2004-12-13 Regular Meeting and Workshop Meeting

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Houston-Galveston Area Council DRAFT 2025 Regional Transportation Plan APPENDIX C Regional Bikeway Plan Update Highlights H-GAC's 1996 Regional Bikeway Plan identified 161 miles of existing bikeways within the TMA. Since then, an additional 284 miles of facilities have been built, giving the Transportation Management Area (TMA) a total 445 miles of bikeways. A review of current local bikeway plans and bikeways identified in Major Investment Study (MIS) preferred alternatives since 1996 indicates that a total of 1,243 miles of new bikeways are planned In recent years, the eight-county Houston-Galveston TMA has averaged more than 1,000 crashes per year involving pedestrians or bicyclists. Additionally, the 2000 U.S. Census reported that more than 7 percent of households in the TMA do not have access to an automobile. The key to successfully integrating pedestrian and bicycle accommodations into roadway projects is to start early in the planning process, especially where new right of way (ROW) must be acquired. To address the issues, H-GAC recommends the following actions: . H-GAC will encourage local governments to submit current bikeway plans and project information on an annual basis to maintain an up-to-date Regional Bikeway Plan. . H-GAC will encourage and provide assistance to local governments with the preparation of bikeway plans. . H -GAC will promote the use of standard terminology as defined in AASHTO' s Guide for the Development of Bicycle Facilities, adopted by the Texas Transportation Commission and used by TxDOT. . A more detailed inventory of existing bikeways will be developed by H-GAC to determine consistency with AASHTO, facility suitability, and any safety and maintenance problems. . H-GAC, TxDOT and local project sponsors will work together to attempt to identify the most cost-effective approaches to facility design, while maintaining consistency with AASHTO guidelines. H-GAC will continue to develop information resources, provide training opportunities and offer technical assistance to help enhance the level of bikeway design in the TMA. . Project sponsors should make maintenance a key component of their local planning efforts and outline their long-term maintenance plans for projects submitted to the RTP and TIP. . H-GAC will continue to develop data resources and tools to project levels of bicycle activity and air quality benefits of bikeway projects. Appendix C Regional Bikeway Plan and Design Guidelines Page 1 of 27