Trailnet mourns the tragic death of a cyclist who was struck and killed by multiple drivers on Gravois Avenue on Tuesday, April 1. We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s loved ones and to the community grieving this loss.
This tragedy is heartbreaking, infuriating, and yet another example of the epidemic of traffic violence in St. Louis, affecting people biking, walking, rolling, catching the bus, and driving. Data from Trailnet’s upcoming 2024 Crash Report shows that this crash is one of many — 58 people riding bikes were struck by drivers in St. Louis City last year. Gravois Avenue has consistently ranked among the most dangerous streets for pedestrians and remains one of the City’s top crash corridors.
While details about this crash are still emerging, one thing is clear: any loss of life on our streets is unacceptable.
Traffic violence is a result of decisions, behaviors, and systemic failures in street design. Many proven solutions have not been broadly implemented in our region yet. We must demand change, including:
The City, State, and Federal government must continue to invest in protected cycling infrastructure, not just paint. New infrastructure often takes years to design and build, so it is critical to continue planning and community engagement for new projects. In the meantime, quick-build solutions should be deployed to improve safety now.
Education and enforcement efforts must focus on creating a culture of safer driving. We can all do our part by slowing down and paying attention to the road.
Reckless drivers should be held accountable, especially for a serious crime like a hit-and-run.
Two of the four drivers who hit the cyclist, including the initial driver, fled the scene and have yet to come forward. We urge law enforcement to thoroughly investigate and hold those responsible accountable, and we implore the drivers to come forward.
We also request that reporters and the news community alter how they speak and write about crashes by implementing people-first language. We must be clear: cars do not kill people — drivers do. And when a person driving a car hits a pedestrian or cyclist, it is not an “accident.” It is traffic violence; it is a “crash.”
This tragedy is not an isolated incident — it is a pattern. Traffic violence has become part of our daily lives, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can and must do better.
Where Do Your Leaders Stand? Our Aldermanic Survey Results
Following the success of the Transportation and Infrastructure Mayoral Forum, Trailnet again partnered with the St. Louis Coalition for the Protection of Cyclists and Pedestrians, the St. Louis Urbanists, Transform 314, and Paraquad to create an Alderperson Survey. With St. Louis City elections approaching on April 8, 2025, we want voters to be informed about where aldermanic candidates stand on transportation issues.
This survey was sent to all 11 candidates; we received responses from four. Their answers have not been modified in any way, and are presented exactly as they were received. Click on names below to see the alderperson’s responses.
Trailnet Champions: Karen Nicholson and Scott Otto
In each of our monthly newsletters, Trailnet features a member (or members!) of our community who are working toward Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. Karen Nicholson and Scott Otto are our March 2025 Trailnet Champions!
Trailnet is incredibly fortunate to have the best volunteers around! They’re hardworking folks always ready to chip in and spread our message, whether it’s through tabling events, hauling equipment at our rides, or any other number of things that make our work possible. We’re thrilled to feature two this month, both of whom won the Volunteer Award that our recent Beans, Bikes, and Brews event: Karen Nicholson and Scott Otto.
Karen has always had a heart for volunteering. During her 26 years at Scott Credit Union, she was incredibly active in their volunteer incentive program, winning company awards for the most volunteer hours, the highest percentage of team members volunteering, and the highest percentage of team volunteer hours. When it comes to volunteering at Trailnet, Karen loves getting to engage with the community. “I get to meet new people while giving back to the community and advocating for safer streets,” said Karen. “I love working with Trailnet employees; they are a great group of fun, caring, and supportive employees who always make you feel welcomed and appreciated while volunteering.”
In addition to volunteering, Karen keeps active with walking, hiking, and cycling. She’s a proud grandmother (she introduced her granddaughter to the Moonlight Ramble Ride in 2010, and volunteering in 2016!) and is excited to be a great-grandmother in April. We’re betting she’ll introduce her great-grandchild to cycling and volunteering before too long!
Scott got involved with Trailnet in 2023, around the same time that Gina Otto, his wife, became our Special Events Manager! She roped him into working some rides, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Scott keeps busy between his work at UPS, visits with his grown children in Arizona and Tennessee, and awesome hiking and biking adventures. He also loves building and repairing electronics, and is quite the cat dad! On top of all that, he spends a lot of time with Trailnet.
Scott has gone all in on volunteering at our rides, and like Karen, understands the joy of volunteering. “The feeling of giving back to the community — putting in hard work and seeing it pay off with happy smiling bike riders,” said Scott. “And I enjoy meeting new people and learning more about the communities where the bike rides take place.” Scott has found other great bonuses in volunteering, too! “It’s encouraged me to start riding my bike more often and feel more confident riding on streets versus just trails or bike paths.” What a fantastic plus!
Thanks to our volunteers, we’re able to make a bigger impact in all aspects of our work, and we can’t imagine functioning without them. Thank you Karen and Scott, for your passion for volunteering, and for Trailnet! We’re so grateful for you both!
In each of our monthly newsletters, Trailnet features a member of our community who is working toward Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. Bill Coppel is our February 2025 Trailnet Champion!
A member of our Board of Directors from 2018 to 2024, Bill Coppel has been an incredible advocate for Trailnet, and St. Louis in general. During his time on Trailnet’s board, he served as the head of the nominations committee — a fitting position for a people-person and connector like Bill. He also served as board mentor to Cindy Mense, Trailnet’s CEO. He’s served as the Chief Client Growth Officer at TradePMP for the past two years, and earned his MBA from Washington University. An east coast native, he’s lived in St. Louis for 17 years, raising two children with his wife, Kathy. He’s always kept a busy professional schedule, but has made time for causes and organizations he believes in, such as KidSmart and the Missouri History Museum, and of course, Trailnet.
An avid cyclist, Bill has biked all over St. Louis and beyond with his family. In listening to him to talk about his adventures, his love of the area is evident. “We have cycled every inch of St. Louis from the north, farthest north side, all the way to the deepest south side of the city, to the western border, and, of course, to the river,” said Bill. “So we know every one of those neighborhoods, each one of them. And that’s another remarkable thing about St. Louis, is every neighborhood is very distinctive, and has its own personality.”
It was through the cycling community that Bill first heard of Trailnet. He joined the board not just because he wants safe streets for everyone, but also because of how safe streets can elevate a city. “Cities should be safe for non-vehicular transportation, whether you’re walking, cycling, or running — all of those things I think are incredibly important — but just as important is the fact that a city has to be inviting,” Bill said. “It has to be a safe city. It’s got to have opportunity, and what we’re doing with streets is helping to revitalize this city, and making it an attractive destination for companies, businesses, and people wanting to move here.”
Trailnet has benefited greatly from Bill’s wisdom as he helped shape and guide many of our campaigns. “I think a lot of the work we’ve done on calming streets, in the neighborhoods within the city for traffic calming, putting in bike lanes, putting in pedestrian crosswalks, and particularly in school areas — it’s great. We’ve been involved with doing all of that and more. I’m really proud of the work Trailnet has done.”
We’re deeply grateful for Bill’s time on our board, and are inspired by his advocacy for safer streets, and St. Louis overall.
St. Louisans Speak Out: The Future of Transportation Can’t Wait
The standing-room-only Transportation Infrastructure Mayoral Forum signaled a growing demand for transportation reform
On February 10, 2025, approximately 200 concerned St. Louisans gathered to attend the Mayoral Forum on Transportation Infrastructure at Paraquad’s headquarters. The event was held by a collaborative of St. Louis organizations: Trailnet, Paraquad, Transform 314, the St. Louis Coalition to Protect Bicyclists and Pedestrians (CP2), and the St. Louis Urbanists.
All four mayoral candidates — Recorder of Deeds Michael Butler, Mr. Andrew Jones, Mayor Tishaura Jones, and Alderwoman Cara Spencer — shared their personal visions for the future of transportation infrastructure in the City of St. Louis.
Questions were provided by the organizations and the public, promoting a productive conversation on a wide range of transportation topics. Notable topics included:
Allocating funds and ward capital to transportation infrastructure, including for the new St. Louis City Department of Transportation.
Improving ADA accessibility and mobility throughout the city.
Improving notable corridors, including South Grand.
Promoting dense, walkable neighborhoods.
Reducing the citywide speed limit.
Equitably distributing infrastructure improvements, particularly in North City.
Improving trust in government, particularly for Black St. Louisans, as it relates to advocating for transportation infrastructure.
Sharing the candidates’ own use of active and public transit, including how they hope to make use of public transportation more common for all.
Improving connectivity of St. Louis’ fragmented transportation networks.
Reimagining maintenance policies to remove barriers to safer infrastructure.
Trailnet would like to thank Paraquad, Transform 314, St. Louis Coalition to Protect Bicyclists and Pedestrians (CP2), and the St. Louis Urbanists for their collaboration on this event. Additionally, we extend our gratitude to everyone who attended the forum for their presence and thoughtful questions.
We believe that the turnout for the Mayoral Forum on Transportation Infrastructure demonstrated the exceptional need for mobility improvements in St. Louis. Pedestrians, cyclists, and those who use public transit attended in large numbers to show concern and advocate for improvement in mobility options and the safety of their communities from traffic violence, directly sharing their interests with elected officials. Moving forward, we hope to continue providing opportunities for greater public engagement in transportation issues, allowing for more informed residents and representatives.
Remember to vote in the Primary Municipal Election on March 4, 2025! The leading two candidates will then proceed to the General Election on April 8, 2025. To prepare, feel free to check current voter information and find your polling place.
Missed the Mayoral Transportation Infrastructure Forum? It is available for viewing on our Facebook page.
New Staff at Trailnet: The MarComms Team
With the New Year comes some brand new faces. Meet Chantal and Madyson!
Chantal Incandela, Marketing and Communications Director (on the left), and Madyson Weber, Social Media Coordinator (on the right) are Trailnet’s newest team members, and together they form Trailnet’s Marketing and Communications team. There’s a good chance you’ll see them at various events throughout the year! A little bit about our newest employees:
A passionate reader and writer, Chantal thrives on dissecting the customer journey and takes an almost obsessive delight in the art of wordsmithing. She takes public transportation to work most days (shout out to the 73 bus!) and loves admiring St. Louis’ architecture on the journey into the office.
A member of Trailnet’s leadership team, Chantal leads the strategic vision and execution of Trailnet’s communications and marketing strategy to tell success stories, promote events and rides, and educate the public about issues and current events related to Trailnet’s work. She is no stranger to the non-profit and marcomms world; before coming to Trailnet, she was the Press & Communications Manager at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis.
Madyson is nothing short of a superhero, seamlessly keeping her finger on the pulse of viral trends and top-notch content while managing a wedding and event content creation business, a mobile spray tanning venture, AND motherhood to an adorable six-month-old.
As Social Media Coordinator, Madyson creates content to promote Trailnet’s initiatives, campaigns, programs, impact, and priorities. In addition, she monitors all of our social media channels and keeps up to date on the ever-changing social media landscape and algorithm. With a background in environmental science, thorough knowledge of social media, and a deep love for all things sustainability, Madyson is an incredible fit at Trailnet!
You’re likely to catch Chantal and Madyson at a number of Trailnet events, and they look forward to meeting you. Feel free to reach out and say hello when you see them!
Upcoming St. Louis Mayoral Forum to Focus on Transportation Infrastructure
A collaborative of St. Louis organizations focused on pedestrian, cyclist, and public transportation issues — Trailnet, Paraquad, the St. Louis Coalition to Protect Cyclists & Pedestrians (CP2), the St. Louis Urbanists, and Transform 314 — will host a Transportation Infrastructure Mayoral Forum on Monday, Feb. 10, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Paraquad’s office, 5240 Oakland Ave. The forum will provide mayoral candidates an opportunity to share their vision and address questions about the city’s mobility infrastructure.
“Streets are the foundation of our communities and deeply connected to our quality of life,” said Cindy Mense, CEO of Trailnet. “How we travel shapes how we live, and the approach St. Louis’ next mayor takes to address the daily mobility needs of our residents will have a profound impact on everyone. We’re deeply grateful to Paraquad, CP2, the St. Louis Urbanists, and Transform 314 for collaborating with us on this forum, and giving the community the chance to hear from the candidates.”
The collaborative will explore a full range of issues including planning, design, funding, building, and maintenance with the candidates to assess their vision of providing quality, accessible, and connected transportation infrastructure. Members of the St. Louis community are encouraged to attend. Tickets are not required.
Each mayoral candidate will have five minutes for opening remarks, followed by two questions from the hosting organizations, and then questions from the community. A moderator and timekeeper will ensure all participants have adequate time to address questions.
All four mayoral candidates — Michael Butler, Andrew Jones, Tishaura Jones, and Cara Spencer — have confirmed their attendance.
In each of our monthly newsletters, Trailnet features a member of our community who is working toward Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. In November 2024, we featured Ryan Hanlon.
Ryan Hanlon is our Trailnet Champion of November! If you haven’t met Ryan before, he is the owner and creative director at Route 3 Films. Route 3 Films has been in business since 2013 and creates content for schools, nonprofits, and small businesses. In his free time, he enjoys tinkering with vintage race cars with his son and father. They are currently restoring a 1980 Jeep CJ5 most of which he plans to use for ice cream runs with his daughter. He loves to mountain bike and climb, camp, and hike with his family and friends.
Ryan is an avid lover of the outdoors and began his volunteering journey with the Ozark Trail Association as a trail crew leader, donor and consultant in 2008. He now serves many groups including the Infrastructure Committee of the Holly Hills Small Business District as chairman and The Friends of Carondelet Park as a board member. He recently created a coalition to spearhead the first and only mountain bike trail in the city of St. Louis which was completed on November 9th in Carondelet Park. The trail will be a hub for practices and racing events for the South City Otters. Ryan believes the trail to be perfect for entry level or intermediate riders and that it is also a great place to walk in the woods for a “city” hike. The trail measures about 1 mile.
Ryan began working with Trailnet when the Holly Hills Infrastructure sub-committee began its work to calm the traffic in their Small Business District. He has been working closely with Trailnet planners Bryce Monser and Erich Hellmer on the project to examine each street, determine its challenges, and seek solutions. “St. Louis is blessed to have Trailnet right here to help us make smart, modern, and safe choices as we work to make our city the best place it can be,” said Ryan. This project is entering its final stages and the team plans to begin implementing their solutions in 2025.
Trailnet’s work is important to Ryan as he has seen, while traveling, what other cities have done to create safe spaces for pedestrians and cyclists, while still helping motorists. His goal in working with Trailnet is “to keep traffic flowing safely and slightly slower in Holly Hills but make sure the pedestrian and the cyclist are safe and welcomed”. Ryan loves St. Louis and its architecture and wants to maintain that. He believes we can come up with creative ideas to maintain that but making our streets safer for everyone. “I believe that Trailnet has not only safety top of mind but creating solutions that flow with the sense of place in the neighborhoods and streets they serve”, said Ryan. We have loved working with Ryan, and are excited to see what the future holds!
At Paving the Way 2024, Trailnet will introduce the winners of the 2024 MAP Awards, an award series that acknowledges the contributions of exceptional Trailnet Members, Advocates, and Partners.
This award honors an outstanding Trailnet Member who has demonstrated a commitment to fighting for Streets for All. This individual or family has invested significant resources—money, time or energy—into advancing Trailnet’s mission. They inspire others to join the fight.
2024 Winners: Barbara and Bob Lindecke
Barbara and Bob have been consistent Trailnet members since 1994, making this year their 30th anniversary as Trailnet members!
Barbara and Bob love to take walks on Grant’s Trail. Bob became the Eagle Scout Project Coordinator for Grant’s Trail when he retired. He also worked with several AmeriCorp groups that helped improve the trail in the late 90s.
Not only do they give generously as Peloton Society members, but they also love to come to Trailnet events to learn more about bike/ped advocacy. They joined us for the Walking Tour of Louisiana Calm Street, where they insisted on helping set up the table when they arrived a little early. Barbara and Bob are steady, generous supporters of our work.
Outstanding Streets for All Advocate
This award honors an individual, family or organization that has fought for policies that make our region better for people walking, biking or using public transportation. The honoree has advanced specific advocacy campaigns that have resulted in safer streets for all users. They are exemplary advocates.
2024 Winner: Anne Schweitzer
For years, Hon. Anne Schweitzer has used her voice and influence to protect vulnerable road users in St. Louis.
During her time as Chairwoman of the Public Infrastructure and Utilities committee, Alderwoman Schweitzer has passed significant legislation to protect people who walk, bike and catch the bus in the City of St. Louis. She shepherded key legislation including BB120, BB105, Vision Zero and Complete Streets.
In addition to using her legislative power, Hon. Schweitzer has also used her voice and personal life as an example for others. In 2023, she wrote an op-ed in the Riverfront Times entitled “What I’ve Learned Being ‘Car-Light’ in St. Louis for 6 Months” and shared both the joys and difficulties of getting around the city with limited access to a personal vehicle. This year, she organized a bike bus to city hall for the passage of the Complete Streets Bill. She joined other bike buses and events organized by the St. Louis Coalition to Protect Cyclists and Pedestrians to bring public attention to street safety issues and worked with the community and the city to create a monthly “car free” week in Carondelet Park.
Outstanding Streets for All Partner
This award honors an individual, family or organization that has worked hand-in-hand with Trailnet and other community members to fight for Streets for All. The honoree has contributed essential knowledge, skills, time and resources to a project that spurred progress in the region. They are passionate, multi-dimensional allies who share our vision.
2024 Winner: Kelly McGowan & Transform 314
Kelly McGowan, MPH, is a proud St. Louisan and Health Equity Advocate.
Kelly is the founder and Executive Director of Transform 314, an organization whose mission is “to educate, engage, and empower Black St. Louisans to drive policy changes at the local level needed to create thriving communities.” Kelly is also the Policy & Membership Experience Manager for the Missouri Center for Public Health Excellence.
Kelly and Transform314 launched a project which surveyed Black residents in St. Louis about the challenges they are facing in their communities. Traffic violence and street-related issues were top concerns. Kelly and Transform314 hosts monthly Community Meet Ups to “facilitate dialogue between elected officials and residents, so that we all understand our roles and responsibilities concerning the betterment of our communities.” Traffic violence is a common topic, and Kelly is inspiring people to take action.
In each of our monthly newsletters, Trailnet features a member of our community who is working toward Trailnet’s vision of Streets for All. In September 2024, we featured the folks behind @carfreestl.
To celebrate their pioneering work as local urbanists, artists and organizers, we asked a few questions of Christian and Natalia—the brilliant minds behind Car Free STL!
Who are you?
Christian: My name’s Christian Frommelt and I use they/them or he/him pronouns. I’m a freelance dancer, musician, and writer currently living in Dutchtown. Historic preservation work is what drove me to activism in streets and mobility because as a young adult I was appalled to learn how many neighborhoods and cultural sites we demolished for highways and parking lots.
Natalia: My name is Natalia and I use she/her pronouns. I am a Graphic Designer, Illustrator and jazz dancer from Southern California. I moved to St Louis a little over a year ago and quickly fell into activism around public transit and pedestrian-conscious infrastructure. As someone who has lived with a disability my entire life, never owning a car or having a license, this work holds personal significance for me.
What is Car Free STL?
Christian: @carfreestl started as an Instagram venting outlet for me during the pandemic, but it didn’t take off until I met Natalia in 2022 and she started creating the visual designs that Car Free STL is known for. It’s still mostly a side project, but earlier this year we discovered the positionality of Car Free STL in this ecosystem: we’re in the business of shifting and complicating narratives around car-centricity, interrogating its harms and excesses, and illuminating future streets where safety and pleasure are built in. The normalcy bias around cars is the result of Motordom redefining the very nature of our streets and public space, something they still spend $12 billion per year on ads to control. Carfreestl is our attempt to say, this system isn’t working at all for at least a third of Americans, and under that veneer of freedom, luxury, and convenience, is a series of ugly truths we need to confront.
What is the Week Without Driving?
Week Without Driving is a great opportunity to disrupt the status quo, and to invite people into the process of demanding safe and equitable streets on a grassroots level. Perhaps you are someone who needs to drive because you live far away from your workplace. This is an opportunity to try to take public transit, knowing in advance it will be a challenge, perhaps having to wake up an hour earlier or walking for 15 minutes down a hostile road––now you are in the shoes of people who do that daily. But perhaps there is delight too: how did you spend that time on the bus, and who did you meet along the way? For WWD to really count we need people to go beyond that week alone to create lasting ripple effects––new relationships with sidewalks, roads, transit agencies––for systemic change.
We are particularly excited for the October 4th Bike Bus to City Hall for WWD, which is a STL Coalition to Protect Cyclists and Pedestrians collab. We’ve had various alderpeople and city officials ride before, and we’re hoping to increase that number on this ride!
What else should the people know about?
Our shameless plug is that we have some exciting plans for a print project that we hope will educate and activate the public around these issues as we head into a hefty engagement phase for the city’s Transportation and Mobility Plan. The best way to support our labor and overhead costs (and get some sweet merch in the process) is to join us on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/CarFreeSTL
