Drivers and riders who use state highways around Anna have until Friday, Nov. 6, to tell the Texas Department of Transportation how those roads should handle bicycles in the years ahead.
TxDOT opened comments on Tuesday, Oct. 13, on draft recommendations for its Dallas District Bicycle Plan, which covers state roads in Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Kaufman, Navarro and Rockwall counties. The feedback is collected through an online interactive map built for the plan, and the agency says the survey works best on a computer.
The plan deals only with roads and highways the state owns and operates, not city streets, according to the survey site.
Three maps to comment on
Bikeway functions. Each state road segment where TxDOT's analysis found a bicycling need is labeled with one of four roles. "All ages" routes lie within a mile of places such as schools, recreation centers and senior centers, and the survey says they should physically separate riders from traffic. "Daily travel" routes serve busy areas where people already make frequent short trips. "Long distance" routes are those popular for recreational riding or that link destinations likely to draw longer trips. "Basic" routes are where TxDOT expects only occasional cycling and minimal bikeway designs. Segments with no label are places where the analysis found no need or gap.
Bicycle tourism trails. This map updates routes from TxDOT's 2018 Bicycle Tourism Trails Study, marking current routes, adjusted ones and new route ideas meant for day rides and multi-day trips. These routes can use local roads as well as state highways.
Priorities. Segments are ranked in three tiers. The top tier is a short list that scored highest on likely benefits and current need, and TxDOT says those will be its first targets for design work and funding in the district. A second tier scored nearly as well but could be hard to fix because of tight space or terrain. On most other state roads, the agency plans to add bike accommodations when it does other work there, such as repaving or signal upgrades, which it says keeps costs down.
How to take part
Users can click any highlighted segment to see the recommendation, answer questions, view street-level imagery where available and leave comments, and they can comment on as many locations as they like. The survey asks, optionally, whether a person lives, works or visits in the district.
