2021 brought good news for JVL residents with secured funding for the roundabout at Dayton and Glasgow. The construction of the roundabout, which finished in February 2022, brought much-needed traffic calming to an intersection in which most cars did not stop at the stop sign. Even with the roundabout finally constructed after almost 7 years of advocacy the work in JVL is not complete. N. Grand, which runs right through the heart of JVL, has been identified as a high crash corridor by Trailnet’s Crash Reports and the intersection of Grand & Montogomery has been analyzed as the 7th most dangerous intersection in the United States. North Grand and several other neighborhood streets are in desperate need of traffic calming interventions in the near future and Trailnet continues to work with the JVL residents to push elected officials and city staff to fund and implement projects in JVL.