Trailnet to Expand Advocacy with Walk/Bike Ambassadors
Over the last decade, Trailnet has played a leading role in improving biking and walking in the St. Louis region. Our successes include working with over 40 communities to create plans and policies for improved biking and walking, helping secure the city’s first buffered bike lanes and bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, and collaborating with seven municipalities, including St. Louis City and County, to pass Complete Streets policies that assure streets are designed for all users. In pursuit of our goal to make St. Louis one of the best places to walk and bike, we will increase our advocacy capacity through the launch of a Walk/Bike Ambassadors program.
Walk/Bike Ambassador programs are a national best practice for doing effective, broad-based advocacy. For the past two years, Trailnet has been gearing up to establish a Walk/Bike Ambassador program, which involves research into other effective programs as well as meeting with Trailnet members and volunteers to inform program design.
Thanks to a grant from the William A. Kerr Foundation, Trailnet will begin working to create a Walk/Bike Ambassadors program this fall. Trailnet will recruit and train up to ten Walk/Bike Ambassadors who will work at the grassroots level to ensure alignment between unique neighborhood needs and Trailnet’s advocacy campaigns. Walk/Bike Ambassadors will raise awareness, increase knowledge, organize residents, and facilitate communication between all parties.
Take the September Challenge!
The September Challenge is here! Ride your bike to work, walk, or take public transit and log your car-free miles on Shift Your Commute. This free, web-based program automatically calculates calories burned and carbon emissions saved. Every trip makes a difference – for your health, for the environment, and for regional planning. Trailnet uses data generated from Shift Your Commute to plan projects that improve opportunities for active transportation throughout the region. Prizes will be awarded for individuals and teams who log the most car-free miles during the month of September.
Volunteers will be needed for general event set-up, bike valet, the Trailnet table, the beer table, dance-walk course guides, and event tear-down. Volunteers will receive a $5 ticket for food and one complimentary beverage. Beer and pizza will be provided during a brief volunteer orientation September 16 at 6 p.m.
If you’re interested in hanging out with a crew of cool folks as music drifts into your ears and century riders flow across the finish line, register here. You can also contact Marcia Quint at marcia@trailnet.org for more information.
Trailnet constituent survey results
The results of our 2015 constituent survey are in! Thank you to all who participated. Your feedback will help us build the region for better biking and walking.
The community arts space known as “The Pink House” really is pink and is a hive of activity welcoming Pagedale residents of all ages to participate in a variety of activities. On five recent Friday evenings, it became the site of a Trailnet Spokes for Folks class. On each of those nights, bike parts and tools, air pumps and tubes could be found sprinkled on the lawn of the little house as fourteen class members learned about the anatomy of a bike, how to make basic repairs, rules of the road for bicyclists, and strategies for safely navigating city streets.
By successfully completing the class, each student received a brand new bicycle from the Ferguson Bicycle Shop, individually-fitted and with life-time free tune-ups courtesy of owner Gerry Noll. Participants also received a properly-fitted helmet, a bike lock, tools and patch kit, and front and rear blinking lights.
The new bicycles arrived on Friday, August 7, and most of the students hopped on and took a spin on the St. Vincent Greenway with a Trailnet instructor. Two novice cyclists stayed back with a Trailnet staff member and veteran resident cyclist Curtis Lomax, who helped the newcomers get a feel for rolling on two wheels.
Curtis Lomax is “looking forward to more adventures with Trailnet!”
When asked what plans they had for using their new bikes, participants, who ranged in age from 13 to 64, gave a variety of responses: “I want to bike with my kids, and use it to go to the grocery store – it will be more fun than taking the bus.” “I don’t have a car and I don’t see myself getting one soon. I’ll be going to college next year and can use it to ride to class.” “I need it to motivate me to move my body.” All of the new bike owners clearly look forward to the benefits of bicycling as a means of transportation, as a way of increasing fitness, and a source of sharing fun with friends and family. Participant Leonard Dixon summed it all up with his comment “Ride to live; live to ride!”
Trailnet thanks all of the “Spokes” folks for their enthusiastic participation and wishes them many miles of safe and fun riding. Thanks also to Gerry Noll of the Ferguson Bicycle Shop for custom fitting the bikes and to Gina Martinez, Director of the Pink House, for her weekly warm welcome. Trailnet’s adult bike education programs are funded by Beyond Housing, the Trio Foundation, and Cardinals Care. For information about the September 19 Spokes for Folks class, contact Taylor March at taylor@trailnet.org. To learn more about Trailnet’s bicycle education programs, click here.
Hitting the Trail – St. Louis Torchbearers Camp Sun Splash
Camp Sun Splash kids arrived at Fairground Park on a sunny July morning to find racks filled with bicycles waiting for eager riders. Each of the 39 campers were fitted with a bike helmet, and received a primer on bike safety. The smooth, level bike trail that circles the park lake was a perfect place for the novice riders to try out their bike handling skills.
Two days later, Trailnet met the group at the Whistle Stop Depot in Ferguson for an introduction to Great Rivers Greenway’s extensive trail system. Donning their helmets and safety vests, the riders wound their way through Ferguson’s business district to the start of the Ted Jones Trail. As they pedaled along the quiet, shady trail, the kids pointed out the many feathered residents of the woods lining the path. The group continued onto the St. Vincent Greenway, making their way through the gentle hills of UMSL’s campus to St. Vincent County Park where they enjoyed cooling off at the water park.
Trailnet’s Camp Sun Splash participation was supported by Great Rivers Greenway. St. Louis Bicycle Works loaned bicycles for the two-day adventure, and bicycle patrol officers from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department helped to shepherd the campers through Fairground Park. The Whistle Stop Depot provided restroom services for a long line of campers. Trailnet is grateful to all of these folks for their generosity and for helping to make a bicycling experience possible for the Sun Splash campers.
Celebrate the Active Living Awards – October 22
Join Trailnet in honoring the 2015 Active Living Award winners. These individuals, businesses, municipalities and organizations have made exemplary efforts to encourage physical activity and active transportation in our region. The awards will be presented at a reception at The Sheldon Concert Hall, followed by a performance by singer-songwriter Martin Sexton. For more information, click here.
While many of our rides take folks down country roads, this urban adventure is routed through some of St. Louis’ most vibrant neighborhoods and moves at a different pace—better for ogling attractions and bumping elbows with fellow riders.
The ride starts and finishes at the Morgan Street Brewery, located at 721 North 2nd Street, in St. Louis. Riders will take off from there and bounce into Illinois for a short jaunt along the Mississippi River and through Malcolm W. Martin Memorial Park, where the Gateway Geyser just might pop off a couple times.
Riders are then routed into the oldest African American incorporated town in the country—Brooklyn, Illinois. The route then features a private ride through the Bellefontaine Cemetery, where we’ll have a rest stop. Cyclists will enter the cemetery through the Amaranth Gate (closed to public) where a group of volunteers will share insider information on some of the location’s highlights.
After that, we’ll cross back into Missouri on the McKinley Bridge and pedal through historic city neighborhoods and parks.
Our second rest stop will be at the Penrose Park Velodrome—aptly named Mr. Bumpy Face. This is the chance to test your mettle and see how quickly you to can whip your wheels around St. Louis’ fast-paced cycling track.
Participants will tour some of the beautiful old neighborhoods of North City, the commerce of Euclid Avenue, find a rest stop at Hartford Coffee, and take a trip around the iconic Cathedral Basilica.
Finishing this urban tour at Morgan Street Brewery, riders can buy beer and food while sitting back and rehashing the highlights of the best city ride they’ve ever been a part of.
The full route is 40 miles. Shorter routes of 34 miles (along Cherokee Street) and 19 miles (through Lafayette Park) are also available. Registration at the event is from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. To preregister, visit trailnet.org.
Gear up for the September Challenge!
Cool weather and fall colors will be coming soon and with them, the September Challenge. Ride your bike to work, walk, or take public transit and log your car-free miles on Shift Your Commute. This free, web-based program will automatically calculate calories burned and carbon emissions saved. Every trip makes a difference – for your health, for the environment, and for regional planning. Trailnet uses data generated from Shift Your Commute to plan projects that improve opportunities for active transportation throughout the region. Stay tuned for info about prizes awarded for individuals and teams who log the most car-free miles during the month of September.
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Considerations for East-West Gateway Executive Director Search
Trailnet and NextSTL suggested some penetrating questions for the East-West Gateway Board to ask candidates for the council’s executive director position. Check out our memo below.
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Mark Kern, St. Clair County, EWG Board Chair
Alan Dunstan, Madison County
Francis Slay, City of St. Louis
Ken Waller, Jefferson County
Steve Ehlmann, St. Charles County
Terry Liefer, Monroe County
John Griesheimer, Franklin County
Steve Stenger, St. Louis County
FROM:
Ralph Pfremmer, Trailnet
Alex Ihnen, NextSTL
RE: East-West Gateway executive director search
We write as organization and opinion leaders with expertise in business development, urban planning and transportation. We are also partners and observers of East-West Gateway’s important work.
We understand a firm has recently been chosen to conduct a nationwide search for the top staff post of East-West Gateway’s executive director. Our purpose in writing is to express ideas that are relevant to your upcoming executive search process.
St. Louis is at a critical juncture. After years of economic and population stagnation, and the tough challenges and deep divisions we face brought to the forefront last August, we need a change of course. This is an important opportunity to hire an outstanding leader, collaborator, and expert to guide us in utilizing our assets to become a more prosperous region. We strongly believe the right candidate should possess the following expertise:
Demonstrated use of metropolitan planning organization (MPO) best practices;
Demonstrated commitment to collaboration and meaningful community engagement;
In-depth understanding of 21st century transportation and economic development challenges and opportunities;
Ability to create impactful and realistic regional initiatives; and
Leadership capabilities to engage and direct staff in fulfilling objectives and strategies identified in the OneSTL plan.
In order to vet the expertise of candidates, we ask you to consider incorporating the following questions into the interview process:
1) In 2013 East-West Gateway completed its Regional Plan for Sustainability, OneSTL. The plan was a $4.7 million investment by the federal government, and countless hours from partners. To increase sustainability in the region, and make the most of this investment, how will you guide the agency to win funds and foster collaboration to implement the plan?
2) In the 21st Century, we have seen a dramatic change in demand for land use and transportation options, as the millennial generation looks for more urban housing with multiple transportation choices, and the retiring baby boom generation is looking to downsize to more compact housing where walking and transit are convenient and accessible. How would you lead East West Gateway to make St. Louis a strong regional and global competitor as the market demands transportation choices and walkable communities?
3) The latest Long Range Plan does not prioritize funding for any major transit, bicycle, or pedestrian projects over the next 30 years. Meanwhile, our peer regions, including Kansas City and Nashville, are updating their transportation system for the 21st century by prioritizing transit and setting aside funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects. As Executive Director of East West Gateway, what changes would you make to compete with our peers?
4) Since 1950, the region’s population has grown by 50% while the land use has grown by 400%. Now we are struggling to pay for the maintenance on all of the roads, parking lots, and sewers that serve our spread out population – we’ve rendered ourselves house-poor.How would you lead East West Gateway to address the challenges of our stagnating population and growing maintenance bills due to aging infrastructure? What could East-West Gateway do to encourage more economically productive land uses?
5) Historically, central cities have been dependent upon the rural areas surrounding them for food and raw materials, while the rural areas have been dependent upon the central cities as a market for their goods. Infrastructure investment and policy choices over the past 60 years have undermined already built places in favor of more spread out newer ones. How would you encourage discussion, collaboration, and understanding between the diverse interests of our region? How will you lead our region to ensure we have a strong, competitive central core?
6) Due to the high number of pedestrian fatalities and serious injuries, Missouri and Illinois are both on the Federal Highway Administration’s watch list, Focus Cities/States of Concern. Connected2045, the latest EWG long-range transportation plan, reports deaths and injuries in crashes cost the region $3.2 billion in 2013. What approaches could East-West Gateway take to influence and improve safety on the streets and highways of our region?
7) It is a fair assumption that federal, Missouri, and Illinois infrastructure funding levels will be limited for the foreseeable future. More than ever, high returns on our investments are critical. Small multi-modal improvements in neighborhoods are often the highest returning investments we can make. How would you approach the identification of projects large and small that create the highest return on investment for the EWG region?
8) Best practices for community engagement include involving residents from the beginning of any project and integrating engagement into existing community-hosted meetings, instead of creating new meetings. Please describe your experience implementing these community engagement best practices, and any others.
We offer these comments and ideas because regional progress requires that East-West Gateway have a strategic leader as executive director. We welcome your interest, seek to engage you and the region in this process, and wish you well in the executive search.
Over the last decade, Trailnet has played a leading role in improving biking and walking in the St. Louis region. Our successes include working with over 40 communities to create plans and policies for improved biking and walking, helping secure the city’s first buffered bike lanes and bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, and collaborating with seven municipalities, including St. Louis City and County, to pass Complete Streets policies that assure streets are designed for all users. In pursuit of our goal to make St. Louis one of the best places to walk and bike, we will increase our advocacy capacity through the launch of a Walk/Bike Ambassadors program.
Trailnet