Connecting Texas with a statewide active transportation plan
May 13, 2024
By Staff
AUSTIN—Active transportation is an important link in the Texas transportation system connecting travelers across the state. TxDOT is developing the Statewide Active Transportation Plan to develop recommendations for improving conditions for bicycling, walking and rolling across the state.
Safe active transportation networks not only connect people to destinations, but can also improve individual health, enhance local economies and provide choices that can save people money and improve their quality of life.
The SATP focuses on community needs to identify priority areas and make connections with trails, paths, and transit to help provide safe and efficient ways to get around for people using all transportation choices. Specific strategies identified through the plan will inform TxDOT’s efforts to support travel options in the future.
In the fall of 2023, TxDOT held virtual meetings and traveled across the state to meet with and gather input from more than 4,800 people, stakeholders and other groups to shape the SATP. Through this outreach, people were encouraged to provide input on their top priorities when it comes to active transportation. Common themes included:
- Increased safety. Almost 75% of those surveyed don’t feel safe using active transportation. They want to see lower speed limits and additional lighting on sidewalks and bike lanes.
- Better access and connections to trails and continuous bike lanes along with connections to places that are frequently visited destinations.
- Sidewalk improvements, including curb maintenance and removal of physical barriers.
- Roadway crossing improvements to help Texans feel more confident crossing the street.
With one round of outreach complete, community feedback, analyses and individual stakeholder engagement are the driving forces behind the remainder of developing the SATP. This plan is evaluating best practices, specific case studies and research for improving biking, walking and rolling. Through recommended strategies and actions, the plan will work to integrate safety, accessibility, comfort, connectivity, community needs, health and economic vitality.
The Texas population is expected to grow by 28% by 2050, and to keep up with the increase, the plan is aligned with other long-range plans to provide a safe, accessible, connected and fully integrated multimodal transportation system. The SATP is collaborating with the Statewide Multimodal Transit Plan and will collect additional public input on a draft plan to be released in the fall of 2024.
The public will have the opportunity to evaluate recommendations and provide input on the draft plan before it is presented to the Texas Transportation Commission in late 2024.
Visit the SATP webpage to learn more and get updates.