Changing policy and advocating for safer streets for all
Trailnet is working every day to address barriers to core transportation (walking, biking, and transit) in our community, here are some of our top policy priorities for 2022 and beyond:
A Needs-Based Approach to Traffic Safety – A public advocacy campaign focused on the City of St. Louis with the goal of City government adopting a comprehensive, needs-based transportation safety policy. The goals of the policy will include: addressing high-crash corridors and intersections; reducing deaths; prioritizing safety for vulnerable road users; improving transit access, comfort and reliability; repairing existing sidewalks; filling sidewalk gaps; improving mobility for people with disabilities; and ensuring implementation and accountability.
Building Community Advocacy Capacity through Education – Advocacy is a team sport; when we show up, we win! In 2022, we want to find more ways to elevate the voices of advocates and help people who are new to the space gain the skills and knowledge needed to speak up effectively. We will continue to use the Safe Streets Glossary to educate on safer street designs, and highlight challenges related to the design and funding of projects.
Distracted Driving – Missouri remains one of only two states in the country without comprehensive, hands-free distracted driving legislation on the books. We work with our statewide partners to pursue legislation which seeks to make the streets of the Show-Me State safer while also ensuring equitable measures are included to prevent over-policing.
Supporting St. Louis’ Community Mobility Committee (CMC)– Public and neighborhood-level engagement is key to an equitable and effective transportation system. The CMC is a resident-led committee that advises the City of St. Louis on mobility issues. Trailnet staff supports this effort to improve community engagement by assisting on subcommittees and growing the group’s membership in an equitable way.
Drivers Education in Schools – Currently 32 states require teens to take some form of drivers education before they can sit before a written and driving exam to get their driver’s license. Traffic Crashes are the second leading cause of death for teens, and per mile driven, teens are nearly three times as likely as drivers aged 20 or older to be in a fatal crash. By requiring drivers education courses in schools, we can prepare the next generation to safely interact with other modes of transportation on our streets.
Increased Funding for Safe Walking and Biking – People walking and biking currently account for roughly nineteen percent of all traffic fatalities nationally. For over a decade, injuries and fatalities to people walking and biking have increased, while driving fatalities per mile driven have decreased. Despite these facts, walking and biking account for less than two percent of federal spending on transportation. It’s past time that our spending aligns with our greatest needs—safety of people on our streets and positive impact on our environment.
Statewide Active Transportation Plan – Inspired by recent developments in Kansas, advocates in Missouri want leaders to begin developing a statewide active transportation plan as well. Trailnet is supporting these efforts through our work with partners across the state, including Missourians for Responsible Transportation, BikeWalkKC, Local Motion, and Ozark Greenways.
Automated Enforcement – Trailnet supports the use of racially sensitive automated enforcement. Recent use by other communites has shown that automated enforcement can reduce the likelihood of fatal or incapacitating injuries by 39 percent on residential roads with speed limits of 25-35 mph.
Recent Wins
St. Louis County Action Plan for Walking and Biking – Trailnet uniquely occupied a seat at the table, advocating for better accommodations for people walking and biking in St. Louis County. To learn more about the Action Plan, visit our page about the project here.
Louisiana Calm Street Project – Trailnet worked with local residents to conceptualize and advocate for the City of St. Louis’ first calm street project, which is now under construction. This project includes a variety of traffic calming features including, speed humps, curb extensions, high visibility crosswalks, traffic circles, and rain gardens, to create a slow neighborhood street where residents can feel comfortable walking, biking, and driving.
Clayton Complete Streets Policy (2021) – updated rules governing bike, pedestrian, and ADA improvements in streets projects
St. Louis City Work Zone Mobility Ordinance (2020) – requires developers to maintain safe sidewalks construction
St. Louis County Bike Reforms (2020) – modernized the county’s rules on how and where people can ride, prioritizing the safety and judgment of people on bikes
St. Louis City Traffic Calming Ordinance (2016) – allowed the use of speed humps on city streets and other traffic calming tools
Click here for more past accomplishments.
Please contact us at advocacy@trailnet.org with any inquiries regarding our current priority campaigns.