Celebrating Bike to Work Day
Despite a drizzly morning, nearly 500 bicyclists visited refueling stations located throughout the St. Louis area on Bike to Work Day. Trailnet staffed stations at four locations, including HandleBar, Kaldi’s on Demun, Missouri Botanical Garden, and the Missouri History Museum. Private businesses set up twelve additional stations across the St. Louis area and in Illinois to provide refreshments to bike commuters. Fresh coffee and bagels were provided by Saint Louis Bread Company.
Bike to Work Day, the highlight of National Bike Month, was founded in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists. Every year, the League assesses each of the 50 states in terms of facilities that encourage bicycle commuting. Missouri is currently ranked 34th in the nation.
“We want to make St. Louis one of the best cities for walking and biking in the country by 2030,” says Trailnet Executive Director Ralph Pfremmer. “The assets of our community will most certainly attract and retain talented young people and entrepreneurs, adding to the vitality and economic prosperity of our region.”
The number of bicyclists is growing rapidly from coast to coast. The National Household Travel Survey showed that the number of trips made by bicycle in the US more than doubled from 1.7 billion in 2001 to 4 billion in 2009.
Trailnet works to make a more bike friendly and walkable St. Louis.
“We have a lot of facilities in place: greenways and infrastructure on the streets, and we have a lot of riders that commute to work. We are doing well but we can do better, and that’s what Trailnet works for,” says Pfremmer.
Many thanks to the Great Rivers Greenway District for providing funding for Bike to Work Day, to all of the businesses who hosted refueling stations, and to the bike commuters who made it all happen!