Houston’s Bike Master Plan To Launch This Spring

Dec. 29, 2014Houston Public Media

Houston’s new bike Master Plan is estimated to cost $500,000, with about half coming from the city and half from community partners.

It will be the first such plan since 1994.

Pat Walsh, director of Houston’s Planning and Development Department, said the biking culture here has improved significantly over the last 20 years.

“But we feel there’s a long way to go and it is time, in our opinion, to take a fresh look at all our bicycling-related efforts and make sure we’re being as effective as possible with them,” Walsh said.

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The city will hire an outside firm to develop the plan starting this spring. The goal is to start implementing it about a year from now.

Walsh said it will build on the Bayou Greenways project, which is developing a system of hike and bike trails along the city’s bayous.

“Then what our bicycle plan will look at is, how can people get to the trails along the bayous and also get from neighborhood to neighborhood through either easements that utility companies may have or along our street rights of way,” he said.

Besides looking at improving the infrastructure for bikes, the plan will also look at creating public awareness and actively promoting cycling.

Houstonians will be able to give their input on the plan through a series of public hearings that will be scheduled later.