A: Calm Streets are residential streets transformed to reduce speeding and provide safety for everyone traveling there. On Calm Streets, traffic calming measures are used to reduce cut-through traffic and the volume and speed of motorized vehicles; increase space for landscaping and managing stormwater; and increase comfort for those walking and biking.
Q: Where will Calm Streets be built?
A: The Calm Streets project is a partnership with the City of St. Louis and other partners to see Calm Streets built within the city. The City of St. Louis offers many opportunities for building Calm Streets because of its grid street network. However, other jurisdictions in the region can build Calm Streets.
Calm Streets will be created on streets in the City of St. Louis classified as “local” that are often residential/neighborhood streets. They typically have posted speed limits of 25 mph and less than 2,000 vehicles per day. Calm Streets will not be built on streets that are snow routes; have steep roadway grades of 8% or higher; have a high concentration of busses; or present difficulty for emergency service vehicles.
Q: When will Calm Streets be built?
A: The City of St. Louis has one Calm Street on Des Peres Ave. We do not know when more Calm Streets will be built. In the shorter term the City is working to build pilot Calm Streets. The partnership is working to secure funds to plan a citywide Calm Streets network that would become part of the Bike St. Louis network.
Q: Who will build Calm Streets?
A: Calm Streets will be built on City of St. Louis streets and the City is therefore responsible for construction.
Q: Would a Calm Streets network be separate from the Bike St. Louis network?
A: There is currently one Calm Street, Des Peres Ave., and it is part of the Bike St. Louis network. Future Calm Streets would be added to the Bike St. Louis network.
Q: How will the construction and maintenance costs of Calm Streets be funded?
A: Bikeway construction and maintenance costs are often covered by a variety of funding streams. Calm Streets construction could be funded by federal Transportation Improvement Program grants, one-half cent ward capital funding, or other public/private sources. The Calm Streets Project Committee is working with the City of St. Louis to develop a plan for covering maintenance costs based on best practices from other cities.
Find out more details about The Calm Streets Project here.
What do Calm Streets look like?
St. Louis businesses receive national recognition from League of American Bicyclists, Trailnet ranked among most Bicycle Friendly Businesses in U.S.
Using an awards system based on engineering, education, encouragement, evaluation and planning, the League of American Bicyclists recognizes the bicycle-friendly efforts of more than 800 businesses from across the nation. Bicycle Friendly Businesses foster a sense of community and promote wellness and sustainability in the workplace. Trailnet’s TravelGreen program seeks to increase the number of Bicycle Friendly Business in St. Louis. Bicycle Friendly Businesses enhance the quality of life for our residents and shows support for initiatives that raise the city’s Bronze bicycle-friendly status.
In May, Spoked Couriers, Microgrid Energy, Saint Louis Zoo, and Wells Fargo Advisors attended Trailnet on Tap: The Business of Biking to learn how to apply Bicycle Friendly Business status. At this event, Trailnet and guest speakers covered strategies to create a more bike friendly business and encourage car-free commuting among colleagues. Trailnet also presents lunch and learn sessions to the St. Louis businesses on Trailnet’s Shift Your Commute program to boost participation among employees.
Trailnet is thrilled to share this announcement and congratulates the four new St. Louis businesses on becoming leaders in the community. The Saint Louis Zoo is one of only two zoos in the nation to receive the honor and Spoked Couriers received a gold level status on their first application! Looking to the future, Trailnet seeks to build a network of Bicycle Friendly Businesses supporting and promoting our healthy, active initiative throughout the region.
Bicycle Friendly Businesses in the St. Louis region:
Gender equity, biking, and walking – a successful Arch Women event!
Despite the stormy weather, 37 people came out to learn about gender equity, biking, and walking. Atomic Cowboy created a warm and inviting space for us, with snacks and beer abound to offer reprieve from the chilly rain.
Trailnet’s TravelGreen Coordinator Molly Pearson opened the evening by discussing findings by the League of American Bicyclists’ Women Bike initiative, focusing on the Five Cs – Comfort, Convenience, Consumer Products, Confidence, and Community.
Urban designer Courtney Cushard discussed her expanding women’s group The Monthly Cycle. Faye Paige Edwards of GirlTrek addressed access to physical activity among women of color. Lastly, educator Leah Patriarco examined how street harassment affects if/how/when women choose to bike, walk, or take public transit.
Check out the slides below! Want to know more, or be put in touch with one of the presenters? Email Molly Pearson at molly@trailnet.org.
The streets are our largest public space. People riding bicycles and driving cars should be held accountable for following the rules of the road and ensuring that the streets are for everyone.
Summary of Missouri Bicycle Laws:
Bicycles are vehicles under Missouri law (307.180) and cyclists have the same rights and duties as operators of other vehicles (307.188)
Cyclists shall ride as far right as is safe except when making a left turn, when avoiding hazardous conditions, when the lane is too narrow to share with another vehicle, or when on a one-way street (307.190)
Cyclists may ride abreast when not blocking other vehicles (307.190)
Cyclists may ride on the shoulder of the road, but are not required to (307.191)
Cyclists shall ride in the same direction as traffic (307.191)
Cyclists shall signal when turning (307.192)
Bicycles shall be equipped with brakes (307.183), a white front light, and a rear red light or reflector (307.185)
Motor vehicles shall not park or idle in bicycle lanes (303.330)
Operators of motor vehicles shall maintain a safe distance when passing cyclists (300.347)
Cyclists shall not use the sidewalk in a business district (300.347)
If a red light does not change for a completely stopped cyclist after a reasonable time, the cyclist may proceed if there is no approaching traffic (304.285)
For a more comprehensive list of Missouri Bicycle Laws click here.
More places to park your bike
A project begun in 2007 by the St. Louis Bike Federation (which merged with Trailnet in 2011), that won a federal grant to manufacture and place bike racks throughout the St. Louis region, is complete. This project included a design competition, and the winning design is the origin of the iconic arch bike rack that has been installed widely throughout the region.
You will notice from the photo below that the racks manufactured for this project are not silver like the ones you’ve probably seen; they are black to meet historic design criteria.
Many thanks go to the William A. Kerr Foundation and REI for their generous grants that provided the “match funds” the St. Louis Bike Federation and Trailnet needed to leverage the federal grants to complete the project.
Most of the bike racks manufactured for this project have been installed so keep an eye out. They can be found as far north as Bellefontaine Neighbors and as far west as Fenton – and at many locations in between.
Arch Women: Celebrating and empowering women on two wheels
June has been an eventful month for women on bikes!
On the 18th, Trailnet was pleased to present a highly successful Arch Women: Bicycle DIY Night! Eighteen women from all walks of life came out, rolled up their sleeves, and showed their bikes who’s boss. Local non-profit Perennial not only hosted the event, but also led us through bike-themed craft projects, including bike safety flags made out of felt and wire hangers, and carrying pouches to stash our essentials between destinations made from old sweaters and belts. On the other side of the room, lady mechanics from the Trek Bicycle Stores of St. Louis walked us through how to change a flat tire and how to keep our bikes squeaky clean.
To round out our hands-on activities, Trailnet also brought our demo MetroBus rack so everyone could take a shot at loading their bike onto a bus– all who tried it agreed it’s a snap! Someone even said, “So… That’s it? Really?!”
To top it all off, we enjoyed snacks catered from Lulu’s Local Eatery, as well as beer and wine.
A week later on the 25th, the Ballwin Trek store hosted a Ladies’ Night, featuring women’s clothing, products, apparel, and even held a raffle for a brand new racing kit. Trailnet was there, serving up margaritas fresh from the bike-powered blender.
Mark your calendars now for our September 10th event–Arch Women: A Pedal-Powered Movement. We’ll be discussing bicycling, equity, and the barriers women experience when it comes to active transportation– and what we can do to eliminate them.
Shared Lane Markings are not bicycle facilities, they are pavement markings for designating shared space on low-traffic and low-speed routes. Currently, the Bicycle Friendly Community Application requires communities to report the number of separated facilities on arterials, as shared space is not safe or comfortable when cars are traveling fast. Using Shared Lane Markings on higher speed and higher traffic routes eliminates their value for wayfinding on low-stress routes.
Appropriate Contexts for Shared Lane Markings
Shared Lane Markings are used to mark mixed traffic facilities, where people driving and biking share the street. This type of facility is comfortable for a mainstream adult population when:
the speed differential is low. NACTO recommends 25 mph or less design speed for using shared lane markings (“Urban Bikeway Design Guide” 181)
there is no centerline in the street, thereby directing ALL users to share the space (“Low Stress Bicycling” 21)
Following these two guidelines implies:
shared lane markings are not appropriate on streets with ADT over 4,000, as traffic tends to channelize into two lanes at that threshold, regardless of markings (“Low Stress Bicycling” 21)
shared lane markings are not appropriate on streets with more than one lane in each direction, as such streets require markings
traffic calming devices should be used when the design speed of a road is over 25 mph
When Shared Lane Markings are used, the placement should follow NACTO recommendations to ensure that they encourage proper lane position for bicyclists, outside of the door zone. Markings should be placed frequently enough to provide wayfinding for cyclists.
Shared Lane Markings and Wayfinding
Shared Lane Markings are invaluable as wayfinding to guide bicyclists along low-stress routes. They are an essential part of Calm Streets design. When Shared Lane Markings are used on higher traffic and higher speed roads, users cannot rely on the markings to guide them along low stress routes. Where shared lane markings are used because of constrained right-of-way, centerline markings should not be used and traffic diversion should be used as appropriate to ensure ADT under 4,000. If these measures are not practical, advisory bicycle lanes or road diets should be considered instead.
The orientation of the chevron in a shared lane marking can be changed to indicate wayfinding. This design is used in many cities and is included in the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide (180). Such modified shared lane markings should be used to indicate turns in low-stress routes. Though it has not yet been included in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices, modified chevrons are used as a best practice throughout the country without controversy.
Shared Lane Markings and Network Design
Bicycle facilities and markings should be designed to reduce traffic stress to a level that will be tolerated by the mainstream adult population (LTS 2 as defined in the “Low Stress Bicycling Network Connectivity Report” published by the Mineta Transportation Institute). When facilities are designed to be comfortable for only a minority of the population, society and most individuals miss out on the benefits of cycling, including better health, reduced traffic congestion, and improved air quality.
Designing infrastructure on minimum standards creates the risk that the project will be outdated when standards change. Bicycle planning and design is a rapidly changing field, with standards increasingly favoring separation. Current projects should look to emerging best practices, to ensure that they are within guidelines for years to come.
Shared Lane Markings and Safety
Shared Lane Markings have the potential to inform road users of proper bicycle lane positioning and to alert drivers to the presence of cyclists. In 2010, the Federal Highways Administration evaluated the operating effects of shared lane markings, using 2-lane, 4-lane, and 5-lane roads. The study found that correctly placed shared lane markings increased operating space for bicyclists, and reduced sidewalk riding. The study focused on operating characteristics, not crash frequency (“Evaluation of Shared Lane Markings” 75).
In 2012, a case-crossover study looking at crashes and infrastructure type found no significant decrease in risk for major streets with shared lane markings. The researchers defined major streets as those with marked centerlines. In contrast, local streets without marked centerlines, had a significant and large decrease in crash risk (Teshcke et al. 2340) The findings underline the importance of wayfinding along local streets without marked centerlines.
Works Cited:
Mekuria, Maaza C., Peter G. Furth, and Hilary Nixon. Low-stress Bicycling and Network Connectivity. Rep. no. 11-19. San Jose, CA: Mineta Transportation Institute, 2012.
Teschke, Kay, and Et Al. “Route Infrastructure and the Risk of Injuries to Bicyclists: A Case-Crossover Study.” American Journal of Public Health 102.12 (2012): 2336-343.
Urban Bikeway Design Guide. New York: National Association of City Transportation Officials, 2012.
U.S. Department of Transportation. Federal Highways Administration. Evaluating Shared Lane Markings. FHWA-HRT-10-041. McLean, Virginia: Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center, 2010.
Our first Bakeries on the Rise bicycle tour–a sweet success
On June 21, Trailnet hosted our first ever bicycle-powered bakery tour, “Bakeries on the Rise.” The day was slightly overcast, offering a reprieve from the hot summer sun, with a slight breeze all morning. Conditions were prime for a ride– and 94 people (!) of all ages came out for this 8-mile South City ride.
We began our quest for pastries at Whisk: A Sustainable Bake Shop. Owner and baker extraordinaire Kaylen Wissinger offered up some cookie samples, as well as a little history on her Cherokee Street storefront. We then made our way through Dutchtown, across Grand, and into the South Town neighborhood to visit the Companion Earlybird Outlet. Only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, this hidden gem is a great place for anyone on a budget who wants top-notch breads and pastries. From here we crested a great BIG hill (whew!) into the Tower Grove South neighborhood and then turned into Tower Grove East, where we visited the brand new Grove East Provisions and Red Fox Baking and Catering. Proprietor Barry Kinder told us all about the process behind building a wood-fired brick oven, and how Red Fox and Grove East Provisions came to enter a neighborhood cornershop partnership. Our final stop took us back to Cherokee Street, where we paid a visit to Black Bear Bakery, which is operated as a cooperative establishment.
Many riders said that we visited places they had either never heard of, or had been meaning to try for some time. We saw bike baskets and panniers filled with loaves of bread, bagels, and sweets to take home, and heard plenty of riders saying they will be back to visit these local businesses again soon!
Thank you to Great Rivers Greenway District and Enterprise Holdings Foundation who provided funding for this ride, and to everyone who came out, supported local business, and learned some new bicycling routes through the city. Special thanks also to the participating bakeries who welcomed our riders with great service and plenty of delicious treats to choose from. Life is sweet when you’re two-wheeled in St. Louis!
Trailnet Calls on City to Eliminate Pedestrian and Bicycle Fatalities
Death and injury in any form are unacceptable. Our city is often focused on violent crime, rightfully so. But this conversation ignores another major contributor to deaths and injuries – traffic violence.
From 2009-2012, 49 people were killed while walking or biking and 1,496 were injured. This is more than one person a day hit by a car while walking or biking in St. Louis City. Another fatal crash occurred on Friday, killing a bicyclist in full reflective gear. These traffic deaths are preventable and can be eliminated by prioritizing people on foot and bicycle, the most vulnerable users of the road.
Mayor Slay has made it a focus of his administration to make St. Louis more walkable and bikeable, but without a multi-sector action plan and strict enforcement of traffic violations this will not be accomplished.
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has continually named St. Louis as a Pedestrian Focus City, because the rate of drivers hitting pedestrians is so high. Thirty-six percent of city traffic deaths are pedestrians.
The City of St. Louis must get serious about keeping residents safe and make a commitment to the people of this city. In order to achieve a walkable and bikeable city, eliminating injuries and deaths must be a measurable part of the City’s Sustainability Plan and include the Departments of Streets, Health, and Public Works.
There are two main ways to decrease traffic crashes: change the behavior of the people using the road, and change the physical engineering of the road.
At minimum, Trailnet urges the City to:
Set a goal to eliminate pedestrian and bicycle fatalities (e.g. Zero fatalities by 2019)
Increase enforcement of traffic violations that injure and kill people: speeding, running red lights, turning violations, and running stop signs
Hire a Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator with the expertise to design and implement safer streets for people walking and biking
Set a plan to:
Begin utilizing FHWA recommended traffic calming measures such as high visibility crosswalks, speed bumps and roundabouts
Update and adopt the Pedestrian Safety Action Plan
Pass policies to create safer streets such as no texting while driving
Zero is the only acceptable number. If you live, work or play in the City of St. Louis, call Mayor Slay today at 314-622-3201 and ask him to set a timeline to eliminate pedestrian and bicycle fatalities.
Concerned cyclists will gather next Monday, June 30at 8 a.m. in front of City Hall at the Tucker Street entrance to ask for safer streets.
