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

"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.