Today, November 29 Trailnet turns 33! That means 33 years of dedicated work in the community.
From the early days rehabbing the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and developing Grant’s Trail, to our work advocating for better biking, walking and public transit safety across the St. Louis region: We appreciate all our friends, members and partners who have supported our mission along the way!
33 years of your support helps us:
Bring awareness and advocacy for safer streets for all. We’re preparing for another year of committed advocacy, fighting distracted driving and connecting our St. Louis community.
Create a network of low-stress connections for people to get around the region by foot or or by bike. More than 6 miles of protected bike lanes are on track for construction in the coming years. Our work to champion this vital progress is thanks to support from people like you!
Advocate for policy changes to limit distracted driving in Missouri and improve safety for people walking and biking.
Host bike rodeos where kids and adults practice safe bike skills. We also get adults moving by hosting education sessions to build confidence commuting by bike and riding in all conditions.
Celebrate and support Trailnet
To celebrate Trailnet’s 33 years, our $55 friend-level membership will be $33 all day today! Support us by becoming a member to improve biking, walking and public transit in the St. Louis region. Become a friend-level member or gift a membership to a friend by: 1) Clicking here or the button below 2) Selecting the option “Join/Renew with a One-Time Gift” 3) Typing in $33 on the “Other” line
Share with us any of your favorite Trailnet photos, stories and memories by emailing communications@trailnet.org or connecting with us on our social media!
Trailnet is honored to offer enriching internships every year that allow people to gain experience building a better, more connected St. Louis. Trailnet interns come from dynamic backgrounds and are immediately plugged in to our exciting work. This month, we’re highlighting Hannah Hirsch, one of our talented 2021 summer interns.
Read on to learn about how Hannah is dedicated to working towards a more sustainable planet with active transportation options for all.
Hannah Hirsch
1) What you did this summer (outside of Trailnet)?
Outside of my work at Trailnet, I enjoyed my first summer in St. Louis where I was able to get to know the city without the stress of academics. I met a bunch of new, great people with whom I explored different local shops, neighborhoods, and events. To name a few examples, I spent a lot of time in Forest Park where I got to witness cool areas I had never seen before and enjoy nature in an urban environment. I love thrifting and I explored new shops where I enjoyed both browsing and the occasional purchase. I also attended live music shows in Tower Grove Park and frequented the farmers market.
2) What you’re studying in school?
I am pursuing a double major in Environmental Studies and Economics at WashU. I hope to use my knowledge in the future to play a role in developing climate solutions that challenge current norms and transition ourselves to a more circular economy.
3) What drew you to intern at Trailnet?
My interest in the environment both personally and academically drew me to intern at Trailnet as I desired to dig deeper into the organization’s efforts to connect neighborhoods and make streets safer for biking and walking, which are important carbon-neutral alternatives to most popular forms of transportation. My initial interest grew into an understanding of street connectivity as a goal not only to better the climate, but as a must for equity and a more cohesive city.
4) What about your time at Trailnet was valuable to your career?
Having an opportunity to work hands-on with a grant writing project is a unique experience that I was provided at Trailnet, which I cannot say I would have been offered elsewhere. I felt valued as a team member during meetings and working one-on-one with staff despite my role as an intern, challenging me to think more critically, quickly, and creatively. Taking ownership of a project and its timeline from beginning to end will prove to be critical experience in any career I ultimately pursue.
5) What has been the most fun Trailnet project to work on or learn about?
Apart from my grant writing project, I enjoyed accompanying Sam to tabling events and getting to know different St. Louis neighborhoods. In addition to immersing myself in local community events, it was interesting to take speed data at the same intersection over time and see for myself how infrastructure changes have the power to calm traffic and create safer streets.
6) What do you do like to do for fun?
In my free time I enjoy reading, listening to music, exploring and spending time with friends, and other relaxing activities. It has been harder to make time for these as the school year has started, but I’ve been doing my best to keep in the loop with local events. Recently I’ve seen live music at Blueberry Hill, visited the farmers’ market on the Delmar Loop, and explored the Hill, to name a few..
Thank you so much Hannah for you time and work at Trailnet! You are so wonderful, and we all wish you a wonderful school year!
Traffic Calming and Pop-up Park on MLK
On September 10, 4theVille hosted a pop-up park on MLK and North Sarah to celebrate the Ville’s heritage, highlight talented Black artists and history, and imagine the Ville’s potential.
Trailnet helped out with a traffic calming demonstration with brightly colored tires, traffic cones, and tape to create bump-outs on MLK & North Sarah and MLK & Whittier in the Ville. The temporary curb bump-outs and high-visibility crosswalks create a safer and more comfortable street for all users by making a safer and shorter distance for people walking along the street to cross.
Even though the lane configuration of the street remained the same, by bumping-out the curbs and reinforcing the intended traffic patterns, there was a noticeable decrease in speeding along the corridor during the demonstration. This temporary change helped Trailnet and 4theVille engage residents on what changes they would like to see at this and other locations in the future to make it easier for people to get around safely.
This pop-up is part of a larger effort by 4theVille and Trailnet to engage residents in conversations about how the built environment could make it easier for people in the neighborhoods to get around.
The pop-up event provides side benefits in highlighting local history and addressing stormwater runoff, through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice – Collaborative Problem Solving program. Additional support was provided through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services “Missouri Livable Streets” Program, an effort to advance complete and livable streets in communities across the state and connect people to every day destinations through connected communities that prioritize people getting around in many different ways.
Trailnet is grateful to have been part of such an amazing effort by 4theVille, “It was really terrific to be a part of this collaborative effort to highlight the unique history of one of the countries most historic Black neighborhoods, and help engage residents in ways that history can be elevated and celebrated for future generations,” Taylor March, Trailnet’s Director of Policy said.
We look forward to how we can continue to help make the streets places for people, and help highlight all the amazing history of the Ville Neighborhood!
Tuesday, December 7 (snow date Dec. 16th) 5:30-7:30PM,All About Winter Riding – Come learn with the experts all about winter riding. This class will cover winter clothing suggestions, bike maintenance, riding conditions and how to choose the proper gear and routes for those snowy days.
Thank you to everyone who came and participated in Trailnet’s 2021 Bicycle Education classes! It’s been so much fun to meet new people and teach new skills! Stay tuned for future bike education classes in 2022.
As we continue to collect count data each consecutive year, we are able to show changes in bicycling and pedestrian activity. Documenting these changes is essential to shaping infrastructure projects that make our region more livable for all.
We need volunteers who can commit to counting bicyclists and pedestrians at designated locations from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 14th and/or Sept. 15th.
The counts are a simple tally form. You’ll need to print a copy of the tally form for each “screen line” shown for your location.
You can check out the locations and the screen lines on our map before you sign up. Two weeks prior to the counts you will receive an email with more instructions, as well as the tally form. You will need to print out the tally form(s) prior to the count. You will need one tally form for each screen line at your location (most locations have two).
Bringing sunscreen and a chair will increase your enjoyment of the counts. If you are at a particularly busy location (ex. Skinker and Forest Park Parkway) you may want to ask a friend to join you to help count, besides everything is more fun with a buddy!
Note that in cases of inclement weather, such as thunderstorms, Trailnet will reschedule this event to the following week as a policy. Please use your best judgment and seek shelter if the weather becomes threatening.
Also check our Twitter and Facebook pages for ongoing updates or if you have any questions. In the event of a cancelation, counts will be done the following week on September 16th and 17th.
Trailnet is honored to offer enriching internships every year that allow people to gain experience building a better, more connected St. Louis. Trailnet interns come from dynamic backgrounds and are immediately plugged in to our exciting work. This month, we’re highlighting Aidan Gillespie, one of our talented 2021 summer interns.
Read on to learn about how Aidan is dedicated to working towards a more sustainable planet with active transportation options for all.
Aidan Gillespie
1) What you did this summer (outside of Trailnet)?
Well, perhaps most significantly, my wife and I added a new childto our family when our son was born this July. He has been an absolute joy to be around. Aside from that, I’ve spent time exploring some new biking and walking routes in my neighborhood.
2) What you’re studying in school?
I’m a student in SLU’s Master of Urban Planning and Development program. I’m finishing up my second year in the program as a part-time student.
3) What drew you to intern at Trailnet? I have always been fascinated by transportation planning issues and the way transportation intersects with so many other facets of a community’s livability. Trailnet has been the perfect place to work alongside people so mission-driven and so passionately engaged in making Saint Louis a safe place for all people to use low-stress transportation modes. In particular, I was drawn to Trailnet because of its reach. Trailnet collaborates with so many communities and organizations that I’ve been able to see the vast web of individuals and groups committed to active transportation.
4) Can you tell us about your planning involvement at SLU? I participate in the SLU Urban Planning Association events and I’m a student member of the APA.
5) What about your time at Trailnet was valuable to your career? First, the internship definitely offered opportunities to get to know some of the leading advocates for active transportation in Saint Louis. Second, I had hands-on experience with real planning projects that benefit communities.
6) What has been the most fun Trailnet project to work on or learn about? As someone who enjoys exploring maps, I really liked working with Sam to compile and plot data for the quarterly crash report. Also, since Trailnet is hoping to create a program for partners to adopt a bike lane, I spent time reaching out to other communities with similar programs to learn best practices. I learned that people in this field really love their work and are eager to share what they’ve learned along the way. 7) What do you do like to do for fun? I enjoy taking my sons on walks to new places, running, traveling to the National Parks, genealogical research, and playing subway mapping games like Mini Metro.
Thank you so much Aidan for you time and work at Trailnet! You are so wonderful, and we all wish you a wonderful school year!
The Real Cost of Distracted Driving
CW: Car crash, death
This is hard and important.
In 2019, Randall Siddens was helping pick up cones after a triathlon in Columbia, MO. when he was hit and killed by a person driving while looking at their phone.
The video produced by our partners at Mercy Injury Prevention – Springfield worked with Randall’s wife and the first responders who were there to tell Randall’s story. Randall’s story is a real and tragic reminder of the risk whenever someone is on their phone while driving.
(This video contains dash cam footage from immediately before and after the crash, as well as emotional testimony and may not be appropriate for all viewers)
Dangerous, distracted driving poses one of the biggest threats to people walking and biking in our community. In Missouri more than 2,500 crashes a year involve people using their phones while driving.
Trailnet is working with partners across the state to curb distracted driving and pass legislation that limits phone use by people driving. This bi-partisan coalition, Hands Free Missouri, is pushing for driving rules that limit people from using their phones while driving to only, push-button voice activated, or hands free modes.
These hands-free cell phone rules have been shown to save lives in other states and are working to pass life-saving legislation here.
Trailnet is helping organize and plan these efforts for the upcoming legislative session. This month, Trailnet staff visited the Missouri Capitol to meet with state legislative staff and statewide partners with the goal of passing legislation to curb distracted driving.
It is vital that Missouri lawmakers pass meaningful distracted driving legislation and each of us realize the real, human risk that comes from distracted driving.
If you want to get involved and help fight distracted driving:
Set an example for the people in your life by not using your phone while driving
Get involved with Trailnet’s advocacy work by emailing our Policy Manager: kevinhahn@trailnet.org
Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) Cycling Industry Pledge
Earlier this year, Trailnet joined with 160 other bike businesses and nonprofits pledging to help make the cycling industry a more welcoming and inclusive space.
The Cycling Industry Pledge is an effort of Radical Adventure Riders (RAR), a group dedicated to improving gender and racial equity in the world of bikes. It focuses on improving representation, comfort and access to the cycling industry for women, LGBTQIA+ folks, and people of color.
Taking this pledge is one small but important step to help get more people on bikes and create spaces where people of all backgrounds can enjoy riding together.
This commitment parallels our work focused on improving core transportation (walking, biking, and transit) access and community engagement grounded in racial equity and focused on communities with greater needs.
