SAN ANTONIO – A city briefing on a program, part of the larger Bike Network Plan (BNP) conversation, drew overwhelming community support, though some committee members questioned the program’s lengthy timeline.
On Tuesday, San Antonio’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee was briefed on the city’s Bike Network Plan update and the status of a forthcoming quick builds program.
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The briefing was part of the conversation around updating the city’s Bike Network Plan, which was first adopted in 2011.
The plan was approved by the city’s Planning Commission last week.
Discussion on the quick builds program allowed the committee to view the projected timeline and goals for the program.
You can view the quick builds presentation below:
Discussion Tuesday around the infrastructure tool preceded the BNP briefing.
A presentation by Transportation Department director Catherine Hernandez followed public comment overwhelmingly supportive of the BNP update.
“As someone who grew up riding on the streets of San Antonio … I couldn’t be more excited about the potential for a truly bikeable San Antonio for all ages and availabilities," said Joey Pawlik, executive director at ActivateSA.
Bryan Martin, board member of Bike San Antonio and CEO of Bronko Bikes, supported the plan but was apprehensive about its implementation.
“I think, you know, for a lot of folks in the cycling community, our fear is we have seen this before; we had a bike master plan that sat on the shelf for 11 years,” Martin said. “We really applaud the city on making these things. But we don’t want to be placated; we want these things built.”
Quick builds: ‘A necessary tool’
During the Transportation Department’s last engagement phase, it was selected by the Federal Highway Administration as a recipient of a Safe Streets & Roads for All (SSFA) grant.
The grant will help to create a quick builds program, which is “designed to enhance safety and mobility through rapid, low-cost roadway improvements,” a city news release said.
On top of buy-in from several city departments, with some calling the program a “necessary tool for our transportation system,” the quick build tool has garnered the support of some committee members.
“Quick builds are used as a method of testing roadway improvements without having to cause major traffic disruptions through conventional construction,” Hernandez said during Tuesday’s briefing.
Preparation on the application for the SSFA grant was included in the Bike Network Plan process and would be used to fund elements of the BNP.
The $650,000 grant includes $520,000 in funds from the federal level and $130,000 from the city’s Transportation Department.
Defined quick builds as “temporary road projects”; low-cost materials and application; rapidly implementable; tests roadway improvements
“Quick builds are used as a method of testing roadway improvements without having to cause major traffic disruptions through conventional construction,” Hernandez said.
While the city has already received the grant, the next steps for the program include:
- Completing and finalizing the grant with the FHWA; aiming to have this done by mid-January, Hernandez said.
- Securing a consultant to work with the Transportation Department “for all phases of the program.”
- The SSFA is required by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to be executed in five years, Hernandez said. The department expects the process to take four years.
Under three phases, the program will work to identify locations for installing quick builds.
The Transportation Department, under an “identification phase,” will develop a “Quick Build Guide” to develop demonstration locations, according to a memo posted to the agenda page.
- The guide functions as a rubric for identifying locations, potential improvements and establishing performance methodology.
- Five demonstration locations will be determined. The city’s Vision Zero plan and the BNP will be used to determine the locations.
- Selections will be based on safety, need and project readiness.
- The guide will include engineering concepts for installing the actual quick builds.
During the identification phase, the Transportation and Public Works Departments will work in tandem to install the infrastructure over three months.
The project locations will be monitored over a period ranging from six months to two years, the memo said.
Public feedback and partnerships with local research institutions are expected to influence data gathering at the locations.
During the evaluation phase, the Transportation Department will weigh the gathered data and feedback to determine if the location requires a more permanent project at the location.
Committee presses implementation timeline
During committee discussion, District 9 Councilman John Courage expressed concern about the number of years required to implement the program.
“What disturbs me is the number of years it is going to take for this whole program to work through,” he said.
Pressing on the safety issue, Courage asked how the department would measure it as the program is implemented.
“We haven’t done a quick builds program with the city, so this is a first time that we’ll be able to explore what this program looks like,” Hernandez said. “That doesn’t mean that we won’t be moving forward with infrastructure projects … which really are permanent. This is really in tandem with (those projects).”
Courage asked if other examples of the program in cities would influence implementation in San Antonio. Hernandez said the data would be part of the program’s first phase to gauge the quick builds guide.
Interim Assistant City Manager John Peterek acknowledged the timing concern, saying, “Obviously, this is federal funding, but we’re willing to challenge the timing and move faster. I think it’s a good challenge,” he said.
District 7 Councilwoman Marina Alderete Gavito echoed Courage’s sentiment on timing.
“We need to keep our cyclists safe now. We need safer streets now,” Gavito said.
Gavito asked where the five pilot projects would be implemented. Hernandez did not say specifically where; however, the project’s identification phase would yield those locations.
Gavito returned to the timing issue, a common point of discussion on the committee.
Peterek said conversations at the federal level would require a clear plan on behalf of the city.
“I think all of us have a collective frustration,” Gavito said. “We hear these plans a lot. We get briefed on these plans a lot, but we’re not seeing activation … five years just seems way too long. It’s about identifying what we can do now and prioritizing our funding accordingly.”
Kaur, who has been pushing for quick builds infrastructure for several months, expressed support for the program’s projected investments.
She asked what the relationship between the city’s traffic engineers would look like for implementation.
Hernandez said the Bike Network and Vision Zero plans would be tools for identifying high-risk networks as potential locations for the five pilot projects.
“I think that’s something we should really focus on — making sure we have like really clear outlines. That way, it would make it easier to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to certain projects,” Kaur said.
District 6 Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda asked how the quick build construction would impact local businesses.
Hernandez said the Transportation Department will continue to center business owners in the public input process.
“I want to be absolutely clear: These are not long-term construction projects. They are quick,” Peterek said. “They are days long to be installed. The paints and the bollards are very quickly installed.”
“I just want to make sure that, no matter how long the scope, we’re involving businesses,” Cabello Havrda said.
Cabello Havrda emphasized quantifying data gathered during the program’s implementation process and using it to demonstrate its economic benefits.
“I wonder if there is a way for us to quantify the benefits that these are going to have,” she said. “I think that people think this type of planning is a luxury for a city. I think it’s a necessity.”
The committee approved the agreement, which will be included on a future city council agenda after the agreement is finalized with the FHWA.
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