TrailNet and the St. Louis Regional Bicycle Federation have been doing some excellent work with the county and municipalities involved with the upcoming Hanley Road project.
The original project was very deficient in providing for safe access for those who walk, bicycle, and use transit to meet their transportation needs. Now thanks to hundreds of supporters who wrote two key decision-makers, the project has been stopped while planners decide what to do next.
If you live, bicycle, drive, or work in this area, can you help again now by writing decision-makers to indicate your support for revisiting the Hanley design to make it accommodate walking and bicycling?
Sample letter:
I support re-designing the Hanley Road project so that it meets the needs of those who walk and bicycle to businesses, homes, transit stops, and other destinations along the road.
Send your letter to these key people (choosing those who represent where you live/ride/work):
St. Louis County Executive, Charlie Dooley
Phone: 314/615-7016
Mail: 41 South Central Avenue,
Clayton, MO 63105
E-mail: cdooley@stlouisco.com
Website: www.stlouisco.com
Mayor of Richmond Heights, Betty Humphrey
Phone: 314/781-5486
Mail: 1330 S. Big Bend Blvd.
Richmond Heights, Missouri 63117
E-mail: bhumphrey@richmondheights.org
Website: www.richmondheights.org
Mayor of Brentwood, Pat Kelly
Phone: 314/962-4800
Mail: 2348 S. Brentwood Blvd.
Brentwood, MO 63144
E-mail: pkelly@brentwoodmo.org
Website: www.brentwoodmo.org
Mayor of Maplewood, Mark Langston
Phone: 314/645-3600
Mail: 7601 Manchester Road
Maplewood, MO 63143
E-mail: mark@marklangston.us
Website: www.cityofmaplewood.com
TrailNet sent the following announcement with background and further details:
Trailnet has been working over the last several months with St. Louis County and the municipalities of Brentwood and Maplewood on the County's Hanley Road widening project. The County's original plan - an interchange over the intersection of Hanley and Manchester Roads - did not include provision of bicycle accommodation on the outside lane or sidewalks on both sides of the road from Litzsinger Road to Laclede Station Road.
In July, Trailnet asked the public to help ensure bikeable/walkable communities by contacting Barbara Fraser, St. Louis County Council, District 5, and Russell Carnahan, U.S. House of Representatives, 3rd District Missouri.
After receiving more than 170 e-mails from Trailnet constituents, "an overwhelming response," according to Fraser, she was able to successfully bring Trailnet into discussions with St. Louis County and the affected municipalities of Brentwood, Maplewood and Richmond Heights.
A number of meetings then ensued to discuss the County's plans and Trailnet's alternate design solutions. After hearing the serious concerns from leadership of the impacted municipalities, St. Louis County's Department of Highways and Traffic issued a stop order, calling for more time to investigate other design solutions.
A subsequent October 12 joint letter from Brentwood and Maplewood provides specific ideas for an improved Hanley Road that does not "bisect..the communities ..without regard for affording ..traffic access to homes and businesses along the route."
The Mayor of Richmond Heights to date, does not support bicycle and pedestrian access along Hanley Road.
The window of opportunity to provide public input on the Hanley Road widening project is short. We will be most effective in ensuring good designs that accommodate bicycles, pedestrians and mass transit users - if Trainet's constituents help educate the elected officials who make these decisions. It is essential to remain involved, and communicate your vision of the "new" Hanley Road with your Mayors and City Council members.
Read more on our website
Please help by indicating your support for revisiting the Hanley design by contacting:
St. Louis County Executive, Charlie Dooley
Phone: 314/615-7016
Mail:
41 South Central Avenue,
Clayton, MO 63105
E-mail: cdooley@stlouisco.com
Website: www.stlouisco.com
Mayor of Richmond Heights, Betty Humphrey
Phone: 314/781-5486
Mail:
1330 S. Big Bend Blvd.
Richmond Heights, Missouri 63117
E-mail: bhumphrey@richmondheights.org
Website: www.richmondheights.org
Mayor of Brentwood, Pat Kelly
Phone: 314/962-4800
Mail:
2348 S. Brentwood Blvd.
Brentwood, MO 63144
E-mail: pkelly@brentwoodmo.org
Website: www.brentwoodmo.org
Mayor of Maplewood, Mark Langston
Phone: 314/645-3600
Mail:
7601 Manchester Road
Maplewood, MO 63143
E-mail: mark@marklangston.us
Website: www.cityofmaplewood.com
- Related:
- AdvocacyAlerts-21 JUL 2007: Make STL's Hanley Road safer for walking and bicycling
- TourOfMO: Governor promotes Tour of Missouri in St. Louis
- News: Cape Girardeau looks at bicycle plan
- News: Hanley Rd mayor explains why bicycling/walking accommodations not needed
- News: Hwy 40 construction in St. Louis present challenges, opportunities for bicyclists
