Bicycling News
Fort Worth moves forward with bike lane project east of downtown
In a win for the bicycle community, Fort Worth is moving forward with a new bike lane project coming to East 1st Street and East 4th Street, east of downtown.
The East Fourth Street/First Street Bike Lane project is significant not only because it increases bicycling options, but also because it uses a new technology that will make it safer.
One existing lane along East 4th Street/East 1st Street will become a bike lane, which will run in both directions in a 2-mile span from I-35W to Haltom Road. They'll also build in buffer space between the bike lane and vehicle lanes.
This location was chosen to connect Gateway Park and downtown through designated bike lanes and special bike signals at three intersections.
The project will also debut new bike signal technology: Bike detection pads that communicate with standard signals showing a red, yellow, or green stenciled bike signal.
Once installed, it will provide connectivity, innovation, safety, inclusivity, safe user experience with protected bike lane signals.
Construction begins in February and is anticipated to take nine months to complete. Work will be done during the day and they don't anticipate detours.
The cost is estimated to be $2.9 million, with the majority of the funding - $2.3 million - provided by the North Central Texas Council of Governments through the Transportation Alternatives Project, which funds pedestrian bicycle related projects across the region.
An additional $617,000 will come from bond funds, according to project manager Ishkal Shrestha, who made a presentation at a public meeting held by the Transportation & Public Works (TPW) Department on February 15.