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
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
Existing
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. 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 additional o -street trails along Brays Bayou Greenway and a new pedestrian-bike bridge over Braes Boulevard and Stella Link. Compson said there has been some consistency in building bike lanes over the years, but he believes there are still a lot of gaps that need to be lled, citing the Gulfton/Sharpstown area speci cally. “There’s a lot of people there that don’t have cars,” Compson said. “Their options are to walk, ride a bike or get on a bus. It’s not just getting continuity within the bikeway network itself, but also continuity with transit.” 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.
Dedicated on-street O -street Shared on-street
Programmed*
Dedicated on-street O -street Shared on-street
N
.
69
*PLANNED, WITH FUNDING APPROVED.
West University Place
HERMANN PARK
UNIVERSITY BLVD.
Bellaire
59
W. HOLCOMBE BLVD.
BUFFALO SPEEDWAY
610
288
BEECHNUT ST.
90
Meyerland
BRAYS BAYOU
Houston has created an additional 162 miles of new bike lanes and/or trails since 2017.
S. POST OAK RD.
N
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.
Suraj Chandramouli, vice president of the Rice University Cycling and Triathlon club, said he originally started biking in 2022 after participating in the college’s on-campus bike race known as “Beer Bike.” “I swam and ran growing up in high school,” he said. “Then coming to [Rice] I had to decide if I wanted to keep running or what I wanted to do, but one of my friends encouraged me to give cycling a shot and it really changed my life for the better.” Chandramouli is also the captain for the college’s residential bike team. “Exercise is a big part of my life, but it’s also rewarding personally to be involved in cycling, because I can use what I’ve learned to help other people,” he said. “I teach people how to create a training schedule, how to clip in and sometimes, even how to ride a bike.”
Dr. Zoabe Hafeez, an associate professor of pediatrics at UTHealth Houston, said the physical bene ts of cycling include cardiovascular and respiratory health as well as increased heart func- tion. 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 Bellaire, West University and Meyerland.
Rice University Cycling & Triathlon The club provides an opportunity for Rice University undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, sta and alumni to pursue both competitive and recreational cycling and triathlon events. Trek Bicycle Houston West University The local bike shop frequently holds events around the community including family bike rides, launch party rides and weekly evening rides. 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: RICE UNIVERSITY, HOUSTON BICYCLE CLUB, TREK BICYCLE COMMUNITY IMPACT
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BELLAIRE MEYERLAND WEST UNIVERSITY EDITION
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