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

[Thomas Woodfin]

To my fellow BV walkers, cyclists, bird-watchers, et al:

I would like to provide some perspective on the Lick Creek Greenway Trail that was funded through the fall Capital Improvement Project bonds.  I was one of 28 citizens working for nine months on a recommended the list of CIP projects.  This list was given to City Council last year and became part of the bond package approved last fall.  I now serve on the Technical Task Force advising Venessa Garza, greenways coordinator, on the update of our Bicycle Master Plan and Greenways Master Plan.   

1) the 'trail' as described as 10' concrete was used for estimating purposes only - the city staff had to be able to calculate some dollar estimate for the project to be included in the bond issue and used the Wolf Pen Creek path as one of the most recent construction projects as the best figures available.  I raised this very question during the CIP process when the concrete sidewalk was described then was reassured that it was a trail type for estimation purposes only.  Jamming a concrete path through our greenways is not what the project is about.  

2) the Lick Creek Greenway trail has NOT been designed nor the alignment of the route located yet - in fact the bonds for the project haven't even been sold to fund it yet.  In my conversations with Parks & Rec staff and Planning & Development Services staff it is clear that this trail will be planned, designed and constructed using best management & construction practices.  To have a 3 1/2 mile greenways path funded through public bonds is an extraordinary opportunity for us to really have our first significant trail connecting both east and west of Hwy 6 from Victoria to Lick Creek Park.  The weakness of our present system is that the trails start and stop and don't really connect far enough - just like our bike lanes such as the crossing from Longmire north of Harvey Mitchell Parkway or south from Barron Road.  

3) those of us who are active advocates and participants in the city planning and development processes are well aware of how important the Lick Creek and other greenway corridors are to the neighborhoods and citizens who live along them - Scott Shafer, David Scott, me, and others on the Hike, Bike and Greenways Technical Task Force working with Venessa Garza to update the HBG Master Plan have been involved for years in getting our community connected by alternative transportation routes and getting greenways protected. Years of consistent effort and involvement have made us well aware of how important any of these projects are to our neighbors. 

4) Please do not assume that CS is some 'they' who are going to threaten your quality of life and destroy your neighborhood creeks:  get involved, show up at the public meetings, write in your concerns.  There is no 'they' in this process, it is 'us'.  Working together we'll make this community one with beautiful greenways, accessible parks, safe bike routes and all the characteristics of a sustainable community. 

thanks for reading this,

Tom Woodfin

 Thomas M. Woodfin, ASLA RLA
3215 Innsbruck Circle
College Station,  TX
77845-6306
979-485-8599



----- Original Message ----
From: Wolfgang Bangerth <bangerth at math.tamu.edu>
To: Hammerheads <riders at philebus.tamu.edu>; bvc-chat at philebus.tamu.edu
Sent: Friday, February 6, 2009 8:25:02 AM
Subject: [BVC-CHAT] Input needed: Hike & bike trails in south College Station


[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

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

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