Final Advice for the Houston Bike Plan as it Nears the Finish Line

Bike advocates are hoping that the Houston Bike Plan can achieve full council approval in July. The Houston Chronicle hopes the bike plan will be for everyone (not just hipsters).

1 minute read

July 2, 2016, 11:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Buffalo Bayou Park

It's not always a beatific ride through the park for Houston bike commuters. | CrackerClips Stock Media / Shutterstock

"Once you're far from the serene paths of Buffalo Bayou Park and downtown's B-Cycle stations, the true picture of cycling in Houston begins to emerge," according to the Houston Chronicle Editorial Board. "Cyclists in Houston are more working class than urban hipster, and they pedal more out of necessity than choice."

The reason for the perspective is the release of a final draft of the Houston Bike Plan earlier this month. The final draft makes changes to an earlier draft released in February. According to a separate article by Dug Begley, the bike plan added 133 more miles of bike trails or shared use paths between drafts. The final draft calls for a total of "1,789 miles of bike-friendly paths and trails, including 668 miles separated from automobile traffic," according to Begley.

Which brings us back to the editorial. Back in February, the bike plan was pitched as a tool to attract casual riders. The editorial board hopes, however, that those riding their bikes to work because they can't afford to drive, will be given more opportunities to do so safely.

Friday, June 24, 2016 in Houston Chronicle

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 30, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Close-up on Canadian flag with Canada Parliament building blurred in background.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?

As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

April 28, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Hot air balloons rise over Downtown Boise with the State Capitol building visible amidst the high rises.

The Five Most-Changed American Cities

A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.

April 23, 2025 - GoodMigrations

People biking along beach path with moored ship in San Diego, California.

San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan

The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.

4 hours ago - SD News

Sleeping in Public

Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts

Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.

5 hours ago - KSL

Conductor walks down platform next to Amtrak train at station in San Jose, California.

Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement

An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.

6 hours ago - Streetsblog USA

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Senior Manager Operations, Urban Planning

New York City School Construction Authority

Building Inspector

Village of Glen Ellyn

Manager of Model Development

Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO