Dallas Bike Plan gets first approved expansion since 2011

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DALLAS - Bicyclists in Dallas will soon start to see updates to the city's network of cycling exploration.

The Dallas Bike Plan, which was last updated in 2011, was approved for an expansion on Wednesday.

Dallas Bike Plan Updates

What we know:

On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council adopted the 2025 Dallas Bike Plan, giving the first expansion since 2011 to a project established in 1975.

According to a release from the City of Dallas, the update will expand on the existing infrastructure with a strong focus on building a network that encourages bicyclists of all ages and abilities to explore Dallas.

The new plan creates a phased approach to tackling projects over coming years through the use of funding as it becomes available. In the full bike plan, available at this link, page 65 lays out three phases:

• The goal for the first five years is to complete the currently funded projects and a handful of high-priority, lower-cost unfunded projects. The projects that fall under the latter category are generally the lower-cost projects that make up the Top 15 Priority Projects identified in Technical Report 3.
• Phase 2 would complete the implementation of other top-scoring projects up to a value of $300 million. $300 million assumes $100 million in future Bond program, $150 million in grants, and $2.5 million/year from the general fund. The Phase 2 projects were determined using the prioritization methodology in the Dallas Bike Plan, as well as input from the Bike Advisory Committee.
• Additional identified projects that are not anticipated to be funded within Years 0-20.

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Several Dallas City Council members expressed a desire for city staff to create a connected system that will allow more people to use bicycles as a way to get around, and not just for recreation.

What they're saying:

"City Council has made a commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fighting climate change," District 6 Councilman Omar Narvaez said. "One of the ways of doing that is to reduce the number of people driving in cars or by themselves."

"We know that getting more people to bike isn’t just about building a network," said Dr. Gus Khankarli, director of the Dallas Transportation and Public Works Department. "This plan integrates with our multi-modal system and gives us a set of key action items that should be targeted over the next five to ten years by staff in several city departments and in coordination with our advocacy partners."

What you can do:

Dallas's release notes that input from residents is central to the development and execution of their plan. You can contact the city on their official website.