The City of Fort Worth recently unveiled the Fort Worth Active Transportation Plan (ATP), which will provide a strategic direction for the development for pedestrian, bicycle and trail networks.
The plan is a response to a survey conducted by the city that revealed 55 percent of Fort Worthians would like to bicycle more yet feel hindered due to a lack of accommodations for cyclists. Many respondents showed a strong interest in off-street paths or on-street, dedicated bike lines to separate them from traffic by wide buffers or physical barriers.
"We know that with the growth Fort Worth is experiencing, we can't build our roads fast enough and need to look at other transportation modes other than single-occupancy vehicles," Julia Ryan, senior transportation planner at American Planning Association, said.
In 2014 and 2018, voters approved a bond program that provided funding for new sidewalks and bike lanes. Currently, the city has finished two rounds of public meetings and plans to have one more early next year to get public feedback on the draft plans for City Council review.
"The ATP won't change any policies directly," Ryan says. "But it will make recommendations on policies that will help create a more comfortable and safer environment for people who walk and bike."
By Marissa Alvarado
