...K P F T news

LEAD-IN BY HOST SHALINI TRIPATHI: A proposed traffic re-route plan in the Montrose area of central Houston, is placing priority on cars and drivers at the expense of trees and bike lanes. Kim Stoilis has the story:

STORY: In January 2003, traffic changes related to ongoing construction on Highway 59 will direct high-volume freeway traffic onto Richmond and West Alabama streets. Recommendations for improving the re-routed traffic flow include removing a tree-filled esplanade on Richmond and removing bike lanes on West Alabama to make way for HOV [High Occupancy Vehicle] lanes.

Local cyclists are especially concerned about the proposed removal of bike lanes on West Alabama, a street than runs parallel to Richmond Avenue and Westheimer. The city's Bicycle-Pedestrian Coordinator, Lilibeth Andre, confirms the upcoming closures but invites commuters concerned with bike rerouting to contact her office in the next two weeks with suggestions for alternate lanes. These suggestions will be forwarded to the bike and pedestrian planning committee. Regarding the lanes, Andre says:

We are not removing them permanently ... we are only working with this construction project 333 so we are having to accommodate for a detour and when the project is complete we go and set things up like they were before.. That's what we are looking at here. Of course, because it's been a route people have grown accustomed to, we want to make sure the alternative will provide folk with the same level of service ... to get the in and out of town and travel in the safest possible manner under a designated bikeway.

In response, local lawyer and member of Bike Houston and Walk Houston, Dan Lundeen, is leading a grassroots effort to ensure safe access to city streets for all Houston residents, regardless of age, or method of transport.

"We've been focusing on the roadway surface and not on what people need, people need a smooth sidewalk and accessible corners and four-foot sidewalks ... that's cracked and broken and missing sections and cars parked on it ... its just not useable. ... I think what we need to do is include people necessities when we fix our streets... I think a reasonable percentage is 15 percent ... roughly 15 percent of injuries in motor vehicle crashes are ... pedestrians and cyclists, so I think it is reasonable that 15 percent of the transportation ... projects out to go towards making the streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists."

Not all business owners near the Alabama bike lanes expect to be directly affected by the lane closures. Jeff Bailey, who runs a bike shop near the lanes, believes that even if he was affected, the city would not care anyway.

"It seems to me this city does what it wants regardless of what the people want. This city is so far behind in bicycling accommodations compared to other places. Other places welcome bike lanes and the people in the city welcome them. And here it ... its like we've invaded someone's territory and screwed up their commuting experience in their car ... It's sad I think, Houston got named as worst city in the country about a year ago to ride a bicycle in."

During the next two weeks, residents are invited to offer alternative suggestions for the closed lanes routing via the City of Houston Bikeway office. In the meantime, community organizers are spreading awareness about the possible closures through a walk or ride event along West Alabama near Kirby next Saturday, September 28 from 4:30 to 6:30pm. The demonstration is sponsored by Bike Houston and Walk Houston, two organizations that support quality of life for all commuters.

Kim Stoilis, KPFT News, Houston

E-mail Kim Stoilis at slimacek@yahoo.com.