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 Hannah Hirsch, one of our talented 2021 summer interns.
Read on to learn about how Hannah is dedicated to working towards a more sustainable planet with active transportation options for all.
Hannah Hirsch
1) What you did this summer (outside of Trailnet)?
Outside of my work at Trailnet, I enjoyed my first summer in St. Louis where I was able to get to know the city without the stress of academics. I met a bunch of new, great people with whom I explored different local shops, neighborhoods, and events. To name a few examples, I spent a lot of time in Forest Park where I got to witness cool areas I had never seen before and enjoy nature in an urban environment. I love thrifting and I explored new shops where I enjoyed both browsing and the occasional purchase. I also attended live music shows in Tower Grove Park and frequented the farmers market.
2) What you’re studying in school?
I am pursuing a double major in Environmental Studies and Economics at WashU. I hope to use my knowledge in the future to play a role in developing climate solutions that challenge current norms and transition ourselves to a more circular economy.
3) What drew you to intern at Trailnet?
My interest in the environment both personally and academically drew me to intern at Trailnet as I desired to dig deeper into the organization’s efforts to connect neighborhoods and make streets safer for biking and walking, which are important carbon-neutral alternatives to most popular forms of transportation. My initial interest grew into an understanding of street connectivity as a goal not only to better the climate, but as a must for equity and a more cohesive city.
4) What about your time at Trailnet was valuable to your career?
Having an opportunity to work hands-on with a grant writing project is a unique experience that I was provided at Trailnet, which I cannot say I would have been offered elsewhere. I felt valued as a team member during meetings and working one-on-one with staff despite my role as an intern, challenging me to think more critically, quickly, and creatively. Taking ownership of a project and its timeline from beginning to end will prove to be critical experience in any career I ultimately pursue.
5) What has been the most fun Trailnet project to work on or learn about?
Apart from my grant writing project, I enjoyed accompanying Sam to tabling events and getting to know different St. Louis neighborhoods. In addition to immersing myself in local community events, it was interesting to take speed data at the same intersection over time and see for myself how infrastructure changes have the power to calm traffic and create safer streets.
6) What do you do like to do for fun?
In my free time I enjoy reading, listening to music, exploring and spending time with friends, and other relaxing activities. It has been harder to make time for these as the school year has started, but I’ve been doing my best to keep in the loop with local events. Recently I’ve seen live music at Blueberry Hill, visited the farmers’ market on the Delmar Loop, and explored the Hill, to name a few..
Thank you so much Hannah for you time and work at Trailnet! You are so wonderful, and we all wish you a wonderful school year!
Ride the Rivers 2021 Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for your interest in the 2021 Ride the Rivers Century presented by Streets of St. Charles. Whether you’re riding the metric century, or the full century, here are some answers to frequently asked questions.
Packet Pickup
When and where should I get my ride packet?
Thursday Oct. 7, 6-8:00 p.m. Streets of St. Charles 1520 S 5th St, St Charles, MO 63303
If you preordered an event jersey you’ll be able to pickup it up Oct. 7 as well.
There is day-of packet pickup at 5:30 a.m. on Saturday at the check-in tent
What is the bib number for? There is a timing chip built into the number plate. It is linked to your registration and will be used to track your cumulative ride time. Use the included zip ties to attach it to your handlebars to track your overall time and standings.
What is the wristband for? The wristband confirms you’ve registered for the ride. The tear-off tabs are used for the ferry crossings, give one to the ferry operator. Please don’t tear off ahead of time.
You will need the tear-off tabs for the Golden Eagle Ferry (both routes) the Grafton Ferry (metric century route only). The Brussels Ferry is free for all users and doesn’t need a tab.
I ordered a jersey (or any other merchandise), when will I get it? If you ordered a Jersey during early-bird registration, you can pick it up on Thursday during packet pickup or on Saturday.
If you ordered the jersey after the early-bird window, it will be shipped to your house.
If you ordered socks, they will be included in your packet.
If you ordered a bottle, it will be available for pickup on Saturday.
Before the Ride
How will the route be marked?
All our routes will be marked with bright pink paint and arrows on the road.
We will have paper maps and cue sheets on our Check-in table, as well.
Once you’ve downloaded the app click here to access the routes. We may need to make be minor changes to the routes based on road conditions and construction up until Friday. You’ll receive an email when the routes are finalized and can be downloaded to your phone or GPS.
How do I contact SAG (Support And Gear) if I need help on the ride? Because of the large number of participants and distance covered during this ride we are using TraQ Central for SAG. This lets us more accurately track riders and give GPS locations to sag drivers, speeding up response times.
This easy-to-use app runs passively in the background of your phone and doesn’t significantly impact your battery. More info on TraQCentral can be found here.
Or, save this number in your phone and call: 314-913-BIKE (314-913-2453)
How should I plan for food/nutrition? Food, nutrition and water will be available at check in and at several rest stops along the routes.
Rest stops are spaced no more than 20 miles apart and will have a variety of food, water and sports mix to fuel along the way.
All riders will receive a meal ticket after the ride for food from Mission Taco and beers from Schlafly.
From Mission Taco Joint:
Chicken burrito – grilled chicken, cilantro rice, smashed black beans, Chihuahua cheese, and chipotle aioli.
Veggie burrito – smashed black beans, cilantro rice, pico de gallo, Chihuahua cheese.
From Trailnet
Schlafly Beer
Sodas
Gatorade
Day-of the Ride
When should I arrive?
If you have already picked up your ride packet, arrive no later than 6:00 a.m. This will give you time to find parking, get coffee, grab snacks, fill water etc.
If you have not picked up your packet: we strongly suggest you be in line no later than 5:30 a.m. You will need to give yourself time to get the packet, attached your timing card, return the packet to your car, and get ready to ride
When can I start the ride? All Riders must depart with the group at 7: a.m.
St. Charles Police Department will escort riders through town before closing streets along the route for two separate events after our ride group departs.
Riders will not be able to depart after the 7 a.m. group start.
Where should I park? All Riders must park in the Streets of St. Charles Parking Deck, located between Beal St. and S. Main St.
Do not park in any of the neighboring surface lots, anyone who does will be towed.
1650 Beale St. St. Charles, MO 63303
Enter the parking deck off of S. Main Street or Camelback Road because of ride-day street closures.
Do I need to bring cash for the ferry crossings?
No, your wristband has tear-off tabs that you will give to the ferry operators at Golden Eagle Ferry (both routes) the Grafton Ferry (metric century route only). The Brussels Ferry is free for all users and doesn’t need a tab.
Do I need to wear a mask?
We are asking that all riders wear a mask when not riding, eating or drinking.
Trailnet staff and volunteers will be wearing masks when interacting with other people and when social distancing isn’t possible.
Traffic Calming and Pop-up Park on MLK
On September 10, 4theVille hosted a pop-up park on MLK and North Sarah to celebrate the Ville’s heritage, highlight talented Black artists and history, and imagine the Ville’s potential.
Trailnet helped out with a traffic calming demonstration with brightly colored tires, traffic cones, and tape to create bump-outs on MLK & North Sarah and MLK & Whittier in the Ville. The temporary curb bump-outs and high-visibility crosswalks create a safer and more comfortable street for all users by making a safer and shorter distance for people walking along the street to cross.
Even though the lane configuration of the street remained the same, by bumping-out the curbs and reinforcing the intended traffic patterns, there was a noticeable decrease in speeding along the corridor during the demonstration. This temporary change helped Trailnet and 4theVille engage residents on what changes they would like to see at this and other locations in the future to make it easier for people to get around safely.
This pop-up is part of a larger effort by 4theVille and Trailnet to engage residents in conversations about how the built environment could make it easier for people in the neighborhoods to get around.
The pop-up event provides side benefits in highlighting local history and addressing stormwater runoff, through a grant from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Justice – Collaborative Problem Solving program. Additional support was provided through the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services “Missouri Livable Streets” Program, an effort to advance complete and livable streets in communities across the state and connect people to every day destinations through connected communities that prioritize people getting around in many different ways.
Trailnet is grateful to have been part of such an amazing effort by 4theVille, “It was really terrific to be a part of this collaborative effort to highlight the unique history of one of the countries most historic Black neighborhoods, and help engage residents in ways that history can be elevated and celebrated for future generations,” Taylor March, Trailnet’s Director of Policy said.
We look forward to how we can continue to help make the streets places for people, and help highlight all the amazing history of the Ville Neighborhood!
Tuesday, December 7 (snow date Dec. 16th) 5:30-7:30PM,All About Winter Riding – Come learn with the experts all about winter riding. This class will cover winter clothing suggestions, bike maintenance, riding conditions and how to choose the proper gear and routes for those snowy days.
Thank you to everyone who came and participated in Trailnet’s 2021 Bicycle Education classes! It’s been so much fun to meet new people and teach new skills! Stay tuned for future bike education classes in 2022.
As we continue to collect count data each consecutive year, we are able to show changes in bicycling and pedestrian activity. Documenting these changes is essential to shaping infrastructure projects that make our region more livable for all.
We need volunteers who can commit to counting bicyclists and pedestrians at designated locations from 5 to 7 p.m. on Sept. 14th and/or Sept. 15th.
The counts are a simple tally form. You’ll need to print a copy of the tally form for each “screen line” shown for your location.
You can check out the locations and the screen lines on our map before you sign up. Two weeks prior to the counts you will receive an email with more instructions, as well as the tally form. You will need to print out the tally form(s) prior to the count. You will need one tally form for each screen line at your location (most locations have two).
Bringing sunscreen and a chair will increase your enjoyment of the counts. If you are at a particularly busy location (ex. Skinker and Forest Park Parkway) you may want to ask a friend to join you to help count, besides everything is more fun with a buddy!
Note that in cases of inclement weather, such as thunderstorms, Trailnet will reschedule this event to the following week as a policy. Please use your best judgment and seek shelter if the weather becomes threatening.
Also check our Twitter and Facebook pages for ongoing updates or if you have any questions. In the event of a cancelation, counts will be done the following week on September 16th and 17th.
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 Aidan Gillespie, one of our talented 2021 summer interns.
Read on to learn about how Aidan is dedicated to working towards a more sustainable planet with active transportation options for all.
Aidan Gillespie
1) What you did this summer (outside of Trailnet)?
Well, perhaps most significantly, my wife and I added a new childto our family when our son was born this July. He has been an absolute joy to be around. Aside from that, I’ve spent time exploring some new biking and walking routes in my neighborhood.
2) What you’re studying in school?
I’m a student in SLU’s Master of Urban Planning and Development program. I’m finishing up my second year in the program as a part-time student.
3) What drew you to intern at Trailnet? I have always been fascinated by transportation planning issues and the way transportation intersects with so many other facets of a community’s livability. Trailnet has been the perfect place to work alongside people so mission-driven and so passionately engaged in making Saint Louis a safe place for all people to use low-stress transportation modes. In particular, I was drawn to Trailnet because of its reach. Trailnet collaborates with so many communities and organizations that I’ve been able to see the vast web of individuals and groups committed to active transportation.
4) Can you tell us about your planning involvement at SLU? I participate in the SLU Urban Planning Association events and I’m a student member of the APA.
5) What about your time at Trailnet was valuable to your career? First, the internship definitely offered opportunities to get to know some of the leading advocates for active transportation in Saint Louis. Second, I had hands-on experience with real planning projects that benefit communities.
6) What has been the most fun Trailnet project to work on or learn about? As someone who enjoys exploring maps, I really liked working with Sam to compile and plot data for the quarterly crash report. Also, since Trailnet is hoping to create a program for partners to adopt a bike lane, I spent time reaching out to other communities with similar programs to learn best practices. I learned that people in this field really love their work and are eager to share what they’ve learned along the way. 7) What do you do like to do for fun? I enjoy taking my sons on walks to new places, running, traveling to the National Parks, genealogical research, and playing subway mapping games like Mini Metro.
Thank you so much Aidan for you time and work at Trailnet! You are so wonderful, and we all wish you a wonderful school year!
The Real Cost of Distracted Driving
CW: Car crash, death
This is hard and important.
In 2019, Randall Siddens was helping pick up cones after a triathlon in Columbia, MO. when he was hit and killed by a person driving while looking at their phone.
The video produced by our partners at Mercy Injury Prevention – Springfield worked with Randall’s wife and the first responders who were there to tell Randall’s story. Randall’s story is a real and tragic reminder of the risk whenever someone is on their phone while driving.
(This video contains dash cam footage from immediately before and after the crash, as well as emotional testimony and may not be appropriate for all viewers)
Dangerous, distracted driving poses one of the biggest threats to people walking and biking in our community. In Missouri more than 2,500 crashes a year involve people using their phones while driving.
Trailnet is working with partners across the state to curb distracted driving and pass legislation that limits phone use by people driving. This bi-partisan coalition, Hands Free Missouri, is pushing for driving rules that limit people from using their phones while driving to only, push-button voice activated, or hands free modes.
These hands-free cell phone rules have been shown to save lives in other states and are working to pass life-saving legislation here.
Trailnet is helping organize and plan these efforts for the upcoming legislative session. This month, Trailnet staff visited the Missouri Capitol to meet with state legislative staff and statewide partners with the goal of passing legislation to curb distracted driving.
It is vital that Missouri lawmakers pass meaningful distracted driving legislation and each of us realize the real, human risk that comes from distracted driving.
If you want to get involved and help fight distracted driving:
Set an example for the people in your life by not using your phone while driving
Get involved with Trailnet’s advocacy work by emailing our Policy Manager: kevinhahn@trailnet.org
Radical Adventure Riders (RAR) Cycling Industry Pledge
Earlier this year, Trailnet joined with 160 other bike businesses and nonprofits pledging to help make the cycling industry a more welcoming and inclusive space.
The Cycling Industry Pledge is an effort of Radical Adventure Riders (RAR), a group dedicated to improving gender and racial equity in the world of bikes. It focuses on improving representation, comfort and access to the cycling industry for women, LGBTQIA+ folks, and people of color.
Taking this pledge is one small but important step to help get more people on bikes and create spaces where people of all backgrounds can enjoy riding together.
This commitment parallels our work focused on improving core transportation (walking, biking, and transit) access and community engagement grounded in racial equity and focused on communities with greater needs.
We are over halfway through 2021, which means it is time for another quarterly crash report. This report examines crashes from April 2021 to June 2021 on roads within the City of St. Louis and St. Louis County. The report compares the number of bicycle, pedestrian, and vehicular crashes during a three month period to the same time period in the previous year.
Overall, there’s been a slight decrease in total pedestrian and vehicular deaths in the City and County. We’ve also seen an increase in the total number of vehicular crashes resulting in an injury in the City and County, as well as an increase in pedestrian crashes in the County. Trailnet also analyzed crash trends along particular roads and corridors. We saw that in the City there’s been less pedestrian crashes along the N. Grand Avenue corridor and along all interstates with the City’s boundary. In the County we’ve seen a decrease in crashes along St. Charles Rock Road and Chambers Road, but a notable increase in crashes in the City of Kirkwood.
We encourage you to take a look at our interactive map for both St. Louis City and County. This map shows exactly where the crash took place and also provides additional information on crash characteristics like posted speed limit, type of road, possible circumstance of the crash, and other details.
Click the document to enlarge it.
This graphic shows total number crashes from January 1st to June 30th of 2021.
Clayton works with Trailnet to adopt new Complete Streets Policies
A new set of rules governing how the City of Clayton builds and maintains its streets to accommodate people walking, using mobility devices, biking and using transit is now law.
Trailnet began working with city leaders to update its Complete Streets Policies last year and the policies were approved by the Clayton Board of Aldermen last month.
Complete Streets Policies are a collection of rules that communities adopt to govern how they build and maintain their streets. These policies are passed in order to prioritize the safety of people walking, biking, using wheelchairs, and other non-car transportation, as well as improve safety for people driving.
Clayton’s reformed policies are a result of Trailnet and the city working to:
Improve rules governing equity
Update design standards
Modernize how the success of these projects is measured
Clarify when exceptions to these rules can be applied
Improve how street projects are selected
Clayton’s original complete streets ordinance was adopted in 2012, but over the years, national standards for complete streets evolved to further prioritize the needs of people outside of cars. With that shift, Clayton’s policies required this important update.
These changes were vital to create streets that balance the safety and needs of everyone using the street.
