Bicycle Network Recommendations

The proposed bicycle network builds on decades of investments in bicycling infrastructure to create an interconnected, county-wide system of bikeways to support both local and regional bicycle trips. St. Louis County, MoDOT, Great Rivers Greenway, and many municipalities have all contributed to the 215 miles of existing on-street bikeways, trails, and greenways throughout the County. Their continued support for bicycle transportation and investments in related infrastructure will be essential to closing gaps between existing facilities and improving and expanding the system to truly function as a safe, connected, and inclusive county-wide bicycle network.

The bike network recommendations are separated into three overarching categories based on implementation responsibilities and relationship to other planning efforts:

• The Action Plan Network: proposed facilities along roads owned and operated by St. Louis County

• The Gateway Bike Plan Network Updates: proposed facilities on MoDOT and locally owned and operated roadways that update recommendations in the Gateway Bike Plan

• Previously Planned Regional Bikeways: Regionally significant trails, greenways, and other facilities illustrated for network connectivity purposes

As St. Louis County and its community partners continue to implement projects within each of these categories, isolated bikeways will be connected, network gaps will be filled, and access to bicycling will be expanded into new areas of the County.

The Action Plan Network

The Action Plan Network consists of onstreet bikeways and shared use paths along St. Louis County owned and operated roads. The 325 miles of proposed Action Plan Network bikeways build upon the 38 miles of existing bikeways on the County ARS/CRS2 to enhance connectivity in unincorporated St. Louis County and strengthen connections to local bike networks, parks, greenways, business districts, transit services, and other destinations. More than half of these proposed facilities consist of shared use paths and physically separated bike lanes, reflecting the plan’s vision of a safer, more inclusive network that welcomes people of all ages and abilities.

The proposed Action Plan Bicycle Network is shown in Map 18. The facility types that comprise the Action Plan Bicycle Network are categorized and listed in the table below.

BICYCLE FACILITIES

Existing Proposed

Mixed Traffic Bikeway

Visually Separated Bikeway

Physically Separated Bikeway

Shared Use Facility (Sidepath)

Shared Use Facility (Trail or Greenway)

JURISDICTIONS

Incorporated Areas

Unincorporated St. Louis County

Gateway Bike Plan Network Updates

For nearly a decade, the Gateway Bike Plan has served as the blueprint for regional bikeway development in St. Louis County, St. Charles County, and St. Louis City. With a focus on bikeway development on arterial and collector roads, many of the plan’s recommended facilities in St. Louis County were located along County and MoDOT roadways.

Updates to the Gateway Bike Plan Network recommendations on County-owned roadways were included in the proposed Action Plan Bicycle Network presented on the previous pages. The Gateway Bike Plan Network updates presented here focus on facilities owned by other jurisdictions like MoDOT and local municipalities. These updates align facility recommendations with the Action Plan’s vision and goals for a low-stress, inclusive network, expanding access to and opportunities for bicycling to all County residents.

The proposed Gateway Bike Plan Network Updates are shown in Map 19. The facility types proposed in the Gateway Bike Plan Network Updates are categorized and listed in the table below.

BICYCLE FACILITIES

Existing Proposed

Mixed Traffic Bikeway

Visually Separated Bikeway

Physically Separated Bikeway

Shared Use Facility (Sidepath)

Shared Use Facility (Trail or Greenway)

JURISDICTIONS

Incorporated Areas

Unincorporated St. Louis County

Previously Planned Regional Facilities

Previously planned bicycle and trail facilities are also critical to the success of the Action Plan and to bicycle network connectivity in St. Louis County. Most notable among these previously planned bicycle facilities are the 185 miles of planned greenways advanced in Great Rivers Greenway’s Regional Plan Update. These previously planned facilities are displayed on Map 20. Previously proposed facilities originated prior to the Action Plan. Nonetheless, they are important elements of the future bicycle network, including the wider regional greenway system. Previously proposed facilities should be reviewed and considered when developing bikeways included in the proposed Action Plan bicycle network. Continued partnerships between St. Louis County and local, regional, and state agencies will support and advance the region’s bicycle network.

THE COMPLETE FUTURE BICYCLE NETWORK FOR ST. LOUIS COUNTY

The combined recommendations for bicycle facility development in the Action Plan Network (St. Louis County) and the Gateway Bike Plan Network Update (MoDOT and local agencies), along with previously planned trails and greenways, serve as the blueprint for a county-wide bicycle system. The complete future bicycle network is depicted in Map 20, and its components are listed below in Table 9 by facility category and type. With more than 1,100 miles of facilities, over 200 of which are already in place, the future county-wide bicycle system will be a realization of the County’s vision for a safe, connected, and equitable multimodal transportation system. The County cannot achieve this vision on its own. Strategies to support interdepartmental and interagency coordination and network development are presented in the following chapter.

BICYCLE FACILITIES

Existing Proposed

Mixed Traffic Bikeway

Visually Separated Bikeway

Physically Separated Bikeway

Shared Use Facility (Sidepath)

Shared Use Facility (Trail or Greenway)

Previously Planned Trail/Greenway

JURISDICTIONS

Incorporated Areas

Unincorporated St. Louis County

Design Elements & Supporting Infrastructure

In addition to facility improvements, there is a range of supporting infrastructure and design considerations that makes the active transportation system easier, safer, and more enjoyable for people to use. These strategies can be pursued as standalone projects or integrated into scoping for larger facility improvements.

Intersection Improvements

Intersection improvements support bicycle facility continuity, facility transitions, and facility intersections and are integral to the bicycle network’s functionality, effectiveness, and user experience. The Action Plan, which focuses primarily on linear recommendations along the County roadway system, does not identify specific intersection improvements. This does not diminish the importance of effective bicycle facility design at intersections, specifically those with known safety issues or bicycle crash occurrences.

During scoping, design, and engineering phases of project development, the Department of Transportation will consider context-sensitive intersection improvements as part of any project with a bicycle component. Additional design guidance and best practices can be found in the AASHTO Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities , the NACTO Urban Bikeway Design Guide, FHWA’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices and Separated Bike Lane Planning and Design Guide

Bicycle Guide Signs

A bicycle guide sign system includes coordinated signage that helps bicyclists easily navigate the bicycle network to reach their destination. Guide signs typically include information such as the direction, time, and/or distance to nearby routes or destinations. This increases the comfort, convenience, and utility of the bicycle network, and raises the visibility of the County’s active transportation network.

Directional signage serves both wayfinding and safety purposes, such as:

• Familiarizing users with the bikeway system

• Helping users identify the best routes

• Communicating travel time and distance

• Smoothing transitions between facilities

• Increasing rider comfort and confidence

• Alerting motorists of the bike route

Bicycle Guide signs are typically placed at key locations along bike routes, at decision points, and at intersections of multiple bikeways. Entities that maintain bicycle facilities should develop bicycle guide sign policies, based on facility type, that identify:

• Sign locations along existing and planned routes

• Sign type, design, and information that should be included

• Destinations that should be highlighted on each sign

• Approximate distance and riding time to each destination

The Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) provides standards and guidance for the design and application of bicycle guide and route signage. General costs depend on the signage type and materials chosen for fabrication. Coordination with local municipalities, MoDOT, Great Rivers Greenway, and neighboring jurisdictions will be necessary to support continuity across local, county, and regional systems.

Transit Integration

Walking, biking, and transit are integral components of St. Louis County’s multimodal transportation system. Metro Transit relies on the roadway network to provide transit service throughout the region. Its riders rely on sidewalks, trails, and bikeways to access transit stops.

As the County invests in pedestrian and bicycle network improvements, it will also consider connections to transit, including:

• Pedestrian circulation and access to transit stops

• Secure, context-appropriate bicycle parking

• Roadway and bicycle facility design that reduces conflicts between modes along transit corridors and at transit stops

St. Louis County’s continued coordination with Metro Transit during roadway and active transportation project development will be essential to successful transit integration.

SHARED/MICRO MOBILITY

The rise of active transportation, micro mobility, shared mobility, and other transportation solutions are shifting the way people navigate their communities. Agencies must also adapt to emerging technologies and shifting modes by transforming public spaces to support the diversity of transportation options available. Mobility hubs provide a central place for a variety of transportation-related services and amenities including strategic vehicle storage to make it more convenient for people to combine modes within a single trip.

St. Louis County will continue to monitor evolving trends in shared and micromobility and explore opportunities with potential partners to diversify transportation options for County residents.

Mobility hubs provide a central place for a variety of transportation-related services including shared fleets and wayfinding.

BICYCLE PARKING & END-OF-TRIP FACILITIES

Secure, convenient, accessible bicycle parking is an integral component of any bicycle network. Without bicycle parking, people are less likely to ride a bicycle to their destinations. St. Louis County will conduct an inventory of bicycle facilities at County government buildings, parks, and other facilities to identify needed improvements, such as new bicycle racks or replacement racks. Based on the results of this inventory, the County will develop a strategy to provide high-quality bicycle parking at all government buildings, parks, and other facilities.

Bicycle parking can be categorized into short-term and long-term parking. Shortterm bicycle parking solutions include bike racks and corrals which provide a high level of convenience and moderate level of security. Short-term bicycle parking is typically recommended at commercial or retail destinations, parks and recreational areas, community centers, libraries, and other areas where people are likely to leave their bike for relatively short amounts of time. Long-term bicycle parking solutions such as lockers and storage rooms and provide a higher level of security and are recommended at schools, multi-family residential buildings, and major employers.

More information on bicycle rack types and placement can be found in the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals’ Essentials of Bike Parking: Selecting and Installing Bike Parking that Works

Other end-of-trip facilities such as bicycle repair equipment, changing rooms, showers, and lockers are particularly important when considering the needs of regular commuters, students, and shoppers.

In addition to increasing the supply of bicycle parking and other end-of-trip facilities at County government buildings, parks, and other sites, the County Department of Planning will explore updates to off-street parking and bicycling parking requirements in the zoning code to support the provision high-quality, well-sited bicycle parking.