Austin is now more than halfway to its goal of building a more than 400-mile connected bicycle network throughout the city. A total of 215 miles have been built.
“This milestone is a remarkable achievement that shows the city’s commitment to its long-term multimodal transportation goals,” Gina Fiandaca, assistant city manager who oversees mobility, said. “Building out this All Ages and Abilities bicycle network to encourage bicycling benefits the entire community by improving mental and physical health, delivering on Austin’s Climate Equity Plan and fostering a livable, affordable and sustainable future for all Austinites.”
The All Ages and Ability Bicycle Network has been under development since 2014. It is comprised of protected bicycle lanes, neighborhood bikeways, street crossings and urban trails.
Voters approved funding for the network in 2016, 2018 and 2020.
The halfway point was surpassed on June 19.
The entire network is expected to be completed by 2025, ahead of schedule. Once completed, more than 600,000 people, approximately 64 percent of the city’s residents, will live within a half-mile of the network.
The network is part of the Austin Strategic Mobility Plan which gives people more options for getting around. The goal is to reduce traffic and mobility issues as the city grows.