New bike lanes proposed in west El Paso
The City of El Paso Comprehensive Bike Plan is looking to expand infrastructure to accommodate more bicyclists.
On Thursday, city officials will hold a community meeting to show residents the plans for additional bike lanes in west El Paso near Hornedo Middle and Lundy Elementary schools.
The bike lanes will be installed along Escondido from Resler to Broadmoor, and on High Ridge Drive from Westside Community Park to Via Serena Drive.
High Ridge Dr. is currently a four-lane street with two lanes of traffic in each direction and a center turning lane.
With two schools nearby, motorists have to deal with more traffic in the mornings and afternoons.
The proposed bike lane plan will change the flow of traffic on High Ridge Dr. by taking away one lane of traffic in each direction to accommodate the bike lanes.
“What we’re trying to acheive is to make sure we are providing better infrastructure to encourage more people to cycle and to make sure we are providing options to all users,” said Alfredo Austin, Bike Program Coordinator for the City of El Paso.
ABC-7 talked to motorists in the area as many picked up their children after school.
“I think the city is trying to do too much, frankly. There are more areas within the city that don’t even have sidewalks. So I don’t think bike lanes should be the main priority,” said Fernando Melendez.
“I think it’s more respectful for the people on bikes,” said one El Paso mother.
Austin said motorist and bicycle traffic is taken into consideration when deciding where bike lanes will be added. He said High Ridge Dr. does see enough of bicyclists.
“For many decades, we have built our streets around cars and we are trying to move toward an approach where we are considering all users,” Austin said.
The city’s Comprehensive Bike Plan was approved in August of 2016. There are currently about 140 miles of bike facilities and the plan recommends between 900 and 1,100 miles of bike infrastructure to be built over time.
The community meeting will be held Thursday at 6:00 p.m. inside the Hornedo Middle School cafeteria.
