From the cover
Houston has gained 162 miles of bike lanes, trails since 2017
BY CASSANDRA JENKINS
Dedicated on-street: Separated from vehicle tra c with striping and/or physical barriers
W. 34TH ST. O -street: Lanes that are not on a street or highway, such as nature trails or pathways
Shared on-street: Bicyclists and vehicles share the road without a barrier often shown by markings on the street
The framework
W. 25TH ST.
Existing
T. C. JESTER BLVD.
The BAC created the Houston Bike Plan in 2017, a 12-month e ort to help make Houston a safer, healthier and more bike-friendly city. Since the plan started, Houston has received an additional 162 miles of bike lanes from various entities in Houston and Harris County. The BAC’s goal is to create 1,800 miles by 2027, Chair Tom Compson said. As of Dec. 14, there are 112 miles of programmed projects that have already received funding, including the ongoing 5-mile, $115 million redesign of Shepherd-Durham Drive, which includes a dedicated on-street bike lane. “Houston has some really cool neighborhoods, and the best way to see them, to me, is on a bike,” Compson said. “We have a long way to go, but with some care and selection, and riding with people who know their way around, [Houston] really is a great place to ride.” Houston was originally built as a bike-friendly city, but infrastructure for motor vehicles became more of a priority as the city’s population and density grew, said Joe Cutrufo, executive director of BikeHouston, a nonpro t organization committed to transforming Houston into a bike-friendly city.
290
20TH ST.
Dedicated on-street O -street Shared on-street
W. 18TH ST.
45
Programmed*
Dedicated on-street O -street Shared on-street
W. 11TH ST.
W. 6TH ST.
WHITE OAK DR.
WHITE OAK PARK
HEMPSTEAD RD.
*PLANNED, WITH FUNDING APPROVED.
10
MEMORIAL PARK
BUFFALO BAYOU PARK
W
E
BUFFALO BAYOU
610
45
W. GRAY ST.
E S T .
69
527
W. ALABAMA ST.
WAUGH DR.
RICHMOND AVE.
MONTROSE BLVD.
N
288
SOURCES: BICYCLE ADVISORY COMMITTEE, HOUSTON BIKE PLAN NETWORK, CITY OF HOUSTON COMMUNITY IMPACT
In their own words
What the experts say
Get involved
When it comes to cycling in Houston, there are numerous options to choose from. Community members can go on rides that vary from monthly social engagements and casual rides to intense weekly training or competitive competitions.
David Dick, president of the Houston Bicycle Club, has been cycling in town since 1998. He said he’s met some of his closest longtime friends through the activity. “[Cycling] is about bringing people together and then just enjoying each other’s company,” he said. “We also get to be outdoors and see stu that you don’t get to see in a car. We always go places that many people don’t even know about even when they’ve lived in Houston all their lives.” The Houston Bicycle Club is the oldest, continuously operated bicycle club in Houston, Dick said. The club started in the 1940s and grew from a few people to 1,200 members by the ‘90s. However, Dick said he has seen a spike in other cycling clubs in recent years, which has led to a decrease in membership as options expand.
Dr. Zoabe Hafeez, an associate professor of pediatrics at UTHealth Houston, said the physical bene ts of cycling include cardiovascular and respi- ratory health as well as increased heart function. He said walking and cycling outdoors can also help ght obesity and improve mental health. “Physical activity reduces your stress hormones over time, which can lead to better sleep and better brain function,” he said. “There’s also a feeling of self agency that happens when you feel in control of your environment.”
Check out these cycling opportunities in the Heights, River Oaks and Montrose area:
Clutch City Cruisers Formed in 2018, the bike club meets every Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Market Square Park in Downtown Houston to see the cityscape from the streets of Houston. UBG Cycling Club The local clubs meet at The Urban Bicycle Gallery near Washington Avenue every Wednesday night, and Saturday and Sunday mornings for a 20-plus mile bike ride. Houston Bicycle Club The oldest bicycling club in Houston established in 1964 is a social cycling club with di erent rides every weekend for varying levels of riders at di erent places in the city.
Cycling to work is associated with a 45% lower risk of developing cancer.
Three months of cycling can decrease blood pressure by 4.3%
Men who bike to work are 39.8% less likely to be overweight
75% of bike riders reported better mental health since they started cycling
SOURCES: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH, PEOPLEFORBIKES, UCLA TRANSPORTATION COMMUNITY IMPACT
SOURCES: CLUTCH CITY CRUISERS, HOUSTON BICYCLE CLUB, UBG CYCLING CLUB COMMUNITY IMPACT
9
HEIGHTS RIVER OAKS MONTROSE EDITION
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