City Council Doesn't Approve Bike Plan (Yet)

After hearing testimony from several of the hundreds of people that signed up to speak in favor of the 2009 Bicycle Master Plan (and four people that signed up to speak as opposed to the plan, but turned out to only be opposed to a particular bridge included in the plan), City Council appeared ready to pass the plan, but then they didn't. No vote, just some kind of procedural glitch. They are going to do the vote on June 11.

The plan spans the next ten years, and recommends nearly 900 miles of bicycle lanes, 9 miles of bicycle boulevards, and 107 miles of multi-use paths, in addition to signing and marking bicycle routes on paved shoulders, wide curb lanes and shared lanes. It also includes plans for improving awareness and acceptance of bicycling and increasing bicycle ridership throughout Austin, plus plans for education regarding bicycle related laws and consistent enforcement of bicycle laws.

The plan does not include funding for the various improvements, which will have to be approved separately in the coming years. Mayor-elect Leffingwell has indicated that some of the funding may come as part of his planned transportation-only bond election in 2010.