Trailnet Walk Bike Ambassadors Are Rocking It!

Trailnet’s 12 Walk Bike Ambassadors are located throughout the St. Louis region. They assist with Trailnet advocacy campaigns and events, and help address walking and biking issues in their own communities.  For example, Don Orf, our Ambassador in the City’s St. Louis Hills neighborhood, has been working with Alderwoman Donna Baringer, the Streets Department, and the St. Louis Hills Neighborhood Association on Complete Streets improvements. These improvements involve street re-design, repaving, and restriping to reduce traffic lanes from four to two, add bike lanes, and create angle parking along beautiful Francis Park. Other improvements around Francis Park will provide easier pedestrian crossings and generally contribute to slower, safer traffic. Don has recently become the chair of the streets committee for his neighborhood association. He has also informed his neighbors about street improvements, his role as a Walk Bike Ambassador, and upcoming Trailnet activities through his neighborhood newsletter and the social media site for neighborhoods, NextDoor. (Don also took a few days in April to ride 210 miles of the Katy Trail – wow!)

Margie Oliver of Hazelwood is working with Trailnet and public officials in her community to bring a Complete Streets presentation before the City Council. Her goal is to see Hazelwood adopt a Complete Streets policy and become the 10th jurisdiction in the St. Louis region to do so.  Margie also investigated an upcoming county road project in her area to determine how bicycle and pedestrian traffic would be accommodated.  And for a bit of fun and Trailnet outreach before summer turns to fall, Margie has arranged for Trailnet to have a booth at the September 10th Harvest Festival in Hazelwood. She and her fellow Walk Bike Ambassadors will be there to tell festival-goers all the good things Trailnet is doing for better walking and biking, and encourage them to join us!