The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) lays out several steps for states, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and cities to take to better support the needs of people who walk, roll, bike, and use public transit.
In this joint letter, MRT, its leadership, and leaders from the health and accessibility sectors across the Show-Me State asked for details on how MoDOT plans to support these vulnerable road users through their implementation of the BIL. You can read the full letter below:
Former Director of The City of St. Louis Civil Rights Enforcement Agency joins our growing team!
As Policy Catalyst, Charles will lead Trailnet’s strategic policy and advocacy agenda through coalition-building, community outreach and government relations.
Charles began his career in non-profits, working in services for the unhoused in Baltimore, Maryland. After two years with Catholic Charities in Baltimore, he moved to work with the Illinois Department of Public Aid, where he oversaw federal and state grants for services for the unhoused. Eventually, he moved back to his home state of Missouri, where he worked for the Missouri Housing Development Commission as a proponent for low-income housing tax credit development for six years.
When Mayor Francis Slay was elected in 2001, he called on Charles to work as an advisor in his administration, where he was responsible for developing and implementing the overall neighborhood, ethnic and religious outreach plan for the City. During his time in City Hall, Charles worked with three mayors—as special advisor, Director of Public Safety, and for the last eight years, as the Director of the Civil Rights Enforcement Agency (CREA), enforcing federal, state and local fair housing, equal employment opportunity and public accommodation laws, rules and regulations, “a job I truly loved,” said Charles.
Charles will start with Trailnet in late June. As our new Policy Catalyst, he has one overarching goal:
“Listen. Listen to what the community is saying. Look at how our policies, procedures and practices can impact the needs of those various communities. Whether it’s black folks feeling underserved by public transit; Whether it’s the LGBTQIA+ community feeling afraid to walk in certain areas at night; Whether signage in our region adequately serves folks who speak English as a second language. The one thing I want to be able to accomplish is to listen to folks and address their needs.”
Charles currently lives downtown, a short walk from the Trailnet offices.
“I live downtown, in part, because I wanted access to public transit. Public transportation is a big deal for me, so I’m excited to see how my passion for transit can factor into this work.”
He also enjoys hiking, and he says he’s getting into biking.
“I’m in walking shape—I walk about 6.7 miles every couple of days through Forest Park—but that doesn’t mean I’m in biking shape. So I’m working on that,” he said with a smile.
We’re excited to have someone with Charles’s passion and experience join our team. Welcome!
Cyclists on a scenic Illinois road during Trailnet’s 2021 Calhoun County Classic
The Calhoun County, Illinois Board of Commissioners passed a new Bicycle Ordinance in April 2022.
Trailnet has been mapping beautiful bike routes through Calhoun County for 16 years. Calhoun is the third-least-populous county in the state of Illinois—a peninsula nestled between the Mississippi and Illinois rivers just North of St. Charles County, where scenic country roads wind through local peach orchards, past small towns, and along the river. In other words, Calhoun County is a cyclist’s dream.
Unfortunately, our most recent ride through the area—the 2021 Ride The Rivers Century last October—brought to light some of the county’s long-time struggles accomodating large events. When nearly 500 people on bicycles (equal to over 1/10 of the county’s population) rode off of a small ferry and onto county roads, some residents were overwhelmed.
When Trailnet caught wind of county residents’ grievances, we immediately reached out to representatives from the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners to open a dialog and try to make things right.
Trailnet Rides Director Matt Hartman attended an initial council meeting on February 25, 2022. Since then, Trailnet staff have remained engaged in conversations with Calhoun County to make sure that cyclists and residents can operate safely and in a manner that is mutually beneficial for years to come.
“Prior to our meetings, Calhoun County didn’t have any established event permitting or application processes. The County Board knew this was something they were lacking so we [Trailnet and Mike Weiss from Big Shark] offered to help define and establish some guidelines to assist them in creating one of their own,” said Hartman
When we plan our rides, we work with cities and municipalities across the region to make sure we acquire necessary permits, collaborate with police and fire districts on our routes, create full safety plans, and track riders from start to finish via our TraQ Central app. Rides through Calhoun County should be no different. But with a small Sheriff’s department and a fully volunteer-based emergency medical staff, they do not have the capacity to provide the resources some other counties can.
Additionally, in order to ride through this picturesque area, we have to send our riders down narrow roads with no markings, and as local constituents pointed out, we are often riding during their harvest—the busiest time of year in farming communities. Together we discussed how to keep our riders safe in these unique conditions.
Trailnet Rides Director Matt Hartman and Communications Coordinator Justin Seaton at the May 2022 Calhoun County Board of Commissioners meeting.
“The point of this ordinance is not to try to push riders away,” said Keisha Morris from the State’s Attorney’s Office. “It is intended to foster these relationships, improve communication, and make sure the community is well-prepared when large rides come through.”
Below you’ll find the most recent copy of the Bicycle Ordinance of Calhoun County, Illinois. Though we contributed our expertise to the drafting process, this final ordinance was written and ultimately passed by the Calhoun County Board of Commissioners in partnership with the State’s Attorney’s office.
“The new ordinance and permit process fulfill the requests of Calhoun County community leaders and allow more seamless communication between themselves and outside event organizers,” said Hartman.
With this partnership and these guidelines now in place, we look forward to more scenic rides through this gem of the St. Louis region!
For information or questions regarding the Calhoun County Bicycle Ordinance, contact Keisha Morris at the IL State’s Attorney’s office. keisha.morris@calhouncountyil.net or 618-576-9013
You’ve seen it: people driving while texting, watching a video or reading on their phones or tablets. You know how dangerous it is.
But did you know that Missouri is one of only two states that allow adults to interact with their phone screens while driving a vehicle?
Together, we are fighting to curb distracted driving across the Show Me State. We will not stop until our streets are truly safe for all.
Trailnet is helping to lead efforts to ban distracted driving through a statewide coalition called Hands-Free Missouri. This coalition is made up of diverse members that share a commitment to safer roads, including victims of distracted driving and their families, Missouri State Highway Patrol, other bike/ped advocacy groups like LocalMotion and BikeWalk KC, and insurance companies like AAA.
For the last two years, Trailnet has been working with state legislators to draft and introduce legislation to ban distracted driving.
This year, we finally saw bi-partisan support, with two bills introduced. In early March, Trailnet traveled to Jefferson City yet again to testify on behalf of these bills and to meet with legislators to gain support.
(This video contains dashcam footage from immediately before and after the crash, as well as emotional testimony and may not be appropriate for all viewers)
We supported victims of distracted driving and encouraged them to tell their stories in hearings in both the Missouri House and Senate.
Stories like Randall’s highlight the tragic toll that distracted driving has on individuals and families across the state.
As a result of our advocacy efforts, the Missouri Senate’s Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee finally voted to advance a bill that would limit phone use while driving in March 2022. It was the first time a distracted driving bill had been approved by a Missouri legislative committee since 2018.
Unfortunately, the legislative session ended last week, and the bill was not brought up for a vote. But we are proud of the progress we have made together. We are hearing more and more support from legislators and individuals across the state. We are optimistic that the culture around distracted driving is changing, and that a bill can be passed in the next legislative session.
But we cannot do this work alone. We need your help. Please join us. As a member, you directly support our advocacy work. Together, we will make our streets truly safe for all.
P.S.: If you want to do more to help, you can share some of these resources with family, friends and your elected officials:
Prop 1, April 5: Voters to weigh in on sidewalks, bike lanes and street repairs
A $50 million bond question including funding for sidewalk improvements, bike infrastructure and street repairs is will be on City of St. Louis voters’ ballots on Tuesday, April 5 vote.
The bond question, Proposition 1, would help pay for the backlog of infrastructure repairs and improvements that aren’t covered by federal assistance funds.
“This bond question is an important step to invest in safe, sustainable infrastructure. We need to see more funding focused on closing sidewalk gaps, improving accessibility for people with disabilities and supporting safer biking,” Kevin Hahn-Petruso Trailnet’s policy manager said.
Alderwoman Marlene Davis introduced proposal and it was passed without opposition by the Board of Aldermen and approved by Mayor Tishaura Jones in January 2022.
The debt from the bonds will be paid off using existing property tax streams and not result in a property tax increase.
In addition to street repair and biking and walking upgrades, the bonds would also help pay for a new emergency dispatch center and improving conditions at correctional facilities. Money from the bonds could also be used as matching funds for federal programs – including the transportation programs that help fund the city’s planned cycle tracks – and for repairs of city buildings.
Two-thirds of people voting in the election would need to support the bond issue for it to pass.
Community Engagement with Jeff-Vander-Lou neighborhood
Since 2015, Trailnet has worked alongside residents, elected officials, and organizations within the Jeff-Vander-Lou (JVL) neighborhood in North St. Louis to demonstrate and plan for several neighborhood improvements. Several improvements Trailnet and residents began planning and advocating for 2015 are finally came to fruition in 2021 and 2020.
The work in JVL kicked off in 2015 when Trailnet, the Missouri Chapter of the American Planning Association, the HEAL partnership, and the City of St. Louis hosted four pop-up traffic calming demonstrations across the City of St. Louis. Jeff-Vander-Lou, one of the four identified neighborhoods, demonstrated a neighborhood roundabout and chicanes (street narrowers) at the corner of Sheridan and Garrison Avenue with the goal of slowing down neighborhood traffic.
The demonstration proved extremely successful. Along Sheridan and Garrison, average traffic speeds dropped over 2 MPH, and complete stops increase from 48% to 63%, when compared to conditions before the demonstration. Several elected officials, like former Mayor Francis Slay, and key City staff, attended the demonstration. This allowed JVL residents to speak directly with the people responsible for funding and implementing traffic solutions across the City. Shortly after the demonstration in the Spring of 2016, several new speed humps were installed along Garrison Avenue in front of Dunbar Elementary and Ms. Tillies Corner, two JVL landmarks.
After the demonstration and the new speed humps, Trailnet continued to engage with partners and residents at community events throughout 2017 – 2019 like the annual Ms. Tillie’s Health Fair. 2020 brought revived momentum for traffic calming projects. Throughout the previous years, several residents noted excessive speeding and stop sign running throughout the neighborhood. The fence surrounding Ms. Tillie’s Corner was unfortunately hit by a driver speeding through the intersection of Garrison and Sheridan exposing that more infrastructure was needed throughout the neighborhood.
Trailnet staff attended several JVL neighborhood meetings and met with several residents and elected officials to determine which locations were of high priority and what types of infrastructure they preferred to slow down traffic. Through these conversations, an initial plan to implement a roundabout (similar to what was demonstrated during the 2015 pop-up) at the corner of Dayton and Glasgow, near the corner of Fresh Starts Community Garden and the Gamble Center. Trailnet and residents began an aggressive advocacy push to fund the roundabout project and other traffic calming solutions.
During this advocacy push, Trailnet worked with other partners in the JVL neighborhood to implement small-scale projects and identify gaps in the current sidewalk network. Trailnet partnered with the City of St. Louis Health Department and Columbia Elementary to purchase 20 new trees, “Stop for Pedestrian” signage to be placed in front of the school, and supplies to beautify two planter pots near the school. Trailnet staff also began an analysis of the existing sidewalk conditions in the JVL neighborhood to identify areas for sidewalk improvement. Every sidewalk from Natural Bridge Avenue to St. Louis Avenue (along Vandeventer to Glasgow Ave) was assessed and mapped by Trailnet staff.
New roundabout installed in 2022
The end of 2021 brought good news for JVL residents with secured funding for the roundabout at Dayton and Glasgow. The construction of the roundabout, which finished in February 2022, brought much-needed traffic calming to an intersection in which most cars did not stop at the stop sign. Even with the roundabout finally constructed after almost 7 years of advocacy the work in JVL is not complete. N. Grand, which runs right through the heart of JVL, has been identified as a high crash corridor by Trailnet’s Crash Reports and the intersection of Grand & Montogomery has been analyzed as the 7th most dangerous intersection in the United States. North Grand and several other neighborhood streets are in desperate need of traffic calming interventions in the near future and Trailnet continues to work with the JVL residents to push elected officials and city staff to fund and implement projects in JVL.
Weigh in on local walking, biking, and transit projects
Add your voice for better walking, biking, and transit!
Numerous local projects in the St. Louis Region are up for federal construction funding, and public comments are open for people to weigh in.
We’ve highlighted a few of these projects from local-government partners that will help connect key destinations and improve safety for walking and biking.
The deadline to submit comments is 5 p.m. Thursday, March 31.
There are many more projects than we have listed here. Most are for street repairs but some include sidewalk and crosswalk improvements. Check out the full listing here to see what your local community is working on.
Tower Grove Connector Phase 2
The City of St. Louis is applying for funding for the second phase of the Tower Grove Connector project.
The first phase of the project includes a 1.4 mile cycle track (a.k.a. protected bike lane) along Tower Grove Ave. and Vandeventer Ave. between Tower Grove Park and The Grove business district. Funding for Phase 1 was awarded in 2020 and is currently in the final design phase, moving towards construction in 2023.
Phase 2 would extend the cycle track .6 miles north along Sarah St. to the Brickline Greenway, and then continue north to Forest Park Parkway utilizing a low stress bicycle facility, the type of which is to be determined in the design phase.
Based on the project application, construction for Phase 2 would occur in 2025.
Great Rivers Greenway is seeking funding for a .5 mile segment of the Brickline Greenway in the City of St. Louis. The funding would support a greenway on Spring Ave. between Page Ave. and Washington Ave.
This grant would help extend the reach of the section of the planned Brickline Greenway from Fairground Park to Page Blvd, which was recently awarded federal funding. When combined, these two segments will create a walking and biking connection between Fairground Park and Grand Center.
The greenway will also provide enhanced safety for people walking and biking along the corridor, which currently has one of the highest rates of crashes injuring and killing pedestrians in the St. Louis region.
Based on the project application, construction would occur in 2026.
Deer Creek Greenway: Big Bend Blvd to River Des Peres Greenway
Great Rivers Greenway has submitted a project in Maplewood and the City of St. Louis to extend the Deer Creek Greenway 1 mile, linking it to the River Des Peres Greenway. The proposed project would extend the greenway from Big Bend Blvd. to the River des Peres Greenway.
When complete, it will create a new connection linking the Deer Creek Greenway to the wider network of greenways including the River des Peres, Gravois, and Christy Greenways. This will create 25 miles of connected, paved greenways.
Based on the project application, construction would occur in 2025.
The City of Kirkwood has proposed a 1.2 mile extension of Gravois Greenway: Grant’s Trail. Currently the trail ends at a trailhead and parking lot on S. Holmes Ave. in Kirkwood. This proposed extension would connect the trail into downtown Kirkwood at the Kirkwood Farmers Market, along the old railroad lines and paralleling surface streets.
The project is broken up into two phases. Based on the project applications, construction would occur for both phases in 2026.
The City of St. Charles is seeking funding for a .4 miles of improved sidewalk connections, curb ramps, and high visibility crosswalks along 2nd St. from Clark St. to Bayard St. The sidewalks would include curb extensions that shorten crossing distances for people walking and slow automobile speeds. This would also include a trail connection from the Katy Trail to the Boschert Greenway that crosses Second Street at Lawrence Street.
Based on the project application, construction would occur in 2026.
The City of Crestwood has applied for funding to construct a .2 mile multi-use path connecting Gravois Greenway: Grant’s Trail to Whitecliff Park and the Crestwood Community Center. The path would replace sidewalks along Pardee Rd. and Whitecliff Ln. and include crosswalk improvements.
Based on the project application, construction would occur in 2026.
The funding applications also include money to update the region’s bus fleet: including 10 Metro buses and three St. Clair County Transit District buses in 2025 as well as nine call-a-ride buses in 2026.
Follow this link, then click on “BI-STATE DEVELOPMENT/METRO” to weigh in on the bus purchases.
The Funding
These federal funds are administered by the East West Gateway Council of Governments (EWG). Funding for these projects come from two competitive federal programs. One program is aimed at improving air quality and reducing congestion: the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ). The other is the Surface Transportation Program – Suballoacated (STP-S) which provides flexible road funding for local governments.
The Missouri Senate’s Transportation, Infrastructure and Public Safety Committee voted today to advance a bill that would limit phone-use while driving. The legislation that would limit distracted driving now moves to the full Missouri Senate for debate.
Important progress
This vote is a major step forward for efforts to pass distracted driving rules. Tuesday’s vote is the first time a distracted driving bill has been approved by a Missouri legislative committee since 2018. This progress is due in large part to the work of the Hands-Free Missouri Coalition, which Trailnet helped launch in 2019 and has been helping organize outreach at the Capitol.
Last week, Trailnet’s policy manager Kevin Hahn-Petruso testified along with victim advocates and statewide partners on the bill during a hearing on the bill:
“We all share some responsibility when we get on the road, whether we’re driving, or walking across the street. But that responsibility isn’t equal. We all have a duty, but the folks with more power and more authority have a greater duty to protect the health and safety of the people on our streets,” Hahn-Petruso said.
Hands-Free Missouri members and partners following the March 1 hearing at the Missouri Capitol
“Hands-Free” Legislation: Senate Bill 713
The legislation, sponsored by Greg Razer (Kansas City) restricting distracted driving would improve safety by restricting people from using electronic wireless communication devices (cell phones, smart phones, laptops, and other similar devices) while driving.
However, the legislation allows people to use a device while in “Hands-free mode” if:
(1) it can be used without holding the device
(2) it can be used with the push of a single button, and
(3) it doesn’t take the driver’s attention away from the road.
The bill also allows exemptions for emergency calls, emergency vehicles, navigation, etc.
Distracted driving puts everyone on our roads in danger, but the risk to people walking, biking is even greater. More than 2,500 crashes a year in Missouri involve people using their phones while driving. Likewise, 407 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver between 2016 and 2020. Missouri is one of two states without distracted driving rules for all drivers.
How you can help:
Despite this important step forward, progress isn’t guaranteed and there is still lots of work to do.
Please help by contacting your state senators asking them to support Senate Bill 713 and sign on as a cosponsor.
Contact your representatives urging them to support similar distracted driving legislation.
Email kevinhahn@trailnet.org to get involved with our advocacy work to end distracted driving.
Below is a sample message for the emails or phone calls to lawmakers’ offices. Please take this and make it your own.
Senator/Representative ________ and staff:
My name is ______ and I’m reaching out to urge you to support hands-free legislation to help prevent deaths and injuries from distracted driving.
Distracted driving is a real problem across the state with a real human cost. More than 2,500 crashes a year involve people using their phones while driving. Likewise, 407 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver between 2016 and 2020. This has to stop.
I urge you to support SB 713 and similar hands free legislation.
The bill will improve safety by restricting people from using electronic wireless communication devices (cell phones, smart phones, laptops, and other similar devices) while driving. However, the bill allows people to use a device while driving if (1) it can be used without holding the device, (2) it can be used with the push of a single button, and (3) it doesn’t take the driver’s attention away from the road. The bill also allows important exemptions for emergency calls, emergency vehicles, navigation, etc.
You should support this legislation because:
It will save lives and prevent injuries: similar laws passed in other states led to an average 15% reduction in fatal crashes within two years of passing the law.
It will save money: the financial costs from these crashes affect individuals, their families, communities, employers as well as insurance costs, lost wages, and the strain on our medical system. According to the FHWA, each fatal Missouri crash caused by distracted driving results in $9.9 million in comprehensive cost, including $1.5 million in economic costs like emergency services, legal cost, property damage and lost wages and benefits.
It is popular: in a 2020 poll, 69% of Missourians surveyed said they would support hands free legislation.
I hope you support this legislation and would love the opportunity to talk more with you or your staff. Sincerely,
Legislation to limit distracted driving will be up for debate in a Missouri Senate hearing tomorrow, Tuesday March 1 and you have a chance to help move the bill forward.
Will you help?
Distracted driving puts everyone on our roads in danger, but the risk to people walking, biking is even greater. More than 2,500 crashes a year in Missouri involve people using their phones while driving. Likewise, 407 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver between 2016 and 2020.
This has to stop.
A Missouri State Senate bill sponsored by Greg Razer (Kansas City) restricting distracted driving would improve safety by restricting people from using electronic wireless communication devices (cell phones, smart phones, laptops, and other similar devices) while driving.
However, the legislation allows people to use a device while in “Hands-free mode” if:
(1) it can be used without holding the device
(2) it can be used with the push of a single button, and
(3) it doesn’t take the driver’s attention away from the road.
The bill also allows important exemptions for emergency calls, emergency vehicles, navigation, etc.
This legislation will be heard in committee tomorrow morning. This bill is one of several different initiatives in the Missouri Senate and House to limit distracted driving and the first to receive a hearing this year.
Stay tuned to Trailnet’s social media and newsletters for other opportunities to help advocate for distracted driving legislation this year.
Below is a sample message for the emails or phone calls to lawmakers’ offices. Please take this and make it your own.
Senator/Representative ________ and staff:
My name is ______ and I’m reaching out to urge you to support hands-free legislation to help prevent deaths and injuries from distracted driving.
Distracted driving is a real problem across the state with a real human cost. More than 2,500 crashes a year involve people using their phones while driving. Likewise, 407 people were killed in crashes involving a distracted driver between 2016 and 2020. This has to stop.
I urge you to support SB 713 and similar hands free legislation.
The bill will improve safety by restricting people from using electronic wireless communication devices (cell phones, smart phones, laptops, and other similar devices) while driving. However, the bill allows people to use a device while driving if (1) it can be used without holding the device, (2) it can be used with the push of a single button, and (3) it doesn’t take the driver’s attention away from the road. The bill also allows important exemptions for emergency calls, emergency vehicles, navigation, etc.
You should support this legislation because:
It will save lives and prevent injuries: similar laws passed in other states led to an average 15% reduction in fatal crashes within two years of passing the law.
It will save money: the financial costs from these crashes affect individuals, their families, communities, employers as well as insurance costs, lost wages, and the strain on our medical system. According to the FHWA, each fatal Missouri crash caused by distracted driving results in $9.9 million in comprehensive cost, including $1.5 million in economic costs like emergency services, legal cost, property damage and lost wages and benefits.
It is popular: in a 2020 poll, 69% of Missourians surveyed said they would support hands free legislation.
I hope you support this legislation and would love the opportunity to talk more with you or your staff. Sincerely,
_________
Two year, $200,000 Missouri Foundation for Health grant to support Trailnet advocacy
This month, Trailnet began work on a multi-year advocacy effort to reduce deaths and injuries from traffic crashes in the City of St. Louis.
This advocacy effort is funded through a new 2-year, $200,000 grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH). The MFH grant supports advocacy efforts to address community-identify health needs.
This advocacy effort is an extension of Trailnet’s ongoing advocacy, planning and education programs.
With this funding, this concentrated effort will:
1. Advocate for a comprehensive, need-based policy for traffic safety
Currently, most traffic safety improvements are done on a ward-by-ward basis, with wards receiving equal shares of funding regardless of the level of need in each ward. This approach – as well as the region’s history – has resulted in a fragmented, inequitable system: leaving some neighborhoods with safer streets, sidewalks, and bike infrastructure while others struggling to address basic needs.
Comprehensive means a city-wide approach and should include all relevant departments and community stakeholders.
Need-based means that areas with the most need should receive the most support. This should be informed by data and shaped by the needs of residents.
2. Support community efforts to prioritize mobility and safety
Residents are the experts on their communities, and they stand to benefit or lose the most from traffic projects. With this funding from MFH, Trailnet will support neighborhood and resident-led efforts to improve traffic safety.
3. Advocate for funding to support traffic safety improvements. Improving funding for safety upgrades is necessary to make any meaningful improvements to the safety of our streets. Through this MFH grant, Trailnet will work with community partners to advocate for greater funding to support these changes.
