Last week, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen approved legislation to update how the city handles construction sites and their impact on sidewalks and bike lanes.
Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia sponsored the proposal that gives the city’s streets department more authority to keep sidewalks open and guidance to developers creating safe accommodations in the case of construction impacting sidewalks or bike lanes. These accommodations can include: covered sidewalks, fencing, scaffolding, and other safety improvements.
We support this change as an important step to prioritize the needs of people who walk, use wheelchairs or ride bikes. Our sidewalks belong to everyone and should safely remain open during construction.
We look forward to working with the streets department on incorporating some of our priorities into these changes, including: minimum sidewalk widths, bike lane accommodations, specific considerations for people with visual impairments or people who use wheelchairs, and appropriate lighting requirements.
The legislation also updates the permit fee structure creating a higher-fee for developers that want to close sidewalks on major roads and around downtown. The increased fees will allow the streets department to hire two additional inspectors to enforce the ordinance and an additional plan reviewer to give guidance to developers on creating safe and continuous temporary connections for non-automobile transportation users during construction.
St. Louis County Bike Reforms
St. Louis County is on the verge of prioritizing the safety of people on bikes, and other vulnerable road users through a change to the county traffic rules.
The proposed legislation prioritizes people’s safety and judgement when using lanes, creates a 3-foot passing rule, clearly spells out when people are allowed to ride side by side, creates protections for vulnerable road users, and extends rules for bikes to apply to e-bikes.
This week, the St. Louis County Council is set to vote on County Bill 385, introduced by Councilwoman Kelli Dunaway, which updates the county’s outdated rules on how people on bikes can use roads in the county.
Our streets belong to everyone and everyone should be free to safely use them. We are confident that these policies are an important step towards safer streets.
The original proposal was amended to include input from Trailnet and other advocates. We wish this went further by including similar language prioritizing the judgement of people on scooters, skateboards, rollerblades, and other wheeled mobility devices as well as other updates on e-bike rules. Likewise, laws are no replacement for road-design changes and infrastructure improvements, Trailnet supports this as a necessary and timely step to improve the law.
The current version of the legislation reforms the county traffic code by:
Prioritizing people’s safety and judgement
Currently, the county has a one-size-fits-none approach, requiring bike traffic to stay as far to the right as “practicable” with no exemptions. If taken by the letter of the law, this means, riding in the gutter, in the door zone or on the shoulder. People riding bikes any other way could be cited for violating traffic law.
The proposal gives people on bikes more flexibility under the law to use their judgment. It lays out different exceptions that more closely matches how people actually interact safely on the road.
It creates a default for people on bikes to ride in the same direction as traffic and to stay to the right side of the right-most lane. However, it prioritizes people’s safety and judgement when laying out conditions where people can use the full lane, shoulder, or change lanes to:
Avoid debris or other hazards
Avoid vehicles turning in right-turn only lanes
If the road is too narrow for bikes and cars to share the same lane
Preparing to make left turns
Passing slower traffic
Avoid other unsafe conditions
If people follow these rules and obey other traffic laws, they would not violate rules against impeding traffic.
3-foot Passing
It also adds a 3-foot passing law for people in cars when overtaking people on bikes. It requires people driving to:
Change lanes to pass, if there is a passing lane.
If there is no passing lane, people driving must still give the person on the bike 3 feet of space while passing.
It allows people driving to safely cross over the middle lane, even in no-passing zones, in order to give 3 feet to the person in the bike.
Riding Abreast
The legislation would also update the law to allow people on bikes to ride side by side on the street, which was prohibited under the old ordinance.
People may ride abreast if:
They don’t significantly impede other traffic
They are riding on the shoulder, bike lane, or bike path
The right most lane of traffic is too narrow to be safely shared between a person on a bike and a car
Vulnerable Road Users
The bill also defines Vulnerable Road Users including:
People walking
People using wheelchairs
People riding bikes and using scooters, skateboards, roller skates, etc.
People working on the roadway: construction workers, first responders
People walking pets
People in animal-drawn vehicles
People on mopeds or motorcycles
People driving farm equipment
The proposed ordinance also prohibits people driving in a “careless or distracted manner” if it causes injury to a vulnerable road user. This creates a penalty for distracted driving if it causes a crash, hurting a vulnerable road user. This falls short of an overall distracted driving ban, since state law currently prevents local governments from passing their own distracted driving traffic rules. This reality prevents counties and cities from exercising local control, blocking them from addressing this dangerous behavior.
E-Bikes
This bill also extends rules governing bikes to include e-bikes and motorized bikes. This is a somewhat imperfect approach, because it uses engine cylinder size and horsepower as criteria, which doesn’t necessarily capture the differences of an e-bike motor. However, its way of dealing with top-speed that mostly fits in line with state and federal approaches for e-bikes.
In an ideal situation we would like to see St. Louis County and the State of Missouri adopt the three class E-Bike system being used in twenty two other states.
Last week, the St. Louis Board of Aldermen, and the streets committee advanced a proposal to create and formally recognize a Community Mobility Committee that will serve an important role advising the City on active transit and personal mobility.
Thank you Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia for introducing this resolution and to the board for supporting it.
The resolution updates the previously established citizen-based Bike Share Working Group that was created to address bike and e-scooter sharing and has evolved to take on more issues facing people who walk, bike, use wheelchairs, take transit or use other mobility devices.
The resolution transforms that group into a more-formal committee that will weigh in on transportation issues for the city, develop policies and be a conduit for residents to have a say greater say in city government.
Trailnet has been part of that working group since its creation and we welcome the continuation of its work to make sure the voices of citizens vulnerable road users are heard by transportation policy makers in the St. Louis Region.
We hope the Community Mobility Committee will be an inclusive space where residents and advocates can work with city officials for more equitable and sustainable transportation policies.
Trailnet Classics | Message from the rides manager
Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us about the 2020 Trailnet Classics ride calendar.
We have received a lot of direct and indirect feedback about our changes to the rides. I want to acknowledge and accommodate people’s thoughts on the changes. Based on this feedback we are making adjustments to the start times of these rides.
Your input makes our events better and I appreciate it. I want these rides to be safe, fun, and memorable experiences for our riders, partners, and the communities who graciously welcome us.
We believe that bikes are not just a great way to get around but an even greater tool to bring folks together and build community. These rides support our work to advocate for safer streets for everyone and allow us to better engage these host cities and neighborhoods with our work.
Beginning in 2019, Trailnet started reviewing its distance rides to look at improving safety and rider experience. Coming into this position, my main focus was to build on the existing success of these rides, bring additional experience, and wider industry standards to the process, and give our members and riders a great experience.
Our overarching goal is to improve the safety and the community-building aspects of these rides without changing the core of these events: high-quality supported bike rides that build an appreciation and awareness for cycling.
Group Starts
Switching from a scattered start to a group start has been the change that has drawn the most attention and is the biggest change from previous years.
I understand this is a major change, and I appreciate the concerns people have shared over the shift to more-structured rides.
Changing registration and start times- Based on rider input, we are creating a second, earlier start time of our rides to address concerns of summer temperatures.
We will have two group starts. Riders can choose to depart in either a 7:30 or 8:30 A.M group start.
At both starts we will encourage riders to be mindful of their own ability and comfort level when positioning themselves in the staging area. Group start etiquette and safety will also be covered in the rider briefing.
We may make additional changes based on potential severe weather conditions, with appropriate notification time before the rides.
We are still committed to the benefits a group start offers:
Each start will have a police escort for the beginning section (10-12 mph. for approx. 1 mile) of each ride, to increase visibility and safety. People will be able to set their own pace after the escort has lead riders safely onto the course.
A rider briefing on the route and road conditions will allow more-consistent communications.
The set start time will also improve the responsiveness of SAG and first aid support by having a clearer understanding of riders’ positions along each route.
The group start times shorten the volunteer shifts we ask including registration, rest stops, driving SAG vehicles, and managing traffic.
The set start times will help create a greater sense of community between riders of all experience levels. It allows more people to connect and socialize over coffee before the ride.
The group start addresses the concerns of people who feel safer riding in groups.
These changes also allow us to better work with municipal agencies on the timing of our rides as part of the permitting and insurance process. We need to operate within the agreements and expectations of the host communities and their agencies.
We are confident these benefits as well as day-of safety measures outweigh the potential challenges of a group start.
I want to keep hearing your thoughts and appreciate the chance to talk through these changes. Please shoot me an email or give me a call.
Matt Hartman
Rides Manager
matt@trailnet.org
314-828-2196
Trailnet Classics: Group Starts
We believe that bikes are not just a great way to get around but an even greater tool to bring folks together and build community. These rides support our work to advocate for safer streets for everyone and allow us to better engage these host cities and neighborhoods with our work.
Our overarching goal is to improve the safety and the community-building aspects of these rides without changing the core of these events: high-quality supported bike rides that build an appreciation and awareness for cycling.
Group Starts
We will have two group starts. Riders can choose to depart in either a 7:30 or 8:30 A.M group start.
At both starts we will encourage riders to be mindful of their own ability and comfort level when positioning themselves in the staging area. Group start etiquette and safety will also be covered in the rider briefing.
We may make additional changes based on potential severe weather conditions, with appropriate notification time before the rides.
We are still committed to the benefits a group start offers:
Each start will have a police escort for the beginning section (10-12 mph. for approx. 1 mile) of each ride, to increase visibility and safety. People will be able to set their own pace after the escort has lead riders safely onto the course.
A rider briefing on the route and road conditions will allow more-consistent communications.
The set start time will also improve the responsiveness of SAG and first aid support by having a clearer understanding of riders’ positions along each route.
The group start times shorten the volunteer shifts we ask including registration, rest stops, driving SAG vehicles, and managing traffic.
The set start times will help create a greater sense of community between riders of all experience levels. It allows more people to connect and socialize over coffee before the ride.
The group start addresses the concerns of people who feel safer riding in groups.
We are confident these benefits as well as day-of safety measures will give our riders a safe, high-quality ride experience.
Trailnet Champion: Erika Enstrom
Meet Erika Enstrom, our first Trailnet Champion of 2020! Erika has been close to the Trailnet community for a long time and recently joined our board. She’s passionate about improving active transportation in St. Louis for the benefits it provides to the environment and for the physical health of everyone in the region. We’re excited about her community-driven approach to advocating for safer streets for all!
Erika said she believes Trailnet’s Connecting St. Louis Plan will encourage people to more deeply connect to their communities and enable more walking and bicycling in the region. Her passion for safer, more comfortable streets is bolstered by her joy of walking. She prefers exploring the city on foot, she said, because she can easily put her daughter in the stroller and enjoy all the region has to offer.
“One of the biggest barriers to advancing walking and biking in St. Louis is that the city is so spread out and it seems daunting to think that there is the option to walk or bike from where you live to work or to sporting events or other community events,” Erika said. “That’s what makes the Connecting St. Louis plan so great. It helps bridge the gap between your everyday community and other communities and really demonstrates that biking throughout the city really is possible.”
Erika is ready to push for a paradigm that values the importance, convenience, and benefits of walking and biking. She said that while connecting such a spread-out city is a challenge, another barrier is in changing the mentality of people in our communities.
“People’s immediate thought is to hop into their cars to move from point A to point B,” Erika said. “By adding infrastructure in the communities and making sure that we have advocates in each of those communities to help push the movement, we can help change that mentality.”
When Erika isn’t advocating for better streets for all, she works in public accounting. She spends her spare time running, biking, enjoying good weather, and playing the cello.
“I am super excited about the trajectory that Trailnet is going in and look forward to helping move the organization along in the future,” Erika said.
We’re so happy she’s on our team!
Support Two Acts For Better Walking and Biking
We’d like you to help us ring in the new year by urging our local representatives to support more biking and walking projects. In just two minutes, you can start off 2020 as an advocate!
Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense sent letters to congress last week urging representatives to support and cosponsor two acts. The Complete Streets Act would set aside federal transportation funds for safe street projects and require states and local governments to create design standards that incorporate the needs of all road users when developing infrastructure projects. The Transportation Alternatives Enhancement Act would increase the share of federal funds used on biking and walking networks and allow states and communities to use that money for local bikeways and sidewalk improvements.
We kicked off the new year with a panel discussion led by Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense in conversation with leaders who understand the keys to creating a transportation network that’s fit for all. More than 40 advocates joined us to talk about what a more active transportation system will look like.
Mike Weiss, owner of Big Shark Bicycle Company and Big Shark Events, talked about how safety on the streets impacts bike shops, the people who ride bikes, and how he’s getting kids on bikes. Scott Ogilvie, Transportation Policy Planner with the City of St. Louis, shared what St. Louis is doing to improve safety for people on bikes, including policy updates and the latest on new infrastructure. Ann Falker, BJC, Clinical Nurse Specialist, expert cyclist and daily bike commuter, discussed her experience riding on the streets of St. Louis. Trailnet’s Director of Policy Taylor March talked about the most effective methods for building safer streets and the barriers to funding them.
Safety was the theme of the night, but panelists made clear that with safe streets, come better communities. Ann Falker helped attendees understand that Complete Streets (streets meant for all users) are connected to the overall health of our community. She said Complete Streets keeps families in our cities by giving them places to “walk, hop, skip, and bike” in their neighborhoods.
Scott Ogilvie spoke about the barriers to improving St. Louis streets for all users, noting that while there is a lot more willingness across the region to make streets safer, there are two main hindrances: government fragmentation and the ability to pay for projects.
“The limitation to change is no longer the desire of city departments, it’s funding,” Ogilvie said. “We’re headed in in the right direction.”
Trainet Policy Director Taylor March also spoke about funding for safer streets, noting transportation funding does little to support those who walk and bike. “Only one percent of U.S. Transportation funding goes toward walking and biking,” March said. “But those users experience significant levels of injuries and fatalities.”
Panelists also discussed the divisive Slay Balls that have appeared at city intersections over the past few years. Despite the controversy, studies have shown these barriers have caused a decrease in crashes.
Another controversial subject of the night was red light cameras. On the topic of why cities employ the use of red light cameras, Ogilvie said, “They are ideally used to reduce injuries and fatalities for all users… after red light cameras were overturned by the Missouri Supreme Court, pedestrian fatalities doubled in St Louis.”
Driving laws also came up during the discussion. Panelists agreed Missouri needs laws to prohibit texting and driving. Currently, Missouri is one of only two states that allow texting while driving.
Panelists also talked about how investing in safer streets is an important part of fighting global climate change. Mike Weiss touched on how, outside of catering to those who walk, use mobility devices, or bike, updated infrastructure supports Ebikes and scooters, both of which are increasing in popularity and don’t require the use of a car.
Cindy Mense outlined three key takeaways after moderating the event:
St. Louis has momentum and we have potential when we work together to meet the needs of all users
We are making progress in streets designs, traffic control measures and attitudes are changing
There is legislation at every level that needs your voice- join us and demand safer streets for all
Meet Trailnet’s New Rides Manager, Matt Hartman
Matt has been heavily involved in expanding St. Louis’ bicycle culture for years and we’re so happy he’s the newest member of our team. He has organized rides all over St. Louis that have drawn people from all over the country. He’s also worked at a number of bike shops, even starting his own in the heart of Gravois Park. His attitude toward bicycling and its potential for building community will bring a new energy to our rides and events.
Here’s what Matt has to say about his new role:
I’m thrilled to take the helm as Trailnet’s new Rides Manager. I have a lot of experience producing events on a local and national level. My hope is to get Trailnet’s events on riders’ “bucket lists” across the country. Bicycling in this region is rewarding because of the dynamic neighborhoods and unique buildings. St. Louis is an old city with unparalleled architecture and so many of the fine details of our 100-plus-year-old buildings are better appreciated while riding a bicycle.
I think we can continue to elevate our current events and create new, exciting, experiences that will have national pull. St. Louis is primed to be a city that bicyclists love. I’m ready to draw people from all over to see why this is an awesome place to ride your bike.
I’m excited to advance the St. Louis bicycling community that I’ve helped nurture over the years. When I moved back to St. Louis after graduate school, I didn’t know anyone who rode regularly like I did, so I would literally chase down other bicyclists in the street and introduce myself. I wanted to know more about biking in the city. Thus, SpokedSTL was born. This organization was used as a brand to organize rides within the city. SpokedSTL later morphed into a competitive team racing group at the Penrose Park Velodrome. We were also very active in the early fundraising efforts for resurfacing Penrose.
Around this time, I began working in local bike shops, starting at South Side Cyclery, then Big Shark Bicycle Company. I later opened my own Bike shop on Cherokee Street: Spoked Bikes and Stuff. With Spoked Bikes came Spoked Adventures, which focused on programming multi-day trips including bike-packing, camping, canoeing and climbing. Following the closing of Spoked Bikes, I managed The Cyclery’s service depart in Shiloh, IL.
I was drawn to Trailnet because I believe it’s making a lot of progress for biking and walking in St. Louis. Cycling is such a multi-faceted experience. It benefits the individual by serving as an affordable mode of transportation and a recreational experience that improves health and fitness. It also services the planet by decreasing the number of cars on the road and reduction carbon emissions. I’m excited to help usher in the next era of bicycling in St. Louis.
Stay tuned for our upcoming rides calendar!
Cheers,
Matt
When We Say Everyone, We Mean Everyone
We want an inclusive, vibrant community where biking and walking for transportation is a normal, everyday part of life for as many people as possible.
This is why we advocate for AAA (All Ages and Abilities) when it comes to bike infrastructure. That means our streets are built for the safety and comfort of everyone.
When we say everyone – we mean everyone.
Safety is our top priority. This means our streets should be more than safe, they should feel comfortable.
When we say all ages – we mean ALL ages. If you are old enough to ride a bike and young enough to do so comfortably, you should feel welcome on our streets. This approach is also known as 8-80, meaning a bike lane should be safe and comfortable for an 8-year-old or an 80-year-old.
When we say all abilities – we mean ALL abilities. If it’s your first time on a bike or you haven’t ridden in years, you should feel welcome on our streets. This also goes beyond bikes and should apply to people who use wheelchairs and other mobility aids.
But, our vision of inclusion goes beyond just age and ability. We want a world where the makeup of the people on bikes in our community represents the richness and diversity of our community.
Our streets belong to everyone and they should be built for everyone.
When we say everyone – we mean everyone.
We want to wish everyone a Happy Holiday Season and look forward to seeing you in 2020!
Alderwoman Christine Ingrassia sponsored the proposal that gives the city’s streets department more authority to keep sidewalks open and guidance to developers creating safe accommodations in the case of construction impacting sidewalks or bike lanes. These accommodations can include: covered sidewalks, fencing, scaffolding, and other safety improvements.
Meet Erika Enstrom, our first Trailnet Champion of 2020! Erika has been close to the Trailnet community for a long time and recently joined our board. She’s passionate about improving active transportation in St. Louis for the benefits it provides to the environment and for the physical health of everyone in the region. We’re excited about her community-driven approach to advocating for safer streets for all!
We’d like you to help us ring in the new year by urging our local representatives to support more biking and walking projects. In just two minutes, you can start off 2020 as an advocate!
We kicked off the new year with a panel discussion led by Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense in conversation with leaders who understand the keys to creating a transportation network that’s fit for all. More than 40 advocates joined us to talk about what a more active transportation system will look like.
Scott Ogilvie spoke about the barriers to improving St. Louis streets for all users, noting that while there is a lot more willingness across the region to make streets safer, there are two main hindrances: government fragmentation and the ability to pay for projects.
Driving laws also came up during the discussion. Panelists agreed Missouri needs laws to prohibit texting and driving. Currently, Missouri is one of only two states that allow texting while driving.
We want an inclusive, vibrant community where biking and walking for transportation is a normal, everyday part of life for as many people as possible.