Trailnet has launched a new Business Membership Program offering businesses the opportunity to support positive change in their community. The investment Trailnet receives from its business members will lead to innovative partnerships focused on making walking and biking a way of life in the St. Louis region.
Executive Director Ralph Pfremmer says: “In a perfect world, collaboration is abundant, everyone is included and transparency is the standard. The Trailnet Business Member understands that together we can foster a quality of life that supports a prosperous, healthy region.”
Did you know…
“People who bike to businesses tend to spend more per month than those who drive there.”
-Protected Bike Lanes Mean Businesses
“Cites that invest in biking infrastructure are going to win.”
-Jeff Judge, General Manager of Signal Engage in Chicago
“Roadway projects that include walking and biking infrastructure create more jobs every $1 million spent”
-Pedestrian and Bicycle Infrastructure: A National Study of Employment Impacts (2011)
“Higher levels of walkability are often directly linked to higher home values.”
-Walking the Walk: How Walkability Raises Housing Values in U.S. Cities
The Business Membership Program offers several levels of support. Each level receives a broad range of benefits to engage the company and its employees in Trailnet’s mission and programs and provides ongoing recognition of the business and its collaboration with Trailnet.
To view the Business Membership levels and benefits, see the Program Description.
To discuss the program further, to join, or to nominate your company as a potential business member, please contact Kay Barnes, Development Director – 314.436.4324 x104 or kbarnes@trailnet.org.
Mayor Slay Accepts USDOT Mayor’s Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets
Trailnet extends its appreciation and applause to Mayor Francis Slay for accepting U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx’s Mayor’s Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets. The level of commitment and leadership of the Mayor, his staff, and elected officials impresses and inspires Trailnet. This challenge will help create a city where walking and biking are easy and safe options for getting around. It also supports Trailnet’s programs and initiatives to make walking and biking a way of life in the region.
This announcement comes at time when there is significant momentum to take regional walking and biking infrastructure to the next level. In an effort to increase awareness and address the high rate of pedestrian injuries and deaths in St. Louis, Trailnet is hosting a Walk Summit on September 28, 2015. Gathering partners together to share best practices for pedestrian safety and street design, Trailnet hopes to bring about positive change and create streets for everyone. The Walk Summit will take place in conjunction with the national Association for Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals conference in St. Louis from September 28 to October 1. Trailnet encourages region-wide attendance to both of these events to help ensure our region is equipped to build for better walking and biking.
Trailnet continues to play a role in supporting Complete Streets, helping to set a structure in place for better walking and biking in the region. Recently, the City of St. Louis bolstered its Complete Streets policy on January 30, 2015. Sponsored by Alderman Scott Ogilvie, the bill passed with unanimous support from the Board of Aldermen. The comprehensive and collaborative approach laid out in this bill will have significant impacts on the quality of life for St. Louisans. Visit /2015/02/06/city-complete-streets-bill-passes-unanimously/ to learn more.
Trailnet is excited for the future of walking and biking in St. Louis. We greatly appreciate our partnership with the City of St. Louis and look forward to supporting them in achieving the goals of the Mayor’s Challenge for Safer People, Safer Streets.
Trailnet’s St. Charles County Epic Mountain Bike Event – January 17, 2015
While the conditions for single track riding in Lost Valley and Klondike Park were too spongy, the Hamburg and Katy Trails utilizing the Great Rivers Greenway connector were almost ideal. For mid-January, the weather seemed more like spring. The day started out in the low 40s with bright sunshine. Our partner, Missouri Department of Conservation, hosted the start/finish at the Weldon Spring Conservation Area maintenance facility near Highway 94.
At 9:00 a.m., 60 cyclists were ready to roll and begin their 14-mile loop. With temperatures unseasonably warm, the frozen ground thawed and was slightly soggy. Though soggy, the two trails served as great routes for a pleasant ride. Cyclists returned smiling and slightly speckled with white limestone mud. After resting briefly and getting some nourishment, cyclists who made the loop in less than 2 hours jumped back on for another go-around.
While the cyclists were out, Trailnet’s new Executive Director, Ralph Pfremmer, prepared chili for the after-party. Ralph was also the day’s announcer, calling out some of the faster or muddier cyclists. By noon most of the cyclists had returned from one, two, or three laps of the course and were ready for chili with all the fixings.
They were also treated to cold beer from O’Fallon Brewery. St. Charles County Parks, another Epic partner, prepared handmade plaques from sections of local cedar trees for all cyclists– a cool reward for finishing a fun ride! By 2:00 p.m., temperatures were in the low 60s and cyclists ended the day with their fill of food and drink at the after-party.
St. Louis news of late has been filled with death, tragedy and crime. We know that’s not the entire story. There is a lot of positive activity happening below the surface of the news cycle. St. Louis has become an entrepreneurial hub. Our region has talented, creative, and energetic people working every day to create a vibrant, active region. Organizations and agencies are collaborating at an increasing rate. Together, we are focusing our collective activities towards the same targeted outcomes – economic inclusion, talent attraction, and increasing transportation options.
We are in a moment of great opportunity with significant changes in City and County staff. County Executive Stenger is working to fill high-level positions in his administration, and the selections he makes will shape the future of the region. Mayor Slay announced this week a new Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, and Director of Operations. We applaud his decision to promote the next generation to positions of power. They know better than many which assets will bring new residents and businesses to our region.
Both City and County are working to fill vacant Director of Transportation positions. The importance of placing the right people into these positions cannot be overstated, as they will determine how streets are designed throughout the region and who can safely use them. The Directors of Transportation can choose to continue on the current path of car-centric road design or choose to diversify transportation options. They can help make St. Louis a more livable region with a North-South Metrolink line, protected bike lanes the whole family can ride, and pedestrian crossings that accommodate all people regardless of age or ability.
We are counting on our leaders to choose wisely, selecting staff who are innovative, with a collaborative and transparent nature, and are willing to work hand-in-hand with private and public businesses for the betterment of the region. We need a 21st century vision and plan for the St. Louis we want to become, and stand ready to support our leaders and put in the work to take the region to the next level.
As we plan for our future, we should always focus our energies towards principles that ensure community advancement. We must collaborate, be inclusive, and promote transparency to meet our region’s highest potential. Together, our region can lead in fostering a healthy, active community where walking, biking, and public transit are a part of our daily lives.
–Ralph Pfremmer, Trailnet Executive Director
Kirkwood Final Planning Advisory Committee Meeting Summary
Trailnet’s Bike Expo includes a variety of vendors to peruse for the latest bike programs, events, groups, gear, and trinkets. Check out the list below! Vendor booths are still available, register today.
The Planning Advisory Committee for the Kirkwood Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan met on November 18 at Kirkwood City Hall. The meeting agenda, summary notes, and meeting materials can be downloaded below:
[wpch_thermometer id=”4746″ position=”right”] Thanks to all who stepped up to the challenge and donated to Trailnet on #GivingTuesday . Your generosity will help to support Trailnet’s continued work in promoting healthy, active and vibrant communities throughout the St. Louis region. We know that you had many choices of worthy community organizations in which to invest and we greatly appreciate that you chose Trailnet.
Happy Holidays from the Trailnet staff!
New Executive Director, Ralph Pfremmer Shares Excitement for 2015
In my first few weeks as executive director at Trailnet, I am becoming even more familiar with the workings of this terrific local advocacy organization. Through a wide range of programs that encourage and support bicycling, walking, and the use of public transit,Trailnet has made an impact on communities throughout the St. Louis region. The spirit and passion I’ve witnessed in the Trailnet staff represents the leadership and expertise needed for comprehensive impact in our region. I am thrilled to be part of such a professional, talented and mission-driven team. With your support, we will expand our healthy, active initiatives and advocacy efforts to create safe streets for everyone and a more livable St. Louis.
I have already had the pleasure of meeting with a few of our partner organizations – Great Rivers Greenway, East-West Gateway, Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation, MoDOT, St. Louis City, St. Louis County . . . We are fortunate to have these regional partnerships that are so critical in leveraging for a more livable St. Louis. Each organization plays a unique and innovative role in this important work. With focused collaboration, we will develop and advance shared goals that will help the region grow. I look forward to fostering current relationships and building new ones that will effectively bring about positive change within our region.
As we plan for 2015, we will maintain our role as an advocate for you – the pedestrian crossing the street doing daily errands, the bicyclist commuting to work, and the transit user boarding MetroLink for a festival in Forest Park. Trailnet will continue to be your voice for vibrant communities where walking, bicycling, and the use of public transit are a way of life.
St. Charles Wine Country Bicycle Ride – October 19, 2014
The day started out chilly with temperatures in the upper 30s for our final road ride of the season. The cold air reacted with the warmer river water to create some foggy conditions near the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The fog moved in after registration opened at 7:30 and lingered for another hour, seemingly clearing from the top down. The effect created some beautiful and eerie scenery.
It was a slow start Sunday morning with most cyclists opting to start after the sun was brightly shining overhead. The routes were hilly but short compared to other rides this season. The long route traversed many rolling hills, with riders visiting historic Augusta twice in their 31-mile journey. As the temperatures climbed to the 60s, the bright sun and colorful autumn leaves created a perfect fall ride.
Riders enjoyed sampling wines from Sugar Creek, Noboleis and The Yellow Farmhouse along with the host winery, Chandler Hill. By 11:00 a.m. Chandler Hill Winery was hopping with crowds of people spending a fantastic fall day at the vineyards. All 80 riders had a great time.
