Amy Nguyen
Sticker pasted on "Bike Lane Closed" sign by unknown protestor that says "Because the mayor has nothing more important to do."
Construction crews began the process of eliminating the two-way bike lane on Austin Street in Midtown on March 31, along with removing “armadillos,” or concrete barriers that separate cyclists from moving vehicles.
With around $2 million used from Precinct One Harris County Commissioner Rodney Ellis’ office, the bike lane was installed in summer 2020, which connects Buffalo Bayou to Brays Bayou with LaBranch, Calumet and Crawford Streets from Houston Community College to Hermann Park.
There was a lack of public notice and engagement before the construction, even though Marlene Gafrick, an advisor to Mayor John Whitmire, cites that “the community’s voice is crucial in the Austin Street bike lane project.”
According to Houston Public Works, the changes are a part of infrastructure improvements such as water line replacements for a “street rehabilitation project” on Holman Street and Gray Street in the neighborhood, and Fire Station 7’s training area, trash collection areas, and street parking are blocked for residents.
In response, the city planned to widen vehicle lanes and replace the bike path with painted markings that indicate a shared lane for both cars and bicycles or “sharrows.” This marks the loss of protection on a bike-friendly lane that connects downtown to the Museum District.
Bike Houston Executive Director, Joe Cutrufo, stated the bike lane is the “spine of Houston’s bike network” and that “…everyone benefits when we make streets safer for people on bikes.”
After public backlash, Whitmire announced that Austin Street will have a dedicated bicycle lane modeled after another bike lane on Heights Boulevard, which also had the armadillos removed. The Federal Highway Administration states that having physical protection can reduce bike-car crashes by up to 53 percent.
Following this sequence of events, a group of cyclists held a symbolic funeral for the Austin Street bike lane on the morning of April 6, to mourn the loss of the bike infrastructure critical for people who use alternative modes of transportation and to raise awareness of these issues.
“We used the Austin St. Bike Lane on our monthly ride to Hermann Park for UHD students and are going to have to figure out an alternate route because Austin St. used to be the best opinion,” said UHD Bike Club President Ethan Campbell in a Discord direct message. “It is upsetting not only to see the bike lane dismantled, but also to see the accessibility of our rides be diminished.”