As apart of the I-270 North Project, the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has planned for significant bicycle and pedestrian improvements in the form of shared use paths on the I-270 North and South Outer Roads.
A 6-mile stretch of shared-use path will run from N. Lindbergh Blvd (Route 67) to Breezy Point Lane along Dunn Road, while a 4-mile stretch of shared-use path will run from Hanley/Graham Roads to Old Halls Ferry Road along Pershall Road. Connections will also be made across I-270 to connect both shared-use paths. See this map for more details.
The project will look to “maximize reliability and safety while linking communities for all users,” as well as providing walking and biking facilities in an area of the St. Louis Metro region where few facilities exist today.
The shared-use path will provide improved walking and biking conditions between locations like the North County Transit Center, St. Louis Community College Florissant-Valley, McCluer High School, Grandview Plaza Shopping Center, the Christian Hospital, among other commercial, educational, and residential developments.
This month, we’re excited to recognize one of our most dedicated advocates of all time. Former state Sen. Wayne Goode co-founded Trailnet’s board of directors in 2002 and has been critical in helping advance St. Louis toward being the best Bike City it can be. Wayne, 82, is pedaling his way through St. Louis with just as much spirit as ever on his new E-bike. You can meet him yourself at our upcoming Environmental History Ride with the Missouri Historical Society.
Wayne not only served on Trailnet’s Board from 2002 to 2007, he also served as Board President in 2006 and 2007. Wayne has always been a very active donor and supporter of Trailnet and began donating in 1997. Outside of directly supporting Trailnet’s mission, Wayne helped get the Katy Trail built when he was in the Missouri Legislature.
Wayne Goode is a Trailnet Active Living Award recipient for his dedication to improving bicycling in the region.
Wayne is now a Lecturer in Law and Environmental Engineering with the Washington University Law School’s Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic (IEC) since 2006. Prior to his clinic work, Goode worked for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for 13 years, where he was Chief of the NPDES Permits and Engineering Section in the Water Protection Program. Before joining the IEC, he was employed in various positions with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, serving as Chief of the Engineering Section for the Water Pollution Control Program; Policy Analyst for the Water Protection and Soil Conservation Division; and as an Environmental Engineer in varying capacities for the Air Pollution Control Program.
Language matters. The way we talk about about people, challenges, and solutions shapes how we think. You are a person, so is everyone else. At Trailnet, we encourage everyone to use specific language that puts the person first.
A person who bikes.
A person who walks.
A person who uses a wheelchair.
A person who drives a car.
Putting the term “person” first is a small step to value the person you’re describing as an individual human being more than applying a generic label.
At first this feels clunky. It’s quicker to say “cyclist,” “pedestrian,” or “driver” than it is to say “person who bikes,” “person walking,” or “person who drives.” In the same way it’s easier to think of each of these groups as one big block.
It takes effort and patience to try understanding another person. It’s easy to slap on a label and move on with your day. In moments of stress it’s easy to say: “That jerk driver cut me off,” “that reckless cyclist blew that stop sign.”
Trying to acknowledge the individuality and humanity of the other person is an important step to understand their views and values. That important understanding is what paves the way for collaboration, creative compromise and the solutions we need for the St. Louis community.
This all starts with how we talk, but then goes from there.
At Trailnet, this people-first approach applies to our planning, design and advocacy work. Our streets should be built for – and used by – everyone, not just people driving cars.
This approach also extends beyond our conversations on walking, biking, and using transit. It applies to issues of race, politics, faith, class, health, and more.
People-first language was developed by activists during the HIV/AIDS epidemic and has been promoted by advocacy groups that work to empower marginalized communities including people with disabilities, people with addiction, people experiencing homelessness, and other groups at work to reduce dehumanizing language.
With all this in mind, the labels that we apply to ourselves and the communities we are a part of are all important to our identities. Being a cyclist could be an important part of how you see yourself. Even more; your race, belief background, occupation, gender, sexual orientation, age and many more facets of a complex life shape your personal identity.
Using people-first language doesn’t diminish those parts of an individual’s personal identity. Instead is tries to put their personhood first and foremost.
Changing how we talk about issues is a small, but foundational part of working towards solutions.
We are all people, so let’s put people first.
Trailnet’s 2019 Movers & Shakers Gala Brings Advocates Together
Trailnet Announces Transportation Policies as Priority at Annual Gala
Thanks to everyone who helped us celebrate active transportation at Trailnet’s biggest fundraiser of the year! With your help, we are advancing walking and biking in St. Louis.
Throughout the night, our expert speakers described Trailnet’s heightened priority to increase safety for people who walk, bike, or use public transportation. Scroll down for more information about the event and make sure to check out the slideshow below!
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Trailnet, on Wednesday, November 6, announced its heightened priority to increase safety for people who walk, bike, or use public transportation.
City of St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson said enhanced, multi-modal transportation systems have shown to improve quality of life in cities that have taken steps to prioritize people over cars, adding St. Louis is poised for this type of effort.
“When it’s safe and easy to walk, bike and use public transit, those are great places to live,” Krewson said. “That’s what I want for St. Louis.”
Krewson added making St. Louis streets more accommodating can have a positive ripple effect on the region’s general public health.
“One of the highest transportation priorities that we have is the safety of people walking,” Krewson said.
Scott Ogilvie, Transportation Policy Planner with the City of St. Louis’ Urban Design Agency, was the keynote speaker for the event. Ogilvie spoke about how city streets weren’t always as car centric as they are today, noting there was a time when streets operated more as public spaces.
Ogilvie spoke about the upcoming Louisiana Calm Streets project, which is a direct result of Trailnet’s effort to educate local leaders on enhanced street design that prioritizes people over cars. Ogilvie said the project will use designs that slow down traffic. Part of this strategy uses landscaping to physically separate people from cars.
“One mile of Louisiana Avenue, in the first phase, will be re-envisioned as a slow street where people can be comfortable and safe using the street for more than just transportation,” Ogilvie said. “This project grew directly out of a trip Trailnet organized to Portland for elected officials, residents, and city staff in 2015.”
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page also spoke at the event, describing Trailnet’s involvement in connecting people to the city and county through planning for bicycling and walking infrastructure.
“Decisions we make today have a lasting impact,” Page said. “If we are able to make those decisions in ways that support sustainability efforts for the region, they become an even greater achievement still.”
Ogilvie closed by saying that the pursuit of calmer, safer streets is on everyone.
“My job is to ask for more. But I need that to be all of our jobs,” Ogilvie said. “We all need to ask for more. Walking is essential. To engineer away our ability to walk is to steal away part of our humanity… Number one is slow down the cars. Number two: allocate more space for people-reallocate space away from the automobile and to people. And number three: put things closer together. When things are close together, you decrease the need for transportation in the first place, and make life a lot easier if you don’t, can’t, or don’t feel like using a car.”
Jason Hall, CEO and Co-Founder of Arch to Park, and Justin Kern, a medical researcher at Washington University School of Medicine, served as co-chairs at the Gala. Hall spoke about how proper transportation infrastructure can help St. Louis grow.
“Bike and pedestrian infrastructure like what Trailnet has envisioned is critical to making the City a growing place, a more equitable place, and help those organizations attract the talent they need to be successful,” Hall said.
Trailnet has a 30-year track record of advocating for better walking and bicycling in St. Louis. Trailnet educates civic leaders and public works staff who make decisions about street design and street purpose. The organization helps communities plan safer street networks.
Ride to Unite Brings Together Cyclists of all Ability Levels
Trailnet is honored to have partnered with Ride to Unite in August to promote the message that cycling can be enjoyed by everyone, including people with disabilities. In this annual event, professional and amateur racers enjoy a leisurely ride alongside participants of all ability levels. Check out some of the heartwarming and inspiring photos below.
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Trailnet Champion: Wayne Goode
This month, we’re excited to recognize one of our most dedicated advocates of all time. Former state Sen. Wayne Goode co-founded Trailnet’s board of directors in 2002 and has been critical in helping advance St. Louis toward being the best Bike City it can be. Wayne, 82, is pedaling his way through St. Louis with just as much spirit as ever on his new E-bike. You can meet him yourself at our upcoming Environmental History Ride with the Missouri Historical Society.
Wayne not only served on Trailnet’s Board from 2002 to 2007, he also served as Board President in 2006 and 2007. Wayne has always been a very active donor and supporter of Trailnet and began donating in 1997. Outside of directly supporting Trailnet’s misson, Wayne helped get the Katy Trail built when he was in the Missouri Legislature.
Wayne Goode is a Trailnet Active Living Award recipient for his dedication to improving bicycling in the region.
Wayne is now a Lecturer in Law and Environmental Engineering with the Washington University Law School’s Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic (IEC) since 2006. Prior to his clinic work, Goode worked for the Missouri Department of Natural Resources for 13 years, where he was Chief of the NPDES Permits and Engineering Section in the Water Protection Program. Before joining the IEC, he was employed in various positions with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, serving as Chief of the Engineering Section for the Water Pollution Control Program; Policy Analyst for the Water Protection and Soil Conservation Division; and as an Environmental Engineer in varying capacities for the Air Pollution Control Program.
Today, Matt Raithel is the owner and studio director of Maryland Heights-based Graphite Lab, which creates in-house and branded games for all gaming platforms – what he dreamed of doing as a kid.
What started with the creation of the company’s original flagship game, “Hive Jump,” has now expanded to developing branded games for major companies, including Cartoon Network, Mattel and Hasbro. Raithel and his team recently made “Hive Jump” available on Nintendo Switch and Xbox One, a huge accomplishment for the company.
Similarly, Robin Rath successfully co-founded Pixel Press, situated in downtown St. Louis. Rath and his team found success with creating educational games for kids, including the creation of “Bloxels,” which uses a board with plastic pegs to map out game levels and characters before animating them through a mobile app. Thanks to a partnership with Mattel, Pixel Press has secured manufacturing and distribution of “Bloxels” in the retail world. A partnership with Disney recently led to the creation of a “Star Wars” version of the product.
With dozens of gaming studios, courses and industry events, St. Louis is becoming the nation’s next video game development hot spot. “I think St Louis is a really special place for making games because it’s such a diverse crowd of people making them. There’s everything from hobbyists to larger scale companies, but they’re all making something different and they all do it in a different way,” says Mary McKenzie, managing partner of the Metro East studio Volcano Bean.
McKenzie is also a co-organizer of the PixelPop Festival, an annual independent game conference and expo that launched several years ago and, as McKenzie puts it, is “an event that could show off the amazing things that are being made in St. Louis.” The event, held annually at University of Missouri – St. Louis, typically ranks among the top three largest in the nation, and top ten largest in the world.
TJ Hughes, game developer and 3-D artist at Terrifying Jellyfish, especially appreciates the resources offered to gamers here in St. Louis. He cites the Cortex Innovation Community and St. Louis Game Developer Co-Op as examples. “No matter what you need – music, programming, someone who makes really weird, specific art – [the CoOp] is probably the place where you can find that,” he says.
THAT’S #STLMADE
All of these dreams, ideas, companies and progress are possible because of the unique mix of culture, affordability, Midwest openness and grit, and a dedication to taking on longterm issues of accessibility and equity.
We hear similar stories again and again. With the second highest rate of Millennial home ownership and a cost of living 6% lower than the national average, the St. Louis Federal Reserve reports that the standard of living in St. Louis is higher than 94 percent of the MSAs (Metropolitan Statistical Areas) in the nation. It creates a place big enough to provide world-class institutions and attract national, global tours, yet small enough that residents can make their mark and be recognized for their contributions.
A place where you can stand up, stand out and stay.
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STLMade is a movement working to shine a light on the people, innovations, and ideas that are driving growth and change in our region so that residents and non-residents alike can better see the renaissance for themselves. Through stories on theSTL.com, the movement aims to highlight the work being done and the progress being made – from building communities that are more inclusive, to creating new industries and economic opportunities, to finding those ideal careers people never thought possible.
Across STL is a collaboration between the Katy Land Trust and Trailnet, telling the stories of the people and places that make the St. Louis community.
How innovators, thinkers, doers and makers are revitalizing the St. Louis region
-Photo by R.J. Hartbeck
Over the past few years, St. Louis has seen incredible growth in our innovative industries, thriving food scene, expanded cultural amenities and has become one of the fastest-growing locations for entrepreneurs – without compromising the affordable, livable nature of our region – and that renaissance is driven by our innovators, thinkers, doers and makers.
Southwest Magazine called the region a “dream factory” and STLMade agrees. STLMade is a movement working to shine a light on the people, innovations, and ideas that are driving growth and change in our region so that residents and non-residents alike can better see the renaissance for themselves. Through stories on theSTL.com, the movement aims to highlight the work being done and the progress being made – from building communities that are more inclusive, to creating new industries and economic opportunities, to finding those ideal careers people never thought possible.
St. Louis is a place where a small business can thrive, or a girl can grow up to achieve career milestones she never imagined. Growing up, Angi Taylor didn’t think a career in science was an option for her. “I was always led to believe that someone like me was not a scientist,” Taylor says. “I was fascinated. I would go into the lab and look at what they did and think, ‘Oh, wow this is amazing, but I can’t do this.’”
That all changed when as an administrative assistant at St. Louis Community College’s Center for Plant and Life Sciences at the Bio-Research, Development and Growth Park (BRDG Park) at Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, she noticed students train in the sciences and land gainful, interesting jobs at BRDG Park. She decided to take classes herself, and because of the program, interned with NewLeaf Symbiotics at BRDG Park before taking a permanent position as a lab clerk there.
“I was not a traditional student. At that time, I was in my mid-40’s and taking classes all over again. But it wasn’t as impossible as I thought,” Taylor says. “We need to do what it takes. Learn something different. Yes, it takes effort, but this is where the future is going. This amazing science is happening right here.”
As the agriculture industry continues to grow in St. Louis, more and more trained specialists at all levels will be needed to staff both startups and established companies. It’s a challenge, but it’s one Taylor thinks the region is ready for. It’s also a challenge that is going to require increasing numbers of talented people to fill the growing agricultural industry, as well as the burgeoning geospatial, tech and finance industries – and the skyrocketing startup community. It means more nontraditional students like Angi Taylor, and a more diverse workforce. St. Louis is leading the charge there, too, as one of the most welcoming and inclusive startup cities. Even the Brookings Institute noted that the businesses, organizations and individuals who reside here are committed to diversifying our workforces and positioning job seekers for global opportunities.
Local programs and organizations focused on promoting equity in tech and beyond, such as LaunchCode, have sprung up in large part to increase the diversity of age, background, gender, race and more.
Meanwhile, St. Louis has several inclusion-focused tech initiatives, including the St. Louis Equity in Entrepreneurship Collective, one of the only programs in the nation focused on building equity in techbased entrepreneurship ecosystems at a regional level, and the Missouri Cures Education Foundation has presented the Women in Science and Entrepreneurship (WISE) Statewide Conference for five years running. The conference features panel discussions with women leaders succeeding in science, medicine, business, technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship.
Local opportunities also exist for school-aged girls looking to build skills and education in the tech space. For example, international supermodel, entrepreneur, and St. Louis native, Karlie Kloss, has offered her Kode With Klossy coding summer camps for girls age 13-18 in St. Louis and beyond since 2015, while in North St. Louis, Hawthorn Leadership School for Girls provides middle and high school girls a STEMbased college preparatory education and is the first public all-girls school in Missouri.
Those efforts are paying off. Just this past April, Seek Business Capital found that St. Louis has the most female-owned startups in the country, and PitchBook noted a high percentage of the VC funding for female-owned startups was for companies based here. The efforts of these communities, organizations and programs make St. Louis one of the most welcoming tech hot spots in the country.
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Across STL is a collaboration between the Katy Land Trust and Trailnet, telling the stories of the people and places that make the St. Louis community.
Pedal with ease, comfort, and style on this top-of-the-line e-bike!
Trailnet is raffling an electric bike donated by our friends at Pedego St. Louis. This Pedego Platinum Interceptor, valued at $5,000, could be yours! If you buy a ticket (or ten)!
All raffle proceeds benefit Trailnet’s work to make it safe to bike and walk for transportation in St. Louis.
Only 400 tickets will be sold at $25 each. You can buy as many tickets as you’d like, but once we sell out, that’s it!
The winning ticket will be drawn at Trailnet’s 2019 Movers & Shakers: Connecting St. Louis Gala on Wednesday, November 6. You don’t have to be present to win, but we hope we’ll see you there! Click here for details on the Gala!
Must be a Missouri resident or in Missouri to purchase tickets. Must be 18 or older to participate. 400 tickets will be sold for $25 each. Winner does not need to be present at the Trailnet 2019 Movers & Shakers: Connecting St. Louis Gala to win. Winner responsible for applicable income tax liability based on the value of the package ($5,000). Trailnet’s staff, board, and their household members are not eligible. Sorry, no refunds. All proceeds from the Bike Raffle benefit Trailnet.
Trailnet Champions: Our 2019 Summer Interns!
Trailnet is honored to offer enriching internships every year that allow people to gain experience building a better, more connected St. Louis. Trailnet interns come from dynamic backgrounds and are immediately plugged in to our exciting work. This month, we’re highlighting Kevin Hahn and Sam McCrory, our talented 2019 summer interns. Read on to learn about how these two are dedicated to working toward a more sustainable planet with active transportation options for all.
Kevin Hahn
Kevin joined us for the summer while on break from working toward a Masters of Energy, Environment, and Society at the University of Stavanger in Norway. We asked him a few questions about what makes him so awesome and so highly motivated.
What drew you to intern at Trailnet?
I was attracted to Trailnet’s mission and work to get more people riding bikes, especially its system-wide focus to advocate for infrastructure and policy improvements.
Do you have a specific area of sustainable development and/or government you want to focus on upon graduating?
I’d like my future work to focus on the intersection energy, user behavior and government, specifically incentivizing the use of renewables or decreasing demand for fossil fuels.
What about your time at Trailnet was valuable to your career trajectory?
I value the ability to work with and learn from community advocates focused on steady, incremental, and impactful improvements.
What has been the most fun trailnet project to work on?
Helping during the Women in the Arts Community Ride was a fun, amazing experience to see so many people on bikes, learning about and engaging with our city.
What do you think about Trailnet’s Connecting St. Louis plan?
I think it’s the most important work Trailnet is doing right now. It is an evidence and community input-based plan that could have an incredible impact on our city.
What do you do for fun?
I’m up for most outdoor activities. I enjoy reading, performing improv, and of course I love riding my bike.
Sam McCrory
Sam joined us after completing his Bachelor of Science at the University of Iowa. He majored in Environmental Policy and Planning, with a minor in Cinema, and a certificate in Sustainability. Read on for a Q&A about how great he is!
What drew you to intern at Trailnet?
I knew after I finished college, I wanted to work for a nonprofit or a municipality doing active transportation work in a larger city. I looked around the country for active transportation nonprofits and Trailnet stood out the most. I was really fascinated with the Connecting St. Louis plan, the numerous different programs they had completed, and the different types of rides they did throughout the year. All those things, combined with the opportunity to work in St. Louis, a city that I believe is going through a lot of good change, drew me toward Trailnet.
Can you tell us about your bicycle encouragement involvement at University of Iowa?
I helped out with a lot of the big biking events the University of Iowa put on. We did bike challenges in the winter months and in April, as an effort to get students and Iowa City residents on their bikes and moving, whether that was to work, school, or community events.
Iowa also put on bike tune-up events, where local bike shops would tune-up students’ bikes for free. I helped put these events on and was able to tell other students about the great trails and resources available to them.
Can you talk about your involvement with film and climate change?
At University of Iowa, I was a part of a student film organization called Bijou Film Board. During my time in that organization, I always pushed to screen documentaries that had environmentalism as a theme. Our natural world has so much beauty and chaos in it, I really think it is important to show those things on screen. One of the movies I was able to screen was a documentary called Grizzly Man, which has some great commentary on human interaction in the natural world and is worth checking out for so many reasons.
What about your time at Trailnet was valuable to your career trajectory?
My time at Trailnet was incredibly valuable for my career trajectory. Working here taught me about all the details that go into being an advocate for better streets for all. I loved talking to passionate people about biking, walking, and how their communities can be improved by better biking/walking facilities. I hope to take the knowledge I’ve learned, and the recommendations given to me by powerful community voices and look to make bike/pedestrian improvements in the next community I may be in.
What do you think about Trailnet’s Connecting St. Louis plan?
The Connecting St. Louis plan is great not only for proposing protected bikeways in key areas of the city but addressing a need for transportation equity across St. Louis. Other plans across the city are focused on connecting east-west (Forest Park to downtown). Connecting St. Louis does a tremendous job of looking to connect north-south St. Louis. These areas often aren’t serviced by Metro and areas where people have less access to vehicles. Focusing on these connections is crucial for getting people to the places they love, without a car, no matter where in St. Louis.
Where do you hope to guide your career in the future?
I’d love to keep working in active transportation in any form possible, whether that’s a nonprofit, municipality, or outdoor shop. Being around people who care about biking, walking, and general outdoor living would be amazing and it’s something I want to continue doing. I’m eventually going to go to graduate school, however I only have a few more states in the U.S. to visit before I’ve been to all 50, so that’s something I’d love to do first.
What do you do for fun?
Typically, during my free time I’m riding my bike, going to movies, and watching soccer. I’m an avid bike rider (as are most people at Trailnet) and I encourage everyone to check out the different trails the St. Louis region has to offer. As for movies, check out Booksmart and Blockers, those are the best two movies I’ve seen recently. And concerning soccer, I support PSG and Everton, and am frequently up early Saturday and Sunday mornings to watch them play.
This month, we’re excited to recognize one of our most dedicated advocates of all time. Former state Sen. Wayne Goode co-founded Trailnet’s board of directors in 2002 and has been critical in helping advance St. Louis toward being the best Bike City it can be. Wayne, 82, is pedaling his way through St. Louis with just as much spirit as ever on his new E-bike. You can meet him yourself at our upcoming 
