Denton Civic Center hosts bike friendly forum

by Drew Gaines of North Texas Daily

The meeting was part of the city’s newest efforts to include bicycle and pedestrian services in its plans to overhaul Denton streets.

Photo by Drew Gaines

Local cyclists, UNT students, residents and concerned citizens gathered at the Denton Civic Center Monday night during a public cyclist input hearing put on by the city. The group was asked to mark where bicycle and pedestrian facilities are needed in town.

The city of Denton yielded to cyclists Monday night during an hour-and-a-half cyclist input hearing at the Denton Civic Center.

Thirty bicycles were chained outside the meeting and nearly 60 residents gathered indoors to offer city engineers their ideas for a bike friendly Denton.

Clay Riggs of Denton’s Utility and CIP Engineering staff called the meeting to give residents an opportunity to voice concerns about bicycle transportation.

“We want an increased use of bicycles, and we want people to be safe doing it,” he said. “The city staff wants your input. We want to know what you want in bicycle facilities.”

The meeting was part of the city’s newest efforts to include bicycle and pedestrian services in its plans to overhaul Denton streets.

Officials are in the process of developing citywide plans for alternative transportation, Riggs said.

The drafts may include considerations made by UNT students, local business owners, residents and cycling enthusiasts at the hearing.

After Riggs presented city codes and possible alternative transportation projects, the group was asked to mark desired routes on large-scale city maps. The majority desired bicycle facilities in and around Denton’s downtown, with offshoots crisscrossing to popular shopping centers and schools.

Photo by Drew Gaines

Cooper Barner, a senior history major, marks the spots where he and fellow citizens would like to see more bike / pedestrian facilities. Residents were asked for their input regarding bicycle lanes at the cyclist public input meeting at Denton Civic Center Monday night.

Joe Gregory, a long-time cyclist and Denton resident, offered to take Riggs and the City Council on a ride around town to “see how it really is,” he said. Riggs said he might take Gregory up on the offer.

City engineers will revise the recommendations and present them to the City Council on April 15.

“What we need to do right now is get a good thorough inventory of our facilities,” Riggs said. “We are in the beginning stages and we want your input.”

Denton has 312 miles of sidewalks, 8.2 miles of roads with combination pedestrian and bicycle facilities, 11.3 miles of roads with shared-lane capability, and 18.5 miles of trails.

Once all current bicycle and pedestrian facilities are inventoried, the city will catalog them and begin the search for a bicycle consultant to advise the city on alternative transportation planning, Riggs said.

Funding for such projects will likely come from Capital Improvement Plans made by the city, said Emerson Vorel, Denton’s Parks and Recreation director. The short-range plans allow the city to create timetables, identify costs and prioritize projects, he said.

Officials will also research federal grants for funding opportunities, Vorel said.

Vorel is calling on residents to participate in the effort to change the city’s streets. He asks for residents to get involved, vote and talk with public officials.

Residents’ suggestions

Safe routes to and from schools

Bicycle lanes on Oak and Hickory

More signs

Completion of area trails

Segregated bike lanes