Dallas Pedaling Toward Updated Bike Plan

Dallas city leaders are hoping to solve the area’s traffic troubles by making the city more bicycle-friendly.

City leaders are starting with rewriting the Dallas’ bike plan, which hasn't been changed since 1985.

“The one thing I would say is that there an awful lot of interest in thinking of our city as a bike-friendly city,” Mayor Tom Leppert said.

Leppert sought input from the public during an open house at Dallas City Hall on Thursday.

While certain areas, such as White Rock Lake and Katy Trail, cater to cyclists, many say they don't feel safe when they ride in vehicular traffic.

“Overall, it's very challenging to ride here,” Dallas cyclist Amy Nash said. ”It’s very hard to be visible, and motorists aren't really aware what to do.”

Dallas city officials making the streets more bicycle-friendly can help with everything from overcrowded roadways to obesity. Some of the ideas up for consideration include brightly colored bike lanes, traffic circles and more designated trails.

While there are several different paths transportation officials can take, everyone seems to agree on at least one thing.

“I think we all know we need to do a much better job of connecting the city with bike paths, Leppert said.

The project is being funded by a mix of local, state and federal dollars. The city hopes to have a more final plan by August and implement it by spring of 2011.

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