Cyclists traveling near the Delmar Loop are encouraged to avoid the recently installed Loop Trolley tracks and take a newly marked bike route.
The route starts at Delmar Boulevard and Eastgate Avenue, and travels west along Enright Avenue to Ackert Walkway. From there, cyclists may take the Centennial Greenway to campus or continue west to Kingsland Avenue. The route also runs south of the Loop along Loop South from the Centennial Greenway to Kingsland Avenue.
The route will be marked in the upcoming weeks with signs and painted “sharrows,” alerting drivers to bike traffic.
The tracks can be a challenge to negotiate, said Cheryl Adelstein, assistant vice chancellor for community relations and local government affairs at Washington University in St. Louis. Cyclists who drift into the trolley tracks may damage their wheels or get thrown from their bike.
“Washington University and University City are working together to make sure that our students, and the larger St. Louis community, can get to and around the Loop as safely as possible,” Adelstein said. “The new route is both a safe and convenient way to access the Loop.”
The trolley, which will connect University City to Forest Park, is scheduled to start service later this year.
Cyclists who ride on Delmar should:
- Cross trolley tracks at a 90 degree angle
- Brake slowly if tire gets caught in the track. Do not hit the brake or attempt to turn out of the track