Generally a child should be at least 10 years old before being allowed to ride in the street, especially without parental supervision. However you should never allow your child to ride on the road without going over the basic bicycle skills together and assessing your child’s ability to react thoughtfully to vehicular traffic.
The most basic bicycle rules you should be teaching your child include:
Utilize additional resources to teach your kids bike safety from the International Bike Fund or the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.
University city has a rich history that is reflected in its current assets and amenities; its location as an innerring suburb and its interconnected street grid presents unique opportunities for enhancing walking and biking for transportation, recreation and fitnss. In an effort to move University City towards being one of the most sustainable cities in the St. Louis Metropolitan region, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan builds upon University City’s outstanding historic character and seeks to provides viable transportation options for all residents.
The Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan is a partnership between The City of University City and Trailnet. It is funded through a grant from the Missouri Department of Transportation and supports the goals of the Mayor’s Task Force on Bike and Walk-ability by providing recommendations and design options to promote equity in mobility for all University City residents, regardless of their age, income, or ability. The planning process took place over the course of 14 months and included regular meetings with the Mayor’s Task Force on Bike and Walk-ability, Steering Committee, Stakeholder Interviews, two Public Workshops, and special workshops with City staff, Commissioners, and elected officials.
The Full Plan: Click on the Images below. The plan is divided into two parts.
“Metro Transit is best known as the operator of the public transportation system for the St. Louis metropolitan region, with MetroLink, MetroBus and Metro Call-A-Ride. But did you know that Metro Transit also oversees operations of the St. Louis Downtown Airport, the Gateway Arch trams and the Gateway Arch Riverboats?” – Metro Transit St. Louis Website.
For information about fares, schedules and maps, click here.
Metro also has a handy trip planner.
Passengers 13 or older, and children accompanied by an adult, are welcome to bring their bicycle onboard MetroLink. Wait until all other passengers have boarded or exited the train, and enter the train at the rear door of the first train car or the front or rear door of the second train car. Two bicycles are permitted in each area. If a train is too crowded, you may have to wait for the next train before boarding with your bicycle.
While onboard MetroLink, please stand with your bicycle. Do not leave your bicycle unattended or put it on its kickstand. For more information, click here.
Illinois’ Madison County Transit buses and Missouri and Illinois MetroBuses are equipped with a two-bike rack available on a first-come, first-served basis.
View the following videos for using a Madison County bike rack and a Metro bike rack.
“MCT provides the community with numerous public bus routes, a Paratransit service for the disabled and elderly, bikeway development, as well as overseeing RideFinders, the St. Louis regional rideshare program. Working in conjunction with the other St. Louis area organizations, MCT provides an important link in the chain of seamless regional transportation services.” – Madison County Transit Website.
Click on these links for schedules and maps and fare information.
You don’t need any special gear or clothing to go for a bike ride. Jeans and a t-shirt, a dress and heels– you can get started in anything. Short trips can easily be reached in whatever you would wear normally.
Of course, you can’t control the weather. If it’s especially hot, you can either carry a small towel or a change of clothes to freshen up in no time once you reach your destination. In the fall and winter months, layering is key. Even though it’s cold, you can still work up a sweat, so strive for moisture-wicking fabrics like spandex or merino wool.
For longer, more strenuous rides a shirt made from performance fabric and padded shorts are a must. The shirt will wick the sweat and make your ride cooler. The shorts will prevent “saddle sores” and reduce chafing.
One of the greatest challenges facing the bicycle and pedestrian field is the lack of documentation on usage and demand. Without accurate and consistent demand and usage figures, it is difficult to measure the positive benefits of investments in these modes, especially when compared to the other transportation modes such as the private automobile.
Each year in September, Trailnet takes part in a Bicycle and Pedestrian Count in attempts to provide some documentation.
There are many ways to meet other riders in the St. Louis region.