Government
BY RACHEL LELAND
Houston-Galveston Area Council polls community on biking trail safety
Project timeline
June 2023
1 Project initiation • Initial data collection • Public engagement • Stakeholder outreach 2 Needs assessment • Existing conditions • Project prioritization • Identify community needs and preferences 3 Recommendations • Network mapping • Project recommendations • Conceptual designs 4 Implementation • Action plan • Cost estimates • Project implementation
Study area location
The Houston-Galveston Area Council and Har- ris County Precinct 2 officials want to improve safety on the area’s network of biking and pedestrian trails. They are asking the community to share their biggest safety concerns to advise the improvements. The gist On Oct. 18, the H-GAC hosted a public forum at Bay Area Community Center where community members could share feedback on improving public safety on the area’s trails. The feedback will be considered as county offi- cials develop the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Plan, which will serve as a roadmap to guide short- and long-term priorities for pedestrian and cyclist mobility in the area. The plan is part of Harris County Precinct 2 Commissioner Adrian Garcia’s Revive2Thrive initiative, which aims to revitalize existing communities while avoiding gentrification. The study area for this plan is bounded by the Harris County line to the south, Clear Creek and Beltway 8 to the west, Spencer Highway to the north and the bay to the east. This study includes the cities of Friendswood, Pearland, Webster, Nassau Bay, League City, Seabrook, La Porte and Pasadena. In their own words Since 2018, the council has tracked 233 bicycle- and pedestrian-related crashes, resulting in 20 fatalities and 36 serious injuries, according to a
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Friendswood
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SOURCE: HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL/COMMUNITY IMPACT
study created by the council. “They need to separate bike lanes from car lanes. It’s just too crazy; the two can’t exist together,” said resident Dave Rahn, who cycles regularly in Clear Lake. Garcia said in addition to improving safety, the plan will create greater connectivity for cyclists and pedestrians throughout the area. “A bike experience should be just that: It should be an experience,” Garcia said. “You should be able to find things that you never thought about. You should be able to go to work, as I use it to go to work. You should be able to use it as a daily commute or have fun as a recre- ational opportunity.”
April 2024
SOURCE: HOUSTON GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL/COMMUNITY IMPACT
One more thing While additional public meetings to gather community feedback have not yet been sched- uled, H-GAC staff confirmed there will be additional meetings in the first half of 2024. In the meantime, interested parties can browse an interactive map of the area trails and share their feedback through a community survey.
6640 South Shore Blvd., Suite 100 League City, TX 77573 713.852.6700 TexasBayCU.org
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COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM
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