City of Houston Bicycle Advisory Committee Infrastructure Subcommittee met May 26

City of Houston Bicycle Advisory Committee Infrastructure Subcommittee met May 26.

Here are the minutes provided by the subcommittee:

Call to Order: Chair Tom Compson called the meeting to order at 2:30pm.

Roll Call:

Tom Compson, Chair (P)

Alejandro Perez, Vice Chair (P)

Tracy Alexander (P)

Zion Escobar (P)

Adam J. Williams (A)

Sandra Rodriguez (A)

Com. Kristine Anthony-Miller (A)

Beth Martin (A)

Lisa Graiff (A)

Trevor Reichman (P)

Jessica Wiggins (P)

Yuhayna Mahmud (P)

Nick Hellyar (A)

Judith Villarreal (P)

Amar Mohite (P)

Mike VanDusen (A)

Ana Ramirez Huerta (P)

Nikki Knight (A)

Robin Holzer (P)

Veon McReynolds (A)

Ex-Officio Members: 

Ian Hlavacek (P)

David Fields (P)

Juvenal Robles (A)

1) Chair’s Report

• Chair Compson spoke about BikeHouston’s Bike Summit sessions he attended  the week prior. He found it exiting to get input from experts around the region and  world. He shared the summit featured several BAC members presenting and  participating. Joe Cutrufo of BikeHouston thanked him for his kind words and  thanked the BAC for participating in the summit. 

2) Public Comments

• David and Marisa Edlehut: submitted comment via email. A veteran cyclist was  killed in Clear Lake, on the side of the highway while changing a timer. They  wanted to stress the need for protected bike lanes across the city and not just the central core. They also asked if Clear Lake and the Johnson Space Center are  were included in the Bike Plan. 

• Brian Dotson gave a status update on the Cullen Park path, which will connect  the trials of George Bush Park, Barker Cypress, and Addicks Reservoir. 

3) Bikeways Update

• Staff member Brian Smith II presented updates on Houston bikeways currently in  designed or under construction. Currently 125 miles of bikeways are  programmed.

4) Bikeway Prioritization

• Staff member Brian Smith II gave a refresher from last month’s discussion on  prioritizing future bikeways. The floor was opened for BAC member feedback:  asking for corridors and connections important to the community but overlooked  by the data. Recommendations prior to the meeting:

a) Connecting Allen Parkway/Buffalo Bayou to Memorial Park

b) Connecting the North Main bikeway to 11th Street, Quitman Street 

• BAC Additions: 

a) Washington Avenue

b) Waugh Drive (need for a north-south connector through Memorial Park area 

c) Emphasize bikeways that can connect neighborhoods cut off by freeways

5) H-GAC Project Selection and Funding Sources

• Adam Beckom, Program Manager at the Houston-Galveston Area Council (H GAC) presented on the Transportation Improvement Program and federal  funding sources available for active transportation projects.

• The next TIP call for projects is projected to start this fall, with project selection  spring 2022. 

• BAC Discussion:

a) When is the next TIP call for projects going to open? The goal is to open the  call for projects in October 2021, with project selection in spring 2022. 

b) How do we make sure active transportation projects are going to compete  well against roadway projects to get funded? Categories were adjusted to  make sure active transportation projects are being compared to like projects  and not competing against traditional roadway projects. We (H-GAC) are  working with the Ped-Bike subcommittee to update the planning factors in the  criteria to be more inclusive of active transportation projects. 

c) What can BAC members do to make our voice heard to members of the TPC  to support more resources for active transportation? Engage the process. The  Chair (Ana Ramirez-Huerta) and Vice Chair (Brian Smith II) of the Ped-Bike  Subcommittee can help keep the BAC updated.

6) 311 Updates

• Staff member Brian Smith II gave updates on reporting bikeway issues to 311. a) 311 is finishing an overhaul of their reporting system that will launch in Late  June. 311 staff will give a presentation at the July meeting on the new system  and how to report bikeway concerns. 311’s current goal is to have a bikeway specific category added to the new system by the end of the calendar year. 

7) Announcements

• 5/26: East End Bike Plan final community meeting

• Upcoming BAC meetings

a) 6/23: Education Subcommittee

b) 7/28: Bicycle Advisory Committee

c) 8/25: Infrastructure Subcommittee

d) 39 citations issued

There being no further business brought before the Committee, Chair Compson  adjourned the meeting at 4:30pm