[BVC-CHAT] Input needed: Hike & bike trails in south College Station

[Wolfgang Bangerth]

[Re-sent to bvc-chat without the attachments.]

Howdy,
the city of College Station has been planning (and with the bond election 
last November now also has the money to build) some Hike and Bike trails 
around the city. For your general information, I a page from the CS 
planning document that outlines where these trails will be is at
  http://www.brazoscyclists.org/bike-paths.pdf

Of particular interest I find one that would lead from Victoria all the way 
out to Lick Creek Park. It would cut through the greenbelt behind our 
house, but that aside I would like to get input on the type of path they 
plan:
- it would be 10ft wide, made of concrete
- within a 20ft clearing through the forest
That's the same style in which the Wolf Pen Creek Park way is built. I find 
that not very appealing, and unnecessarily invasive. A narrower gravel path 
would do the job much better, I think, and may be able to provide shade 
(something of which this city does not have enough). I do find the general 
idea of a path out there quite positive, however.

I have drafted a letter to Venessa Garza, the city planner for this path, 
which is here:
  http://www.brazoscyclists.org/garza-letter
I would be very much interested in getting feedback (positive as well as 
negative) so that I can truly speak for the cycling community about this 
issue.

I am also looking for help to identify other communities I could talk to. 
Is there a Mountain Bike listserv somewhere that I could post to? Anyone 
else?

In any case, any feedback would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance
 Wolfgang

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Wolfgang Bangerth                email:            bangerth at math.tamu.edu
                                 www: http://www.math.tamu.edu/~bangerth/