SAN ANTONIO – The 14-mile trek from Southtown to across the San Antonio Missions is described by means of native cyclists as a commonplace direction for folks leaving downtown on two wheels.
Late this summer time, journalist Alvin Holbrook and a gaggle of cyclists allowed to tag alongside as they navigated the circuit. The direction was once now not with out headaches.
“Yeah you’ll find like a new bike lane and that type of thing, but you’re also going to find a busy, five-lane road with a 40-mile-an-hour speed limit. You’re going to find roads that are poorly kept, be it with glass or metal shavings or just potholes,” stated Holbrook.
Broken glass, overgrown crops, a makeshift building ramp, trash receptacles and parked automobiles are a few of the bike lane obstacles cyclists have encountered not too long ago all the way through the trip.
A bit of the direction alongside White Avenue contains a number of blocks the place cyclists are compelled to transport out of the bike lane into the road, because of automobiles parking within the bike lane, in particular all the way through night time hours.
Despite 8 separate indicators informing drivers that there’s no parking allowed and that their automobile may also be towed, may to find best two automobiles that have been cited for parking alongside the road illegally.
Just blocks away, on VFW Boulevard, a makeshift building ramp have been constructed into the bike lane.
City officers remaining week showed the ramp, constructed as a building front not to obstruct site visitors to a close-by library and YMCA, was once within the strategy of being got rid of by means of the contractor on the website.
“We’re not necessarily seeing the will or the resources that are put in to making sure that those can continually be used into the future,” stated Holbrook, when requested by means of about bike lanes particularly.
Holbrook additionally raised concerns concerning the overarching factor of connectivity, declaring that key portions of the town don’t connect with different key portions of the town for cyclists.
“Oh, we’re aware and they’re exactly right. We have some really great facilities in San Antonio but they do just abruptly end,” stated Harley Hubbard, San Antonio Transportation Department Assistant to the Director.
Hubbard stated a 2011 bike plan laid the groundwork for biking infrastructure in San Antonio and officers hope to mend the gaps as a part of a bike network plan scheduled to be introduced to City Council within the spring of 2025.
“So that cyclists can go from one facility to the next without feeling a change or difference in safety,” stated Hubbard.
Hubbard stated the Transportation Department is wrapping up an present prerequisites file, which will have to be publicly to be had by means of the top of the yr, and is lately gathering public feedback in the form of surveys as smartly as participating in group outreach occasions in each and every council district.
“You know some roads have come up commonly that need improved safety. Some roads have come up that need improved maintenance. And a lot of people that really want to cycle more for their daily needs and just don’t feel safe to do so yet. We’re hoping to fix that with this plan when we present in April of 2025 to City Council,” stated Hubbard.
“We are listening. We have ears to the ground. There’s a reason this bike plan is taking two years and it’s because we are going through a very rigorous public outreach process,” stated Hubbard.
Robert Reyna, a Public Works Department assistant director, stated the town licensed investment in the latest finances cycle to buy a four-foot-wide sweeping automobile. The sweeper will probably be used to pressure thru and blank bike lanes.
Reyna stated the dep. may also create a bike lane sweeping plan.
He stated individuals who see problems in town bike lanes, such as damaged glass, can report a file by means of calling 311.
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