The Development Director conceives and implements a comprehensive fundraising strategy.
The Development Director supervises the Membership Coordinator and manages consultant relationships. This position also oversees corporate, foundations, major gifts, annual giving, special events, and all associated activities. Supervised by the Chief Executive Officer, the Development Director works closely with Trailnet’s Board of Directors.
This position will also collaborate with the Policy Director, Rides Manager, and Communications Specialist to develop overall communications and development strategies and key messages for external communications.
A successful candidate will be self-motivated, team-centric, strategic, charismatic, detail-oriented, and highly organized; and will possess the ability to solicit financial gifts of all levels. Excellent communication, interpersonal, analytical, and research skills are essential. Familiarity with the St. Louis civic community is a plus.
Responsibilities:
Design, implement, and evaluate Trailnet’s development strategy: Work with the CEO and team to identify funds needed, preferred funding targets, and strategic alignment of each ask.
Rides and special events: Collaborates closely with the Rides Manager to create and develop overall rides fundraising strategy. Collaborates with other team members to create and produce special events, as appropriate.
Fundraising: Perform ongoing research, cultivation, and solicitation as well as recognition of individual, corporate and foundation donors. Establish and fulfill annual fundraising goals and budgets for all contributed income categories.
Oversee ongoing development efforts: Develop and implement comprehensive fundraising strategies that include membership campaigns, business memberships, nonprofit partnerships, reciprocal agreements, in-kind donations, special events, and cause marketing, ensure fulfillment of all promised recognition and benefits to donors.
Lead stewardship efforts: Grow and maintain a loyal donor base and provide necessary oversight: ensuring individual, corporate and foundation database records are current. Initiate stewardship actions to maintain key long-term relationships.
Grant Writing: Lead annual grant writing program, including the use of colleagues and contract writing resources to supplement capacity.
Collaborate: Oversight and interaction with program staff in the creation and solicitation of earned-revenue sponsorships and individual giving.
Coordinate marketing and communications: Leverage messaging to support every aspect of the fundraising plan. Including, public relations and community relations activities, which includes email fundraising campaigns, direct mail, grants, special events, social media, speaking engagements, donor and volunteer recognition, etc.
Board interaction: Support the CEO in the cultivating, selecting and managing of board-level volunteer resources. Serve as internal fundraising counsel to the Board. Support the Board Development Committee and the Board Nominating Committee.
Qualifications:
Fundraising: Proven success in fundraising for an established nonprofit. Experience producing events and success in stewarding relationships.
Project Leadership: Experience in planning, leading, and managing fundraising initiatives including coordinating with peers to achieve desired outcomes, and tracking and reporting on progress to CEO and Board of Directors
Entrepreneurial Spirit: Takes initiative, creatively explores fresh ideas, and actively seeks strategic opportunities to deepen current donor relationships and to forge new ones.
Communications: Skilled in creating powerful, compelling written and oral communications for fundraising. Ability to convey complex ideas through brief, simple materials. Experience and credibility when presenting materials to external audiences.
Influencing: Gets others to accept ideas by using convincing arguments, creates a win-win situation and responds appropriately to key stakeholders. Highly positive approach and enthusiastic style capable of motivating others
Collaboration: Effective at working with others to reach common goals and objectives
Work Conditions: Office Environment with work from home as the standard during the COVID-19 pandemic (frequent video calls via Zoom and Google are required)
The development director should have a presence at 15-20 outdoor events in the bistate region, including distance bike rides and community rides throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall. Barring COVID-19 restrictions on event schedule.
Fundraising and outreach events at variety of indoor and outdoor locations
Proficiency in G-Suite, Microsoft Office, and a fundraising CRM is assumed (Trailnet uses DonorPerfect).
Physical Responsibilities: Transport up to 25 lbs. of tabling or outreach materials to events Work at a computer Staff tables at outreach events Make solicitation phone calls
Requirements: • Bachelor’s degree with 3-5 years of direct fundraising experience, or equivalent experience demonstrated in the key job responsibilities, • Significant successful experience in gift solicitation, • Excellent written communication skills.
Salary & Benefits: Full-time, Exempt
Salary range: $57,000 – $65,000
Eligible for full-time benefits including Medical and Dental Insurance
Qualified candidates should send a resume and cover letter to hr@trailnet.org
Commitment to Equity and Equal Opportunity Trailnet is committed to support diversity and equal opportunity in its services, administration, and employment, as well as research and activities. We strive to foster a working environment that values contributions from team members including those based on race, color, creed, gender, religion, culture, sexual orientation, sexual identity, mental disabilities, physical disabilities, or veteran status. We work with a wide range of external partners and stakeholders, and we seek candidates that are committed to their own cultural competency. Women, people of color, people with disabilities, and members of the LGBTQ community are encouraged to apply.
About the Organization Trailnet is a not for profit 501 (c) 3 organization with a 31-year history of advancing St. Louis as a place where walking, bicycling, and the use of public transit are a way of life. By advocating for a network of safe, easy-to-access walking and bicycling routes across St. Louis, we aim to bridge transportation equity gaps and make it easier for all people to get from place to place. We work every day to make our region more sustainable by increasing active transportation options that curb greenhouse gas emissions. Trailnet brings people together throughout the bi-state region with a wide breadth of bicycle rides, educational events, and advocacy programs. Join our team and help make St. Louis a premiere city for walking and biking.
Pedego E-bikes, Trailnet’s Gala, and Why You Should Buy a Raffle Ticket
Electric assist bicycles, E-Bikes, have steadily grown in popularity over the past decade and have been discussed more frequently since pandemic stay-at-home order was issued. E-bikes are equipped with a built-in electric motor that provides pedaling assistance, making it easier to cover greater distances and allowing a larger population of consumers to enjoy cycling.
Cathy O’neil, age, won her E-bike in a raffle at Trailnet’s gala, last year. O’neil says she has always enjoyed riding bicycles. Growing up in Michigan, O’neil rode her bike as a child and enjoyed many biking trips to places including Wisconsin, Cape Cod, Denmark, France’s Loire Valley, and South Dakota’s Black Hills. O’neil shares,
“The last time I was biking in Wisconsin, the rolling hills seemed more difficult, and I figured that maybe age was telling me to slow down. Now with the E-bike, I can continue to travel and bike. When we no longer need to stay at home, I plan to put my e-bike on the car and enjoy more group bike trips across the country.”
“Pedego has been ever so supportive, and I am thrilled with the bike”
Rob Cantwell, 50, attorney in St. Louis, was gifted his first E-bike from a friend E-bike enthusiast. He now owns 2 E-bikes, the Giant Explore E+ 3 mountain bike and the Specialized Turbo S road bike. Rob easily rides his E-bike 5.8 miles to work and back everyday and often takes his nearly 4-year-old daughter on bike rides using his bike trailer attachment. His Specialized Turbo S E-bike reaches maximum speeds of 28 mph making long bike rides with his daughter a breeze.
In the St. Louis area, Bill and Carla Sauerwein own Pedego ST. Louis and are the experts on all things E-bike. When asked about how their sales were impacted during stay-at-home orders, Bill states that sales have increased but that could be due to several factors,
“As with all things in life, it is never just one thing. Covid has definitely contributed to an increase in sales as people work from home and search for ways to remain fit. But we expected some increase in sales due to seeds we planted last year by doing events and exposing hundreds of people to our technology. Likewise, people are not traveling this summer, so they search for activities to do around home outside. This helped sales also. And covid has also renewed people’s love of cycling. It has been, throughout this pandemic, the activity of choice for fitness enthusiasts, parents home with their children, the work from home crowd, and retired or homebound active people who want to increase or simply maintain their quality of life. Our sales of bikes have just about tripled from last year and we are sold out of popular accessories like panniers and bike carriers. “
E-bikes and related outdoor activities have grown tremendously in popularity since the pandemic started in early spring and stay-at-home orders were issued. The use of the pedal assist allows those who enjoy biking to go farther, longer and make more memories. O’neil shares,
Traditional bikes and E-bikes have many similarities, including multiple gears. Additionally, E-bikes have multiple levels of electrical assistance, generally four or five, so the rider may choose how assistance the bike provides. The ability to ride longer and farther with the assist is a popular selling point for first time buyers.
“Right now, most of my riding is trails. I love Creve Coeur Lake Park, and now I can zoom up those overpasses with the e-bike. Madison County has miles of trails, and I bike longer because I know that if I tire, I can use the power assist to get back to my car. Recently two deer crossed the trail, not far in front of me. One was a young buck with velvet antlers, and as I watched, other bikers stopped behind me, to enjoy the moment. It’s one of many good memories that I’m gathering from this new bike.”
George Napier, 30, employee of Clayton Parks and Recreation and avid environmentalist, enjoys riding his e-bike off road on family vacations.
“For a long time, I thought that E-bikes were a “cheat”- that they made riding a bike too easy but that was before I tried it. The pedal assist can be a game-changer when you are biking off-road trails with strenuous climbs.”
When asked about his experience with folks believing E-bikes to be “cheating”, Bill had this to say,
“The “cheating” line of thinking about E-bikes is now considered old school and narrow minded. I am quite sure you had a cup of coffee before beginning your work today – is that considered cheating because you were able to clear the cobwebs from your head? Is a rode cyclist cheating when he buys a carbon frame, or puts $1,000 worth of better components on his bike? Every person young or old, fir or not fit, has right to ride a bike. My wife and I are on our bikes all day and evening and use our cars infrequently. We run short errands on our bikes, commute to work, grocery shop, run to Target and Walgreen’s and the market in Kirkwood. Most cyclists ride their bike for an hour or two then put the bike away and get in their cars to live the rest of the lives. So, who is cheating? We have customers who have sold their car to buy an E-bike. Our technology also allows people who love cycling but have given up on riding (perhaps because they have a health condition) to ride again and live happy pleasurable, lives outside in the fresh air. Our customers remark often that their Pedego was “life-changing” and they have regained their health. With E-bike technology, you can remain mobile and independent.”
Pedego makes a complete line of 18 electric bikes so that you can easily find a perfect fit for your individual needs and personal style. E-bikes do tend to be heavier than regular bikes, due to the battery which adds much of the additional weight. An average non-electric road bike weighs 20-25 pounds, but most E-bikes weigh 45 to 75. E-bike also have wider tires. The tire on a traditional road bike tends to be less than 1 inch wide, but tires on an E-bike generally run 1½ to 2½ inches for road bikes, 3-4 inches for mountain bikes.
Pedego is committed to quality and offers 5-year warranty on all bikes. O’neil has owned her E-bike for a year and says,
“I’m enjoying my new E-bike, though there is a learning curve. This bike is two to three times heavier than my hybrid, and cornering is much different.The Pedego store people have been really generous with their time and tips, to get me up and riding comfortably.”
At Bill and Carla’s store, you can find all 18 Pedego electric bikes and accessories. Bill says,
“We sell only one brand, Pedego – the #1 brand in America. Prices range from about $2,000 to about $4,500. Most of our customers purchase because the bike is high quality, offered at a great price, and designed and built in America – but also because our bikes come with a 5 year industry leading warranty (far above any competitors’ warranty) and because our dealership is part of the community. They know we are 110% committed to service and making their biking experience a great one. Online bike manufacturers cannot make this guaranty.”
Some of the typical questions asked at St. Louis Pedego….
Probably the most-asked question is: “How far will the battery take me on a charge?” When I tell them our 48V 15A battery will take them up to 60 miles on a single charge, they are quite excited! The second most-asked question is: “Will the bike allow me to get exercise?” the answer is always, Yes! You can get as much exercise as you want with our pedal-assist software. Likewise, our technology allows you to ride farther and more often than you would on a traditional bike. Many of our customers were avid cyclists who stopped riding because of the hills near their home. With our technology, there is no more “hill anxiety” and the fear of returning from a long ride only to climb the hill to your home has disappeared.
The gaining popularity of E-bikes could bring about significant health improvements to bike enthusiasts and to those who were previously sedentary. Researchers in a 2016 University of Colorado study observed improvements in aerobic capacity and blood sugar regulation of those who had a generally sedentary lifestyle. Those who are considering using E-bikes for commuting can breathe easy knowing that riding an E-bike may be faster than traditional urban public transportation and would allow you to arrive less sweaty than riding a traditional bicycle to work. Reducing your carbon footprint has never been easier since E-bike batteries can fit in your bag and do not require a special charging station.
E-bikes are here to stay and there are several reasons why. Meaningful exercise can be achieved for many, including those with physical limitations and older age. Trailnet will be raffling another Pedego E-bike at the 2020 Trailnet gala.
We met up with Clint Mohs, a repeat participant in our 2020 scavenger hunts and community rides to ask him a few questions and see just what makes him such a radi-cool supporter of biking in STL.
How long have you been riding a bike in STL? I grew up here, moved around a bunch, and did a ton of riding all over where I was living, then moved back here when my daughter was born. So, I’ve been riding pretty consistently for the last four years around the city.
What got you into biking? Exercising and exploring. In highschool I played sports, but in college I stopped. I also didn’t have a car, so I got a bike to get around town and tapped back into that childhood sense of exploring and self-reliance, and all that stuff.
What kind of riding do you do? I use it mainly for exercise. With my family, we’ll ride to the park, the zoo, the store. I got a new job recently and my plan was to start commuting this summer now that I was close enough to do so, but then the CoronaVirus happened as my daughter was getting ready to be out of school. Priorities shifted to taking care of my daughter, working from home, etc.
How’d you get into doing Trailnet scavenger hunts? I found out after signing up for the Trailnet Classics. As these were getting cancelled, I went back on the website and found out about the scavenger hunts as an alternative and thought, “these seem pretty cool.” They’re up my alley with the whole exploring thing, learning new things, learning new routes. I started off with the Bike Month Challenge and had a blast – so much fun.
How has COVID changed the way you bike? I’m riding a lot more because I don’t have the rush to get everyone out of the house; I don’t have the long commute. Been waking up early and riding a lot in the mornings. Also doing so many of the scavenger hunts and learning new routes, or, piecing together new things – keeping it fresh. I knew point A and point B existed, but didn’t have a way to connect them or didn’t think about connecting them until recently.
Why are you such a radi-cool supporter of biking and Trailnet? First off, radi-cool is way cooler than I am – just getting that out there. One of the things that I struggled with coming back to STL was having lived and travelled around other more bike friendly places. I witnessed more openness to having bikes on the roads, which wasn’t my previous experience. Coming back to STL, it seems like a natural thing for me to want to support – people being on bikes in the city. There isn’t the same population density as most other big cities, we have a ton of sprawl, but if you live within the city you can get anywhere you need on a bike pretty easily. So, for me it’s super easy to want to get behind something like this, and it also makes me happy to see people on trails and on the roads.
Three big reasons you love biking?
Exploring.
Being outside. Riding the same routes over and over, you get a sense of place in seeing it change from day to day, week to week, month to month.
Just feels good. I don’t know… I just like it. It’s fun.
Missouri 2020 Primary Voter Guide
Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2020
St. Louis County Executive & Missouri Senate District 5
Transportation policy and funding impact numerous aspects of life in the St. Louis Region. This voter guide is Trailnet’s effort to educate voters on candidate’s positions on transportation issues in two races St. Louis County Executive and Missouri Senate District 5.
Trailnet is a 501(c)(3) charity and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign on the behalf of any candidate for public office, but is permitted to engage in voter education and get-out-the-vote efforts.
News Release: Juneteenth community tour highlights music, history
Juneteenth community tour highlights music, history
ST. LOUIS – Trailnet and 4theVille are hosting a community bike ride and walking tour to celebrate Juneteenth and African American Music Appreciation Month. From June 20 through June 30, the self-guided tour takes participants through Downtown, Midtown and The Ville to explore historically significant sites.
The 2020 Juneteenth Celebration Community Ride, marks the third year of this partnership between Trailnet, 4theVille, and Missouri Historical Society. This year’s event focuses on the past and present of St. Louis’ rich history of African American musicians shaping our national sound. The self-guided tour also features recordings of local musicians paying tribute to the city’s continuing music traditions.
“4theVille is committed to the celebration of local black history through multi-disciplinary arts and tourism. We look forward to our annual Juneteenth partnership with Trailnet and Missouri Historical Society when we explore different elements of the continued black liberation struggle. This year, we are especially proud to support local African American musicians with our story about the St. Louis origins of black music,” Aaron Williams with 4theVille said.
“Trailnet’s community rides are designed to elevate the voices of our community partners and help tell the stories they want to share. We’re grateful to help 4theVille and Missouri Historical Society share these stories of Black creators and their legacy,” Cindy Mense, Trailnet’s CEO said.
Tour Platform
Originally created as a group bike ride, the event was changed to a self-guided tour to allow for social distancing. The event uses a GPS-based scavenger hunt smart-phone app to direct participants to each site, where they’ll be able to listen to original performances by local musicians, learn about Black creators’ history in our region all while biking or walking.
Participants can begin the tour at any of the stops and can complete the tour in any order, with suggested routes taking people on slower, low traffic streets.The app also allows participants to complete the tour at their own pace and over the course of several days.
Partner musicians and organizations
Local musicians were commissioned to record performances for the tour. These musicians include: Scooter Brown, Tre G, Tish Haynes Keys, DJ Nico Marie, Royce Martin, and Wil Robinson.
The 2020 Juneteenth Celebration Community Ride is sponsored by The Missouri Humanities Council. It was made possible through partnership with 4theVille, Missouri Historical Society, GirlTrek, Northside Community Housing, Black Girls Do Bike, and St. Louis Public Radio.
Details
DATE: Saturday, June 20 – Tuesday, June 30
TIME: The tour and app is available throughout the dates
LOCATION: St. Louis City: including Downtown, Midtown, and The Ville
COST: $10, free for Trailnet members
DISTANCE: Approximately 12-14 miles total by bike, with an individual’s flexibility to do less
Trailnet is the St. Louis Region’s nonprofit walking, biking and public transit advocacy organization. For more than thirty years, Trailnet has been working within the St. Louis region and across the state to respond to the demand for improved walking and biking networks that attract and retain talent, strengthen our economy, and connect people to the places they love.
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Key transportation reforms in national INVEST act
Proposed legislation in Congress has the potential to transform transportation funding and improve communities’ ability to prioritize walking, biking and public transit. Trailnet joined with Transportation for America and The League of American Bicyclists to support these vital reforms in the INVEST ACT.
We will keep you up to date on ways to help and how to add your voice as this bill advances.
Our letter of support to the leaders of the U.S. House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee details why this legislation is so important:
Trailnet is writing to express our support for the INVEST Act introduced to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure last week. We believe this bill includes many key updates to our country’s outdated transportation policy, and takes many big steps towards aligning our federal funding with the outcomes Americans value. We are proud to support this bill and thank you for your work developing it, and urge you to keep advancing these reforms as the legislation proceeds. This bill is a vital improvement because of targeted changes to improve biking and walking as well as the systematic changes throughout, including:
Transportation Alternatives Program – Increases funds for this program (TAP) impacting the communities we serve. This program provides the bulk of the funding for walking and biking projects in our community and state. We hear from both urban and rural communities that there are not enough funds in this program to fill current needs. This legislation creates more local control and flexibility for local governments to fund these projects while still safeguarding them for appropriate bike, walk and transit projects.
Inclusive public process – Prioritizes equity and environmental justice for all grant programs.
Safety – Requires all states to do a vulnerable user assessment. For states with above average vulnerable road user fatalities and serious injuries, states will be required to spend on bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Complete Streets – Requires US DOT to write model complete streets policies and procedures to be used when building roads with federal dollars, this will help to ensure that when federal dollars are spent, the needs of all users are addressed – not just the individuals within a community that own a car.
Connection to jobs and services – Creates new ways of measuring and ensuring our system connects people to their destinations- especially non-car owning families and residents.
Climate – Includes new programs for states and communities to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. States who don’t reduce GHG emissions from transportation will be penalized by requiring them to spend additional funds to reduce GHG.
Trailnet is the St. Louis Region’s nonprofit walking, biking and public transit advocacy organization. We believe everyone should have access to safe low-stress walking and biking connections where we live, work, and play in our communities. For more than thirty years, Trailnet has been working within the St. Louis region and across the state to respond to the demand for improved walking and biking networks that attract and retain talent, strengthen our economy, and connect people to the places they love.
Grant’s Trail, a look back
Great Rivers Greenway is weeks away from completing an extension of Grant’s Trail linking it to the River Des Peres Greenway. The completion of this important connection is a chance to look back at Trailnet’s history with this fixture of St. Louis biking and walking.
Over the years Trailnet members have supported the core mission that led to Grant’s Trail and our work to advance biking and walking access and connections throughout the community.
This vital space for safe biking and walking was made possible by the dedicated work and efforts of Trailnet members, volunteers, and supporters over the years.
From the initial purchase, to its role in the lives of thousands of visitors every year, here’s a brief history of Grant’s Trail.
Rails-to-Trails
In 1992, Trailnet purchased a 6.2 mile stretch of the Union Pacific Railroad, to convert it to a multi-use trail. This 100-foot wide corridor of land stretched from Hoffmeister Avenue in South St. Louis County near I-55 to Pardee Road in Crestwood.
This was part of a nation-wide rails-to-trails movement to convert disused railway lines into trails for biking and walking.
All the way to the supreme court
In 1993 – as plans for the trail developed – the municipality, Grantwood Village sued to stop the construction, claiming the original land transfer to the railroad was improper. This case advanced to a Federal appeals court that ruled in Trailnet’s favor. Grantwood Village then appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court which rejected the challenge, maintaining the lower court’s ruling paving the way for construction to begin.
Construction
Paving and landscaping on the trail began in 1994 with a $500,000 federal grant.
In 1997, the first four miles were completed with funding from the federal government and St. Louis County between Orlando Gardens to Tesshire Road. That same year, Trailnet entered into a 99 year lease with St. Louis County, for the county to operate the trail under the parks department.
In 2000, Trailnet purchased an additional 2 miles of former rail line from Tesshire Road to Pardee Road. St. Louis County then paved the new stretch with a combination of county and federal funding.
Prop C and Great Rivers Greenway
In 2000, Trailnet and other advocates successfully pushed for a ballot initiative creating a one-tenth-of-one-cent sales tax to finance the construction of greenway trails in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. This became Great Rivers Greenway, a public agency tasked with the planning and execution of a network of greenways connecting the region.
With the creation of a GRG and a steady stream of public funding dedicated to building greenways, Trailnet’s work shifted from building trails to focus on advocacy, education, community planning and engagement as a way to improve biking and walking in the region.
In 2006, Great Rivers Greenway completed a 2 mile extension on the western end of Gravois Greenway: Grant’s Trail across I-44, bringing it to a new trailhead at S. Holmes St. and Leffingwell Ave. in Kirkwood.”
Grant’s history and legacy
Grant’s Trail passes by Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site and his home White Haven, and the trail crosses land owned by Grant. Grant, served as a U.S. president and commanding general of the union army during the Civil War.
At a time when America and the St. Louis region are grappling with the effects of racism and slavery, Grant’s legacy and the history of this property is important to note.
Reviewing the history of Grant’s Trail, it is important to acknowledge both Grant’s role fighting the confederacy and supporting formerly enslaved people, as wells as his own profiting from slavery and his actions harming Native Americans. These factors need to be acknowledged, understood, and held in tension with each other.
Future of Grant’s Trail
Today, Grant’s Trail is a vital space for people to safely walk, bike, roll. It has showcased the desire for safe, car-free spaces and has been a model for much of the growth in trails and greenways across the region.
The final bridge linking Grant’s Trail and the River Des Peres Greenway is weeks away from completion. This will undoubtedly bring more people, connect more neighborhoods, and show the importance of connected, healthy, and sustainable mobility throughout the region.
As an organization we are proud of the hand we played in the creation of Grant’s Trail. We are grateful for the dedicated support of our members and volunteers who helped see it through and appreciate the work of our partners to advance it to its place in the community today.
Most of all, we are thankful for the people who use it every day.
Bikes for Essential Workers: Bike Match
Trailnet is partnering with the national platform Bike Match to connect people who have extra bicycles with essential workers who need them.
We know how powerful and transformative a bike can be.
Help support the people keeping our community running during the pandemic. A bike can allow them to continue their work without needing to get on a bus or train that may increase their risk of exposure. Whether you have a bike or need a bike, we want to help.
If you have a bike to donate but it’s not ready to ride and needs some work, please consider donating it to our friends at St. Louis BWorks who will refurbish your donated bike.
The corner of Laclede Avenue and South Vandeventer Avenue will see exciting improvements in pedestrian safety and social engagement–part of a multi-faceted approach planning we like to call placemaking.
Trailnet was awarded funding from AARP this year to establish a parklet kit to be initially placed at the intersection. The parklet kit will also be used in Trailnet’s Traffic Calming Lending Library.
In 2019, Trailnet has met with business owners (Kaldi’s, Narwhal’s Crafted, BLK MKT Eats, Regions Bank, Alpha One, and Capstone Development) on the corner of Laclede and Vandeventer to discuss material specifics and recommendations for the parklet’s implementation. Trailnet CEO Cindy Mense presented for the West Pine-Laclede Neighborhood Association and the Central West End Southeast Special Business District. Mense discussed the benefits of parklets and shared conceptual designs of how the parklet space would be utilized.
Along with implementing a parklet, Trailnet has advocated for continental striping and a Leading Pedestrian Interval at the intersection, both crucial bike/pedestrian safety enhancements. With funding assistance from Alderman Joe Roddy, the CWE SE Special Business District, and Saint Louis University, four new continental crosswalks were installed at the intersection of Laclede & Vandeventer in December 2019.
In 2020, Trailnet received $12,000 in funding from the CWE Southeast Special Business District to install this permanent parklet, and will be looking at late summer 2020 as a completion date for this brand new public space.
April 22 Crash | Statement
Yesterday’s high-profile video of a crash where a person on a bike was hit by a person driving a car in St. Louis City has received significant attention.
This video is incredibly real, visceral evidence of the broader reality that people who ride or walk in our communities know first hand: that our streets are not as safe as they could or should be and people who drive carelessly continue to threaten other people using our roads.
We’ve decided to not share the video itself out of respect for the person who was hit and the potential effect the traumatic content of the video may have on people who have been the victims of traffic violence or their loved ones.
As in any crash affecting someone walking or biking, we offer our support and assistance to victims of traffic violence, when requested by them or their families.
Should everyone be outraged by this crash? Of course.
Are we outraged? Of course.
We hope to do more than express outrage over this crash.
This also shouldn’t take away from the other recent crashes affecting people walking and on bikes that have received less attention.
We are continuing our work in the community to create an environment where people can bike and walk safely, where the media and police don’t blame victims of traffic violence, where people who drive are trained and responsible, and our streets are designed for the safety of people.
This work is slow and at times frustrating, but we are committed to it and hope everyone following our work is too.
If you want to help, we encourage you to contact your elected officials: city aldermen, county officials, or municipal leaders to ask that more resources be spent on safety improvements for people biking and walking.
The corner of Laclede Avenue and South Vandeventer Avenue will see exciting improvements in pedestrian safety and social engagement–part of a multi-faceted approach planning we like to call placemaking.
