Tonight is the public hearing for the MoPac Improvement Project. It's only with your help that we've accomplished so much this far. As part of the project, new bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be constructed, including a two-mile shared-use path connecting future bike lanes on Loop 360 to the Walnut Creek Trail, a shared-use path connecting Shoal Creek Blvd. to destinations north of U.S. 183, improved connectivity at thirteen cross streets, and four miles of sidewalks. In addition, the project is expected to include a formal feasibility study for a shared-use path from Enfield to Parmer, and schematic design where such a shared-use path is feasible.
Some people have said that we were asking for too much. Some business and highway interests have even lobbied against including bike facilities as part of the MoPac Improvement Project. Yet despite these challenges, today we stand hand-in-hand with the firm support of the CTRMA to include as part of the MoPac Improvement Project $5MM of bicycle and pedestrian facilities, plus a formal feasibility study and (where feasible) schematic design for a shared-use path throughout the corridor.
As a result of us pushing for bicycle and pedestrian facilities as part of the MoPac Improvement Project, we may have scared off some potential major donors. We ask for your help to make up for this gap. Only through a broad member base can we build an organization that the people of Austin can call its own. If San Francisco, with roughly the same population as Austin, can build a bicycle advocacy organization with 12,000 members, so can we... but let's make it bigger in Texas. Please ask just three of your friends, family, or co-workers to join the League of Bicycling Voters at whatever level they can afford: $100 or $35 / year, or $12/month. Ask them in person, via phone, via email, or via Facebook, but please do it now. Direct them to www.lobv.org/join Note who you contacted, and follow up with them tomorrow. Let's continue to build a grassroots movement to make Austin a world-class bicycling city. Feel free to forward this message.
We also ask that you express your support for bike/ped facilities at tonight's public hearing or via email or letter. Affirm that you want the project to include the construction of $5MM of bike/ped facilities, a formal feasibility study for a shared-use path from Enfield to Parmer, and schematic design where such a shared-use path is feasible. Though CTRMA is ready to include these, it certainly helps to give an affirmation during the public comment period. The public hearing is tonight, Wednesday, May 23rd, beginning at 6pm, including a presentation at 6:30pm. You can find more information on our website.
Tom Wald
Executive Director
League of Bicycling Voters
http://lobv.org/join/
tom@lobv.org
512-773-8775