In each of our monthly newsletters, Trailnet features a member of our community who is working toward Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. Bill Coppel is our February 2025 Trailnet Champion!
A member of our Board of Directors from 2018 to 2024, Bill Coppel has been an incredible advocate for Trailnet, and St. Louis in general. During his time on Trailnet’s board, he served as the head of the nominations committee — a fitting position for a people-person and connector like Bill. He also served as board mentor to Cindy Mense, Trailnet’s CEO. He’s served as the Chief Client Growth Officer at TradePMP for the past two years, and earned his MBA from Washington University. An east coast native, he’s lived in St. Louis for 17 years, raising two children with his wife, Kathy. He’s always kept a busy professional schedule, but has made time for causes and organizations he believes in, such as KidSmart and the Missouri History Museum, and of course, Trailnet.
An avid cyclist, Bill has biked all over St. Louis and beyond with his family. In listening to him to talk about his adventures, his love of the area is evident. “We have cycled every inch of St. Louis from the north, farthest north side, all the way to the deepest south side of the city, to the western border, and, of course, to the river,” said Bill. “So we know every one of those neighborhoods, each one of them. And that’s another remarkable thing about St. Louis, is every neighborhood is very distinctive, and has its own personality.”
It was through the cycling community that Bill first heard of Trailnet. He joined the board not just because he wants safe streets for everyone, but also because of how safe streets can elevate a city. “Cities should be safe for non-vehicular transportation, whether you’re walking, cycling, or running — all of those things I think are incredibly important — but just as important is the fact that a city has to be inviting,” Bill said. “It has to be a safe city. It’s got to have opportunity, and what we’re doing with streets is helping to revitalize this city, and making it an attractive destination for companies, businesses, and people wanting to move here.”
Trailnet has benefited greatly from Bill’s wisdom as he helped shape and guide many of our campaigns. “I think a lot of the work we’ve done on calming streets, in the neighborhoods within the city for traffic calming, putting in bike lanes, putting in pedestrian crosswalks, and particularly in school areas — it’s great. We’ve been involved with doing all of that and more. I’m really proud of the work Trailnet has done.”
We’re deeply grateful for Bill’s time on our board, and are inspired by his advocacy for safer streets, and St. Louis overall.
St. Louisans Speak Out: The Future of Transportation Can’t Wait
The standing-room-only Transportation Infrastructure Mayoral Forum signaled a growing demand for transportation reform
On February 10, 2025, approximately 200 concerned St. Louisans gathered to attend the Mayoral Forum on Transportation Infrastructure at Paraquad’s headquarters. The event was held by a collaborative of St. Louis organizations: Trailnet, Paraquad, Transform 314, the St. Louis Coalition to Protect Bicyclists and Pedestrians (CP2), and the St. Louis Urbanists.
All four mayoral candidates — Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler, Mr. Andrew Jones, Mayor Tishaura Jones, and Alderwoman Cara Spencer — shared their personal visions for the future of transportation infrastructure in the City of St. Louis.
Questions were provided by the organizations and the public, promoting a productive conversation on a wide range of transportation topics. Notable topics included:
Allocating funds and ward capital to transportation infrastructure, including for the new St. Louis City Department of Transportation.
Improving ADA accessibility and mobility throughout the city.
Improving notable corridors, including South Grand.
Promoting dense, walkable neighborhoods.
Reducing the citywide speed limit.
Equitably distributing infrastructure improvements, particularly in North City.
Improving trust in government, particularly for Black St. Louisans, as it relates to advocating for transportation infrastructure.
Sharing the candidates’ own use of active and public transit, including how they hope to make use of public transportation more common for all.
Improving connectivity of St. Louis’ fragmented transportation networks.
Reimagining maintenance policies to remove barriers to safer infrastructure.
Trailnet would like to thank Paraquad, Transform 314, St. Louis Coalition to Protect Bicyclists and Pedestrians (CP2), and the St. Louis Urbanists for their collaboration on this event. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to everyone who attended the forum for their presence and thoughtful questions.
We believe that the turnout for the Mayoral Forum on Transportation Infrastructure demonstrated the exceptional need for mobility improvements in St. Louis. Pedestrians, cyclists, and those who use public transit attended in large numbers to show concern and advocate for improvement in mobility options and the safety of their communities from traffic violence, directly sharing their interests with elected officials. Moving forward, we hope to continue providing opportunities for greater public engagement in transportation issues, allowing for more informed residents and representatives.
Remember to vote in the Primary Municipal Election on March 4, 2025! The leading two candidates will then proceed to the General Election on April 8, 2025. To prepare, feel free to check current voter information and find your polling place.
Missed the Mayoral Transportation Infrastructure Forum? It is available for viewing on our Facebook page.
New Staff at Trailnet: The MarComms Team
With the New Year comes some brand new faces. Meet Chantal and Madyson!
Chantal Incandela, Marketing and Communications Director (on the left), and Madyson Weber, Social Media Coordinator (on the right) are Trailnet’s newest team members, and together they form Trailnet’s Marketing and Communications team. There’s a good chance you’ll see them at various events throughout the year! A little bit about our newest employees:
A passionate reader and writer, Chantal thrives on dissecting the customer journey and takes an almost obsessive delight in the art of wordsmithing. She takes public transportation to work most days (shout out to the 73 bus!) and loves admiring St. Louis’ architecture on the journey into the office.
A member of Trailnet’s leadership team, Chantal leads the strategic vision and execution of Trailnet’s communications and marketing strategy to tell success stories, promote events and rides, and educate the public about issues and current events related to Trailnet’s work. She is no stranger to the non-profit and marcomms world; before coming to Trailnet, she was the Press & Communications Manager at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.
Madyson is nothing short of a superhero, seamlessly keeping her finger on the pulse of viral trends and top-notch content while managing a wedding and event content creation business, a mobile spray tanning venture, AND motherhood to an adorable six-month-old.
As Social Media Coordinator, Madyson creates content to promote Trailnet’s initiatives, campaigns, programs, impact, and priorities. In addition, she monitors all of our social media channels and keeps up to date on the ever-changing social media landscape and algorithm. With a background in environmental science, thorough knowledge of social media, and a deep love for all things sustainability, Madyson is an incredible fit at Trailnet!
You’re likely to catch Chantal and Madyson at a number of Trailnet events, and they look forward to meeting you. Feel free to reach out and say hello when you see them!
Upcoming St. Louis Mayoral Forum to Focus on Transportation Infrastructure
A collaborative of St. Louis organizations focused on pedestrian, cyclist, and public transportation issues — Trailnet, Paraquad, the St. Louis Coalition to Protect Cyclists & Pedestrians (CP2), the St. Louis Urbanists, and Transform 314 — will host a Transportation Infrastructure Mayoral Forum on Monday, Feb. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Paraquad’s office, 5240 Oakland Ave. The forum will provide mayoral candidates an opportunity to share their vision and address questions about the city’s mobility infrastructure.
“Streets are the foundation of our communities and deeply connected to our quality of life,” said Cindy Mense, CEO of Trailnet. “How we travel shapes how we live, and the approach St. Louis’ next mayor takes to address the daily mobility needs of our residents will have a profound impact on everyone. We’re deeply grateful to Paraquad, CP2, the St. Louis Urbanists, and Transform 314 for collaborating with us on this forum, and giving the community the chance to hear from the candidates.”
The collaborative will explore a full range of issues including planning, design, funding, building, and maintenance with the candidates to assess their vision of providing quality, accessible, and connected transportation infrastructure. Members of the St. Louis community are encouraged to attend. Tickets are not required.
Each mayoral candidate will have five minutes for opening remarks, followed by two questions from the hosting organizations, and then questions from the community. A moderator and timekeeper will ensure all participants have adequate time to address questions.
All four mayoral candidates — Michael Butler, Andrew Jones, Tishaura Jones, and Cara Spencer — have confirmed their attendance.
