Volunteer for Open Streets!

The Open Streets Poster

Open Streets is a program that showcases our City, promotes sustainability, and highlights our region as one that truly cares about livability! As fellow engaged citizens and fine people that care about the region, we'd like to ask you to please volunteer for 2-3 hours during Open Streets. Making this program a success depends upon a strong first event!

For more information about the Open Streets Events, visit: http://www.stlopenstreets.org/

Experience Open Streets as a participant and then as a volunteer! Fill out the following form: https://stlbikefed.wufoo.com/forms/st-louis-open-streets-volunteer-signup/

The City of St. Louis is hosting four “Open Streets” events in the year 2010. Starting with our inaugural event on May 1, this program is set to open approximately five miles of City streets to cyclists, skaters, pedestrians, joggers, residents, and tourists. That's right five miles of streets - car-free! There will be free lessons and activities along the way - try out yoga, tai chi, zumba, spinning, take the sit-up or push-up challenge, or join the historical architecture walking tour. Health and safety demonstrations, bike repair and local food vendors will be located along the route.

The Open Streets route follows Lindell and Locust and is bound by Forest Park and the Old Post Office Plaza. The event occurs from 8am until 1pm. The first event will follow an extended 7-mile route. The map for that route is shown here: http://stlouis.missouri.org/open-streets/route.html The remaining three events will follow the original Locust/Lindell route.

Please sign up to volunteer TODAY! Please pass this along to friends and colleagues to encourage them to volunteer, too. Thanks for all you do to make the St. Louis region bike and pedestrian friendly!
https://stlbikefed.wufoo.com/forms/st-louis-open-streets-volunteer-signup/

St. Louis Open Streets - Get Excited!

Caption: The Open Streets poster

St. Louis Open Streets will be the biggest street festival St. Louis has ever seen! The first of four events will be May 1, 2010, 8am - 1pm.

You don't want to miss it. Picture this: walkers, bikers, runners, and rollerbladers exploring the City's central corridor free of the hazard of cars. Forest Park, Grand Center, and Downtown activities hubs with climbing walls, yoga classes, live music, zumba classes, hula hoops, and more. Focused chess players adjacent to focused hula hoopers.

Discover the freedom of bicycling! Come on out to St. Louis Open Streets and celebrate the history and future of St. Louis. The future of St. Louis begins May 1! For more information, visit: http://stlouis.missouri.org/open-streets/

St. Louis Voters for Prop A Reflect National Trend: Americans Want More Transportation Options!

Credit: Image taken from http://t4america.org

The results from 2010 Future of Transportation National Survey, a new national poll taken for Transportation For America, illustrate that a majority of American voters would like to see improved transportation options in the United States. According to the survey, 82 percent of voters say that the country "would benefit from an expanded and improved transportation system, such as rail and buses.” The survey also showed that about 3 in 4 Americans feel they have no choice but to drive, and the vast majority desire more freedom in choosing how to get about in their daily lives.

Check out the poll findings for yourself here. American voters from rural to urban settings want access to more choices for transportation. The pie chart above shows that Americans are understanding that a solution to the problem of traffic congestion is not the construction of more roads and highways, but rather increased opportunities for people to choose walking, biking, or public transit over driving. The passage of Prop A this Tuesday proves just this: majority rules, and so do more transportation options! Let's keep up the support - get involved with the reauthorization of the federal transportation bill TODAY.

A resounding "Yes!" throughout the County. PROP A PASSES!

Photo caption: Lead campus organizer, Liz Kramer, feels the charge of sweet victory as Prop A passes.

Photo credit: Laurie Skrivan. Post-Dispatch

We did it! Prop A passed by a wide margin--63%!!! This is a great vote in favor of our region-restored and stronger Metro service will be good for mobility, jobs, quality of life and so much more!

So what's next? Metro's Long Range Transportation Plan (created with citizen input) will begin to be implemented, starting with the following 1-5 year action items:

• Restoration of services that were cut in March 2009, including returning MetroLink to peak operating times, restoring Metro Bus and Call-a-Ride service, and adding frequency to crowded MetroBus routes;

• Planning and engineering of a new light rail extension;

• Planning, design, and construction of 2 bus rapid transit routes;

• Implementing upgraded passenger amenities and technology, including: Smart Card technology, web applications that take advantage of Metro's Google Transit data feed and a better, more functional Metro website, and computer-aided dispatch/automated vehicle location technology to ensure better, more efficient service.

There will be public hearings for the restoration plan that will go to Metro's governing board later this month, and we presume there will be hearings for implementation of the other action items as well. Stay tuned and stay involved!

More victory coverage:

Mass transit sales tax wins by a wide margin

Voters look past economic uncertainty

Today's the day! VOTE YES for PROP A!

Proposition A, a ½-cent sales tax going before St. Louis County voters TODAY, April 6, will provide revenue needed for continued operation and expansion of the transit system including Metrobus, Call-A-Ride services for Seniors and the disabled, and Metrolink. If passed, the County tax would raise approximately $75 million annually - and would trigger a matching quarter cent sales tax that was passed in the City of St. Louis in 1997 which would add an additional $8 million a year to the program. THE POLLS OPEN AT 6 AM and CLOSE AT 7 PM.

Nine Reasons to Vote YES for Prop A

1. Metrobus and Metrolink connect people walking and biking to the places they need to go, which supports Trailnet’s mission to encourage healthy lifestyles.

2. Every dollar invested in Metro transit returns $4 to our local economy. (The American Public Transit Association)

3. Metro transit is a vital transportation option that eases congestion. Every day, more than 100,000 people ride Metro buses, trains, and Call-A-Ride vans, with 75% of riders traveling to work.

4. If Prop A doesn’t pass transit service will be cut by as much as 50%. Emergency funding runs out in June.

5. Metro provides mobility and independence to Seniors and the disabled who cannot, walk, bike, or drive to get around.

6. It helps improve air quality. Metro not only reduces car trips—30% of Metro buses use renewable bio-fuels or compressed gas.

7. Using Metro transit can save you money. If the average St. Louis family pays less than $50 per year for the new tax and one member is able to commute by MetroLink rather than by auto, they can save $2,000 in one year.

8. Enhanced Metro service can make St. Louis a more competitive region. World-class cities offer world-class transit. St. Louis has the opportunity to continue with this trend.

9. Using Metro service is fun! It’s a great time to see our region in a different way, day dream, read a book, take a nap, or chat with a new friend.

Greening the Emerald City

Caption: Now that's a green building! Photo by daily dose of imagery and Sam Javanrouh

The City of St. Louis and FOCUS St. Louis invite you to attend “Green Buildings for Sustainable Cities,” a presentation and discussion led by Seattle author Lucia Athens. The event will be on Friday, April 9th at the FOCUS St. Louis office starting at 11:45am. The program will run until 1:00pm, after which Lucia will be available to sign her book, copies of which will be available to purchase from Left Bank Books.

A more detailed description of the event can be found on the FOCUS website:
http://www.focus-stl.org/calendar/tabid/110/vw/3/ItemId/95/d/20100409/Default.aspx

Join Us for a Free Webinar on Writing Women Back into Bicycling!

Photo Credit: landrys.com

Free Webinar: Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals'
“Writing Women Back into Bicycling: Changing Transportation Culture to Encourage More Women to Cycle”
Date & Time: Wednesday, March 31, 2010, 2-3 p.m.
Location: Trailnet, 1533 Washington Ave, St. Louis MO, 63103

The presentation “Writing Women Back into Bicycling: Changing Transportation Culture to Encourage More Woman to Cycle,” hosted by APBP, will focus on how to get more women cycling. Some say that transportation culture will change when more women participate in cycling. What can we do to make that change happen? Join us for this free webinar to find out! Women and men are encouraged to attend.

If you would like to join us, please RSVP to Emily, emily@trailnet.org.

As part of this project, women and girls are invited to take a "snapshot in time survey” at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/womencycling. We would like to hear from non-cyclists as well as current and past cyclists. Preliminary survey results highlighted during the webinar; final results available after May 15, 2010 when the survey closes.

Come to City Sound Tracks This Saturday!

http://www.citysoundtracks.org/

Support the maintenance and expansion of public transit in St. Louis in a really fun way! City Sound Tracks is an all-day music festival taking place this Saturday, March 27, 10:00 am-10:30 pm. It stars 27 local musical groups at Tom's Bar and Union Station, with trains running every 10 minutes. Admission is FREE, and the cost of an all-day metro pass is $7.50, which will not only allow you to immerse yourself in the local music scene of our very own talented St. Louis artists, but you will also be supporting efforts to make St. Louis a more vibrant, upbeat (haha pun intended) place. Not to mention, the T-shirt is pretty sweet. See you there!

Google Maps Bike Routing Feature Released

Caption: Google Maps bike layer indicated in Green

Many have been waiting for Google to release a biking feature in Google Maps. Well, it's here! Under the "More" drop down menu or "Get Directions" bar you can turn on a bicycling layer that reveals bicycling routes. The route colors indicate the following:

• Dark green: dedicated bike-only trail
• Light green: dedicated bike lane along a road
• Dashed green: road designated or preferred for bicycling, but without dedicated lanes

Those who bike will quickly realize the map's deficiencies but Google seems to be well aware that local knowledge is needed to improve how the routes are indicated. Don't like what you see? Is a critical route left out? Are their barriers that need to be taken into account? You can report problems with suggested routes after you hit the "Get Directions" button. Follow the link in the yellow box. (See picture below.)

Though the current iteration of the Google Maps biking feature isn't perfect, it is a great start. Tools such as this create even more access for people who want to bike but need help figuring out their routes. Google's biking feature can only be as good as the information they have so it's important that we share our local knowledge about the best routes in St. Louis. After the upcoming St. Louis Bike Plan is finished, we will have even more up-to-date route information. Perhaps we can submit our full plan to Google?

Register for the Food Summit TODAY!

The price of fresh fruits and vegetables increased by nearly 40%, while the price of sugar, fats and oils, and soft drinks decreased by as much as 20%. The American food system is out of balance.

The St. Louis Regional Food Summit is taking place March 3rd and 4th, featuring national and local speakers. The Food Summit will provide a opportunities to learn, to network, and to get involved in the creation of a Regional Food Policy Council. You don't want to miss this great event.

Visit the Healthy Youth Partnership website for event details and to register:
http://healthyyouthpartnership.org/

Without Transit...

Transit in St. Louis carries:
10,000 people to each Cardinals games
100,000 people to work each day
Thousands of college students to class
Thousands of seniors and individuals with disabilities

If you live in St. Louis County, Vote YES! for transit April 6th on Proposition A

County Health Rankings for 2010

We'd like our communities to be like our bike blenders...
promoting healthy, tasty sustenance and making active living easy!

Like we've been saying all along... Built environment DOES matter when it comes to your health! The results of the County Health Rankings for 2010 echo Trailnet's core message that where you live plays a big part in the choices you make affecting your personal well-being. Residents are limited to the choices that their community provides, which is why promoting healthy and active living through programming, planning, and policy is so important to us here at Trailnet. Saint Louis County ranks 18th in overall health out of 115 counties in Missouri (the ranking number 1 is considered the healthiest county in the state). Saint Louis City ranks 106. Check out the rankings yourself here, and get in the action with us!

Live Well Ferguson TWILIGHT 5K - May 15th

The Live Well Ferguson Twilight 5K is just around the corner!

Has cabin fever set in yet? Are you ready for a break from the cold?

We suggest you set your eyes on the horizon and start preparing for warm weather now! May 15th, Live Well Ferguson is hosting a Twilight 5K Run/Walk in partnership with many other great organizations, including Trailnet. Runners and walkers at all levels are encouraged to participate, whether your goal is to finish first or simply finish the course.

For more details on this great event and to register, visit:
http://livewellferg5k.com/

Trailnet has been working in partnership with the City of Ferguson for the past 2 years to develop the "Live Well Ferguson!" initiative, which seeks to promote healthy eating and active living among Ferguson residents. The Twilight 5K is one of a series of spin-off projects of Live Well Ferguson!, which also includes Ferguson Sunday Parkways, restaurant menu labeling, and a poster education campaign.

Help Identify MoDOT Priority Bike/Ped Projects

Caption: Bridges, overpasses, and underpasses without bike/ped facilities
frequently create gaps in otherwise complete travel networks

We need your help to create a list high priority bicycle, pedestrian, and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) projects in Missouri that MoDOT should focus their attention on. The submission deadline is right around the corner, Tuesday Feb. 23.

You can submit your project ideas online through the Missouri Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation's website:
http://mobikefed.org/HighPriority

To be eligible for consideration, projects must be:

• On or very closely related to the MoDOT system
• Limited in scope (e.g., adding a shoulder to 3 miles of road, not 300 miles)
• Not currently funded (add-ons to current projects ARE encouraged)

We encourage you to think about projects that will:

1. fill gaps in the current bike/ped system
2. address current major obstacles
3. serve many individuals

For additional information / guidelines and to submit your recommendation, visit the MO Bicycle and Pedestrian Federation's website: http://mobikefed.org/HighPriority

Missouri Governor Plans to Save Katy Trail Bridge

Credit: Photo taken from railstotrails.org

Earlier this month, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon announced plans to save the Katy Trail Bridge by allotting federal Recovery Act funds to Union Pacific for bridge reconstruction. Stretching over two hundred and twenty-five miles, the Katy Trail Bridge is the longest rail-trail in the United States. Preservation of the historical "Boonville Bridge" over the Osage River will ensure that the trail stay intact. The trail is not only important to encouraging tourism in the area, but the bridge itself is an iconic structure that has allowed many community members to lead active lifestyles. With the execution of this proposal, the Katy Trail Bridge will continue to be a great resource for exercise and recreation for many years to come!

Read more about the proposal here.