Your help needed on Grand Parkway: we want transit, bicycle, walking accommodations

[Cycling Instructor]

Peaksters:

BikeHouston and Sustainable Living, a new environmental organization
based in Cypress, are in the process of engaging the Harris County
Toll Road Authority concerning possible bicycle facilities along the
Grand Parkway Segment E and other corridors. Segment E is planned to
run from I-10 to US290 approximately along the Katy-Hockley Road
alignment, which is prime NW Harris County cycling territory.

Currently, nothing in the way of bicycle facilities is planned for
Grand Parkway. It would go in very much like the existing Beltway 8
Tollway if nothing changes, with nothing in the design to help
cyclists or pedestrians.


I am asking you to do four things soon:

1. Click HERE to sign this online petition right now
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/bike-accomodations-in-harris-county

2. Before September 15, send a postal letter to the Harris County Toll
Road Authority. Boilerplate text provided below, but please do
customize the letter with your own language, anecdotes, or statement
about how you would use the proposed facility (or how the lack of such
a facility would detract from your life)

3. Contact me privately if you want to help by attending a meeting in
the near future

4. Forward this to everyone you know who would have an interest in
this topic.


Thank you.


Sincerely,
Peter Wang, LCI


------------- copy text below here ---------------------


Mr. Peter Key
Deputy Director
Harris County Toll Road Authority
330 Meadowfern Drive
Houston, TX 77067


Dear Mr. Key:

I am a bicyclist and a pedestrian, and I am in favor of improving
bicycle & pedestrian access along the future Grand Parkway segments,
specifically:

1. Pedestrian crosswalks and signals at every signalized intersection
along the access roads

2. Removal of barriers - Full ADA compliance for all paths. Every
bridge that goes in as part of the access roads also has an ADA-
compliant path alongside traffic lanes, so that bridges do not become
barriers

3. Wide, bi-directional, paved multi-use paths (8 ft wide) for
pedestrians, future transit users, runners, children, the elderly,
beginner bicyclists, roller-bladers, and wheelchair users, on both
sides of the Grand Parkway access road

4. Designated bike lanes, shoulders, or wide outside lanes greater
than 14 feet wide on the Grand Parkway access road, which will improve
safety and efficiency for future bus operations along the corridor,
and for experienced bicyclists and large group bicycle rides (after
all, the Grand Parkway will cut through prime pre-MS150 training
territory)

Please help make the Grand Parkway a "Complete Street" for all users.
Thank you.





Sincerely,

Your name and signature
Your Texas County of Residence
(I am / I am not) a Harris County Tollroad system user