Bike St. Louis Phase III implementation begins this week! Phase III includes 40 miles of new bike routes and upgrades to 60 miles of existing bike routes in St. Louis City. This project started with the Gateway Bike Plan in 2009, an intensive 16-month process to plan future bike routes throughout the three county metropolitan region in Missouri.
Trailnet was 1 of 15 stakeholder groups that participated on the Phase III Advisory Committee hosted by Great Rivers Greenway District. We surveyed our members in Fall 2013 to define problem areas and priority locations for bicycling, and received almost 900 responses. We then rode the problem areas with advocates and elected officials to seek out creative solutions, and used this feedback to advocate for high quality infrastructure.
Types of bike routes
Our goal is Streets for Everyone – safe and continuous routes that connect residents to jobs, schools, parks and other major destinations, regardless of age or ability. Trailnet advocated for high-quality, family-friendly routes throughout the planning process. Click herefor a map and listing of new and upgraded routes.
Funding
Phase III is a $1.4 million project, primarily funded with federal transportation dollars. A local match was provided by Great Rivers Greenway District and St. Louis City with existing sales tax revenue. Any municipality is able to apply for federal funds for projects like Phase III. East West Gateway is currently taking comments for the 2015 funding cycle.
Stay tuned for more details! We’ll be following the street crews and posting pictures of the new routes on social media and look forward to hearing your feedback. Please post your pics to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – let’s celebrate this investment in bicycling!
2014 I Love STL: Bicrobrews Microbrewery Bicycle Tour
Saturday morning, August 16, started off with a steady drizzle of rain and temperatures in the mid 70s. Checking radar, it appeared the skies would clear for our 11 a.m. start but the rain kept coming. Despite the weather, cyclists arrived ready to check out some awesome St. Louis breweries.
Ann Mack’s “Growler” group was the first to start. Behind them was George Nelson’s “blue circles” and then Hawkie Moore’s “let’s party.” As groups departed, more cyclists arrived excited for the tour.
The next groups to depart were Dave Beattie’s “Oranges” and Ian Hackett’s “purple shooters.” Groups were initially divided with 20 riders in each but approaching the end of registration, groups included close to 40 cyclists. Barrett Schmidt’s “blue balls,” Brian Hanke’s “black beards” and Steve’s “Crazy Train” began the ride at around 11:30 a.m.
The streets are our largest public space. People riding bicycles and driving cars should be held accountable for following the rules of the road and ensuring that the streets are for everyone.
Summary of Missouri Bicycle Laws:
Bicycles are vehicles under Missouri law (307.180) and cyclists have the same rights and duties as operators of other vehicles (307.188)
Cyclists shall ride as far right as is safe except when making a left turn, when avoiding hazardous conditions, when the lane is too narrow to share with another vehicle, or when on a one-way street (307.190)
Cyclists may ride abreast when not blocking other vehicles (307.190)
Cyclists may ride on the shoulder of the road, but are not required to (307.191)
Cyclists shall ride in the same direction as traffic (307.191)
Cyclists shall signal when turning (307.192)
Bicycles shall be equipped with brakes (307.183), a white front light, and a rear red light or reflector (307.185)
Motor vehicles shall not park or idle in bicycle lanes (303.330)
Operators of motor vehicles shall maintain a safe distance when passing cyclists (300.347)
Cyclists shall not use the sidewalk in a business district (300.347)
If a red light does not change for a completely stopped cyclist after a reasonable time, the cyclist may proceed if there is no approaching traffic (304.285)
For a more comprehensive list of Missouri Bicycle Laws click here.
Fifty cyclists congregated on Saturday at the Old North St.
Harold describing one of the carefully restored houses in Old North St. Louis
Louis Restoration Group
in Crown Square (formerly the 14th Street pedestrian mall) to take part in Trailnet’s North of Old North Bicycle Tour. The area was bustling with activity as local shops and cafes opened, a Girl Scout troop gathered for their meeting, and vendors set up for the North City Farmer’s Market.
The ten-mile bicycle tour was lead by local treasure Harold Karabell, who wound his way through the neighborhoods of Old North St. Louis, Hyde Park, and College Hill. At regular stops, Harold shared his wealth of knowledge about the rich historical heritage of the area and the many architectural gems that grace the neighborhoods. A number of the riders had grown up or had family connections in the area and added their own remembrances and stories.
One of Old North’s earliest homes
Some of the highlights of the tour included visits to the Bissell Mansion (St. Louis’ oldest house), Hyde Park, the interior of Holy Trinity Catholic Church, and one of the iconic North Grand Water Towers. The tour also featured visits to some of St. Louis’ important commercial enterprises – the site of the Hyde Park Brewery and the old Krey meatpacking plant.
Harold will be leading Trailnet’s Old Frenchtown Bicycle Tour on August 23 that will ride through the Soulard and LaSalle Park neighborhoods – also sponsored by Great Rivers Greenway District. Don’t miss the chance to visit these lovely areas and learn about their fascinating histories and architecture.
Saturday, June 29 started off cloudy and followed a rainstorm so the pavement was still damp when this classic Trailnet BFC ride started. The temperature was warm, in the mid-70’s, and the humidity was high.
Many eager riders arrived before 7:00 ready to roll but were held off until about 7:20. It seems like arriving early is the new “fashionably late.”
Turnout was excellent, with more than 500 riders of all ages and biking experience. The parking lot at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge was filled to capacity. We created four routes ranging from 20 to 65 miles so there was something for everyone. Riders of all routes went to Wilson Park in Granite City for their first stop. That stop was staffed by great Bike MS volunteers who provided snacks for the riders. The middle, long and extra long routes went out to Horseshoe Lake State Park for the next rest stop. That is a quiet and scenic oasis in the middle of urban Metro East. The long routes then went on to Edwardsville and our friends at Sacred Grounds for another tasty rest stop. The extra long riders had their final stop at the Confluence Tower in Hartford, IL.
All routes crossed the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge and ended up at the famous Birthday Bash. At the bash riders were treated to live music from Generation Gap, hot dogs from Roger’s Hot Diggity Dogs, lunch from Steamroller Bagel, and three special micro brews from Square One Brewery. For dessert there was outstanding birthday cake from The Cakery and always-delicious frozen custard from Ted Drewes.
Even though the clouds looked ominous at times throughout the day, not a drop fell on any part of the ride or party.
June has been an eventful month for women on bikes!
On the 18th, Trailnet was pleased to present a highly successful Arch Women: Bicycle DIY Night! Eighteen women from all walks of life came out, rolled up their sleeves, and showed their bikes who’s boss. Local non-profit Perennial not only hosted the event, but also led us through bike-themed craft projects, including bike safety flags made out of felt and wire hangers, and carrying pouches to stash our essentials between destinations made from old sweaters and belts. On the other side of the room, lady mechanics from the Trek Bicycle Stores of St. Louis walked us through how to change a flat tire and how to keep our bikes squeaky clean.
To round out our hands-on activities, Trailnet also brought our demo MetroBus rack so everyone could take a shot at loading their bike onto a bus– all who tried it agreed it’s a snap! Someone even said, “So… That’s it? Really?!”
To top it all off, we enjoyed snacks catered from Lulu’s Local Eatery, as well as beer and wine.
A week later on the 25th, the Ballwin Trek store hosted a Ladies’ Night, featuring women’s clothing, products, apparel, and even held a raffle for a brand new racing kit. Trailnet was there, serving up margaritas fresh from the bike-powered blender.
Mark your calendars now for our September 10th event–Arch Women: A Pedal-Powered Movement. We’ll be discussing bicycling, equity, and the barriers women experience when it comes to active transportation– and what we can do to eliminate them.
Our first Bakeries on the Rise bicycle tour–a sweet success
On June 21, Trailnet hosted our first ever bicycle-powered bakery tour, “Bakeries on the Rise.” The day was slightly overcast, offering a reprieve from the hot summer sun, with a slight breeze all morning. Conditions were prime for a ride– and 94 people (!) of all ages came out for this 8-mile South City ride.
We began our quest for pastries at Whisk: A Sustainable Bake Shop. Owner and baker extraordinaire Kaylen Wissinger offered up some cookie samples, as well as a little history on her Cherokee Street storefront. We then made our way through Dutchtown, across Grand, and into the South Town neighborhood to visit the Companion Earlybird Outlet. Only open on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, this hidden gem is a great place for anyone on a budget who wants top-notch breads and pastries. From here we crested a great BIG hill (whew!) into the Tower Grove South neighborhood and then turned into Tower Grove East, where we visited the brand new Grove East Provisions and Red Fox Baking and Catering. Proprietor Barry Kinder told us all about the process behind building a wood-fired brick oven, and how Red Fox and Grove East Provisions came to enter a neighborhood cornershop partnership. Our final stop took us back to Cherokee Street, where we paid a visit to Black Bear Bakery, which is operated as a cooperative establishment.
Many riders said that we visited places they had either never heard of, or had been meaning to try for some time. We saw bike baskets and panniers filled with loaves of bread, bagels, and sweets to take home, and heard plenty of riders saying they will be back to visit these local businesses again soon!
Thank you to Great Rivers Greenway District and Enterprise Holdings Foundation who provided funding for this ride, and to everyone who came out, supported local business, and learned some new bicycling routes through the city. Special thanks also to the participating bakeries who welcomed our riders with great service and plenty of delicious treats to choose from. Life is sweet when you’re two-wheeled in St. Louis!
Funded, in part, by The Great Rivers Greenway District
Sunday, June 15, 2014
This year’s city tour was scheduled on Father’s Day at the request of our Bike Shop sponsor, South Side Cyclery. This year the updated route took riders on a bi-state sojourn crossing into Illinois on the Eads Bridge and back into Missouri on the McKinley Bridge. Of the 150+ cyclists, many had never ridden on either bridge. Once in Illinois cyclists were routed into the oldest African American incorporated town in the US, Brooklyn. Another new treat for this year’s Bike St. Louis City Tour was a private ride through Bellefontaine Cemetery. Cyclists entered the cemetery through the Amaranth Gate (closed to public) and were greeted by a group of volunteers who shared insider information on some of the highlights.
Leaving the cemetery, the first rest stop was at “Mr. Bumpy Face,” St. Louis’ velodrome. If desired, riders could do laps on the track. The rest stop was staffed with great snacks from our friends at Bike MS. From there, cyclists toured some of the beautiful old homes of North City, the commerce of Euclid Avenue, and a trip around the Cathedral Basilica. Cyclists continued on the routes as they split with the long and medium routes going through Forest Park, stopping at Parker’s Table for rest and recharge. The long route then continued south through Tower Grove and Carondelet Parks before finishing. The short route visited Lafayette Park while the medium cruised Cherokee before returning.
Returning cyclists were treated to flagship brews from Urban Chestnut- Zwickel and Winged Nut- along with Gus’ Pretzels and Roger’s Hot Diggity Dogs.
This map was developed by Trailnet in partnership with Tower Grove neighborhoods to help residents and visitors get to and from destinations in the neighborhood by bicycle or bus.
The map shows routes for Beginner Riders and Experienced Riders. The Beginner routes are generally on lower-traffic streets with slower vehicles. The Experienced routes are typically higher traffic, but may include bike lanes.
Funding for this project was provided in part by The Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH). MFH is a philanthropic organization whose vision is to improve the health of the people in the communities it serves.
Trailnet thanks MFH and the alderpeople and neighborhood associations of the area this map serves.
This map was developed by Trailnet in partnership with the Dutchtown Neighborhood to help residents and visitors get to and from destinations in the neighborhood by bicycle or bus.
The map shows routes for Beginner Riders and Experienced Riders. The Beginner routes are generally on lower-traffic streets with slower vehicles. The Experienced routes are typically higher traffic, but may include bike lanes. In addition to the large scale neighborhood map, smaller maps with routes to downtown and midtown are included.
Funding for this project was provided in part by The Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH). MFH is a philanthropic organization whose vision is to improve the health of the people in the communities it serves.
Trailnet thanks MFH and the alderpeople and neighborhood associations of the area this map serves.
Bike St. Louis Phase III implementation begins this week! Phase III includes 40 miles of new bike routes and upgrades to 60 miles of existing bike routes in St. Louis City. This project started with the Gateway Bike Plan in 2009, an intensive 16-month process to plan future bike routes throughout the three county metropolitan region in Missouri.
Leaving the cemetery, the first rest stop was at “Mr. Bumpy Face,” St. Louis’ velodrome. If desired, riders could do laps on the track. The rest stop was staffed with great snacks from our friends at Bike MS. From there, cyclists toured some of the beautiful old homes of North City, the commerce of Euclid Avenue, and a trip around the Cathedral Basilica. Cyclists continued on the routes as they split with the long and medium routes going through Forest Park, stopping at Parker’s Table for rest and recharge. The long route then continued south through Tower Grove and Carondelet Parks before finishing. The short route visited Lafayette Park while the medium cruised Cherokee before returning.
