The first Planning Advisory Committee Meeting took place April 28, 2014 at the Kirkwood Recreation Center. The meeting focused on introducing the committee members to the planning process and gathering information on existing conditions.
Meeting Summary and Materials The draft summary of the meeting is available here.
The handouts and presentation from the meeting can also be downloaded:
Meeting Follow Up
At the meeting, committee members requested more information on walking and biking.
The following resources are available for committee members and all Kirkwood residents to better understand walking and biking:
Forty-five cyclists and walkers participated in the April 26, 2014 “Trail Through Time Bicycle and Walking Tour of Father Dickson Cemetery.” The walk and ride began at the U.S. Grant National Historic Site on Grant’s Trail. Twenty-five cyclists headed north on the trail to the Oak Bend Branch of St. Louis County Library, where participants could view a display about Father Dickson’s Cemetery and also engage in an activity centered on learning more about your family history.
Twenty walkers, lead by GirlTrek National Field Director Faye Paige Edwards, walked the two-mile stretch from the U.S. Grant Site to Father Dickson’s Cemetery. The cyclists and walkers met at the cemetery at 11:00 a.m. for a rousing performance by the Community Gospel Choir. Participants sang along and clapped with the choir and were greeted personally by the singers who circulated through the crowd at the end of the performance, shaking hands.
Following the gospel performance, the focus shifted to Father Dickson’s Cemetery, a historic black cemetery that has been painstakingly restored by a group of dedicated volunteers. Ernest Jordan, President of the Friends of Father Dickson’s, was on hand to answer questions, and a number of volunteers lead walking tours through the cemetery. Participants were also invited to walk through the adjacent Sappington House Museum free of charge, and The Barn Restaurant offered a 10% discount for event participants. Approximately half of the participants enjoyed lunch and desserts at the restaurant.
Feedback from the event was overwhelmingly positive. Some of the cyclists were new to Grant’s Trail and commented on how pleasant their riding experience was. Many of the event participants were happy to learn more about local history and to be exposed to sites that were new to them. As one cyclist remarked, “I love these community rides – you don’t just ride, you visit cool places that you didn’t even know existed.” GirlTrek’s leader sent the following e-mail after the walk: “My Trekkers loved the event.” Matt LaBerta (of LaBerta and Son’s Cycles) provided sag support for the cyclists and summed up the enthusiasm for the event in his e-mail “the gospel group…gave me goose bumps. We were having such a good time that we didn’t even make it back to open the shop.”
Thank you to all of our volunteers for helping us spread the word: We Know A Better Way.
This campaign was made possible by funds from the Federal Highway Administration through the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) Program, sponsored by the Missouri Department of Transportation.
Ride Recap: Spring Chicken
We kicked off our Bicycle Fun Club ride season with Spring Chicken this past Sunday, April 13th.
The weather was warm early on, but the wind made this flat ride more difficult for our 152 riders.
The wind was so strong that plates of bbq chicken flew right out of our hands!
Time to start walking and biking to school again
Its spring! With the warmer weather, it time for everyone to get outside. If you have kids, be sure to urge them to bike and walk to school. Take the time to walk or bike with them, or encourage them to tag along with neighbors and trusted friends. If you don’t have children, remember to be extra-vigilant and watch out for kids who are walking and biking more frequently in your neighborhood.
To help kick off the “walk and bike to school” season, Trailnet will be working with various schools throughout the region to promote Family Walk to School Days. With three events already past us this Spring, we are looking forward to the next three.
If you would like to volunteer at one of our schools, contact Ginny McDonald atginny@trailnet.org.
Create Your Own Bike to Work Day Refueling Station
National Bike to Work Day is Friday, May 16, 2014.
If you would like to host your own National Bike to Work Day refueling station to represent your organization and be included in Trailnet’s marketing efforts, please fill out the online form by April 22, 2014.
In return for your station being marketed by Trailnet, you must display educational bike materials. Please arrange a time to pick these up from Trailnet (M-F: 9am-5pm, 411 N. 10th Street, Suite 202, St. Louis, MO 63101) prior to Bike to Work Day (May 16). Please arrange this time with Meredith@trailnet.org.
ADVOCACY ALERT: Anti-Bike Legislation Introduced
A Franklin County legislator introduced an amendment on Thursday, April 3 to remove bicycles from potential transportation funding. All other modes of transportation are included: state highways, city streets, county roads, aviation, mass transportation, transportation for elderly and handicapped persons, railroads, ports, waterborne commerce, intermodal connections, and pedestrian improvements. Every community submits their own priorities for funding, choosing what is important to them. This amendment takes away the freedom for each community to decide their transportation future.
A bicycle ban (HB 2279) has also been proposed on certain state highways – popular routes for many riders.The bill is due for a vote on Monday or Tuesday, so we need you to act now! Email and call your State Representative with this simple message:
“I support including bicycling in HJR 68, the transportation funding bill, and I urge you to vote against Rep. Paul Curtman’s amendment to remove bicycling from the bill (Amendment 5302H02.01F). I also urge you to oppose Rep. Korman’s HB 2279 to ban bicycles from certain state highways.”
After fourteen years at Trailnet, eight of them as the executive director, I have made the decision to leave Trailnet to seize a wonderful adventure and opportunity. I will remain Trailnet’s biggest fan, but will be channeling my energy and using much of what I have learned throughout my career to build a company with my husband, David.
This is a bittersweet announcement for me – a sadness to leave such a dynamic organization, but a thrilling time in my life. Trailnet’s 26 years of focused work has benefited our entire region, and I am especially proud of these particular accomplishments carried out during my tenure:
A strategic shift for Trailnet, from trail building and capital projects to our current focus on policy, planning and programming, was successfully implemented.
Our staff has grown to 21 and includes transportation planners, design and communication experts, advocacy specialists, bike and youth program educators and, of course, bicycle event planners.
We have secured federal funding to develop bike/pedestrian master plans for 29 local communities.
We spearheaded a successful re-location campaign to our current downtown office at 411 North Tenth Street, co-locating with St. Louis’ Downtown Bicycle Station.
Our leadership role in elevating the proposed South County Connector conversation and technical assistance for Complete Streets in St. Louis City and St. Louis County have created increased public awareness of and accommodations for non-motorized traffic.
I will be working closely with the Trailnet board of directors as they launch a national search for my replacement. I am looking forward to a smooth transition sometime this fall. In fact – hold the date for our second annual Ped-a-Palooza on October 17. We plan to use that party as a celebration of my years partnering with you, and as a hearty welcome to Trailnet’s new leader.
We are fortunate to have an incredibly competent staff diligently working for a more livable St. Louis. Rest assured that I will forever be a champion of Trailnet activities in the region. Thank you for your generous support and for everything you have done to bring such joy to my work. It has been a privilege representing you when bikeability and walkability issues are at stake.
In fact, those are the very issues that elected officials will be focused on Monday, April 7 at Bike Ped Day at the Missouri Capitol. Please consider joining us and other advocates – a Trailnet van will be leaving St. Louis at 8:00 a.m. and returning by 6:00 p.m. Contact rhonda@trailnet.org for more details.
Sincerely,
Ann Rivers Mack
Chief Executive Officer
Member Perk
Back again in 2014: we are offering a five BFC ride discount. Trailnet members have the opportunity to purchase a five-ride package that can be used to pay for any of five BFC rides for the special price of $35.00 – that’s a $5.00 savings off the cost of five rides at the already-discounted member rate. Click here to view the deal.
If you’d like to become a member to take advantage of this exclusive, members only deal, click here.
What to do if you’re involved in a car crash while riding your bike
