Bandera Road/Hausman Road/Loop 1604 & Neighboring Communities

Walkable Community Workshop Report October 22, 2009

In support of a balanced and inclusive transportation system, the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) has developed the Walkable Community Program (WCP). The program recognizes the need to plan for everyone and all modes of travel, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user or bus rider. A system that plans for pedestrians first incorporates safety as a natural process which benefits all roadway users.

The WCP is modeled after a national program that encourages communities to design a comprehensive and coordinated transportation system that is safe and more welcoming to pedestrians and cyclists. The program is designed to engage the community in the planning process for their neighborhoods. Goals of our local Walkable Community Program are to:

Educate the public, as well as public officials on the advantages of embracing walking and bicycling as viable modes of transportation.

Assist the community in the identification of infrastructure improvements that encourage walking and cycling.

Serve as a communication forum between the community, the MPO’s Transportation Policy Board and MPO partner transportation agencies.

The program specifically supports the MPO’s goal “to improve the opportunities for alternative means of transportation that diminish the growth in single occupancy vehicles and improve air quality by providing bicycle and pedestrian facilities”. As the region’s transportation planning organization, the MPO provides a foundation municipalities and counties can build on. The MPO’s transportation partners are engaged and supportive of the process. They include but are not limited to: Alamo Area Council of Governments, Bexar County, City of San Antonio, Texas Department of Transportation and VIA Metropolitan Transit. There are three possible activities a community may apply for within the program. Each activity can be adapted to meet the particular needs of the community. The activities include a bicycle/pedestrian safety class for children and adults, support and/or facilitation of a bike rodeo and development and facilitation of a workshop. Mr. Robert Davidson applied for a Walkable Community Workshop on behalf of the community where he lives.

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Study Area Description and Background Information Mr. Robert Davidson submitted an application for a workshop on behalf of the Sonoma Neighborhood Association and the surrounding area. The study area for the workshop includes portions of San Antonio and Helotes. The portion of the study area for the City of San Antonio Districts includes both District 7 and District 8. The area is within Bexar County and split between Precinct 2 and Precinct 3. Mr. Davidson actively engaged the schools and businesses in the area in hopes of attracting at least thirty-five participants. He developed and continues to maintain the “BikeNWSanAntonio” Google Group. Interactive forums such as this make it easy for the public to stay involved in the process. The study area map is shown in Figure 1. The identified boundary includes schools, public buildings and businesses in close proximity to utility easements that could theoretically connect a number of neighborhoods, if access were allowed. Currently the primary way of getting anywhere in the area is by motorized vehicles. Although not all the neighborhoods are gated, residents are still closed-in with limited access to the major roadways in the area. Alternative roads connecting neighborhoods directly were not provided by developers. In addition, some businesses limit their accessibility by building and maintaining obstructions that make it difficult for pedestrian and cyclists to access the property. VIA Metropolitan Transit services the area with a number of routes which include: 604 Medical Center/University Park, 605 U.T.S.A./Mainland, 606 Medical Center/Alamo Ranch and 660 Northwest Vista College/University Park & Ride. There is limited service by routes 93 IH10 Crossroads/U.T.S.A. Express and 94 IH 10/Fiesta Texas Express. A copy of a map showing the routes is included in this report as Figure 2. The obvious “beaten down” paths through the easements and “drainage areas” demonstrate people are interested in traveling by foot or other non-motorized means. There are several of these paths leading to the Silverado 16 Theater, the HEB grocery store, to retail and restaurant establishments. The possibility of identifying a legitimate, non-motorized thoroughfare system throughout the community for pedestrians and cyclists is a hope of Mr. Davidson’s application. Accessing easements would allow children to grow in their independence and lessen their dependence on their parents. Some children in the school attendance zones must cross major thoroughfares in order to get from home to school and back. Mr. Davidson’s application hoped that the information gathered would identify safe routes to school for children of all ages. As children are old enough to ride their bikes to school they can be independent from their parents. Schools within the boundary included Brandeis and O’Connor High Schools, Hector Garcia and Stinson Middle Schools and Beard and Steubing Elementary Schools. Per Mr. Davidson’s application, he envisions a community that is no longer dependent on the car to connect with neighborhoods, schools and businesses within the community. Identifying connectivity opportunities is a key element of the process and gathering information from the local residents is an essential part of the mix.

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Figure 1. Study Area Map 3

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Medallion

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Fox Park

Leon Creek Greenway North

Leon Creek Greenway North

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Cedar Creek

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Scenic Sunset Park

French Creek Park

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0 0.5 1 1.5 20.25Miles

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VIA Metropolitan Transit RoutesVIA Metropolitan Transit Existing Routes

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Community Outreach

As mentioned above, Mr. Davidson provided extensive public outreach to neighborhoods, schools, businesses and elected officials. His goal was to gain the communities’ awareness of the workshop to ensure sufficient representation for information gathering. Mr. Davidson developed a Google group and a brochure that he made available to the public. The brochure is included in this report. The MPO expanded on Mr. Davidson’s outreach by developing a public service announcement for the radio and a flyer that was mailed to all businesses and apartment complexes within the identified boundary. In addition, both City of San Antonio Councilmen Reed Williams (District 8) and Justin Rodriguez

(District 7) encouraged their constituents to attend the workshop through e-blasts. Councilman Williams opened the workshop with a warm welcome and expressed his support for alternative transportation as a viable option in the region.

Walkable Community Workshop The workshop was held at the City of San Antonio’s John Igo Library. The workshop was well attended with over forty participants representing the community at large as well as elementary, middle and high schools. The University of Texas at San Antonio was also represented. One individual emailed the MPO prior to the meeting to express regret they were unable to attend and included their thoughts for the workshop for inclusion in the report. Another individual called the MPO with regrets and provided their input to the process. The workshop was covered by both television and newspaper reporters. An article written by Chuck McCollough is included at the end of this report. Information supporting the MPO’s Safety Study was available for participant input prior to the actual workshop. This included a map depicting crash information, see Figure 3, and a short safety survey to gather information as to what is perceived to be safety issues in the area. The information collected prior to the workshop supports and enhances the information gathered during the mapping exercise. The results of the survey are provided in Table 1 of this report.

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Following the welcome by Councilman Williams, there were two presentations focusing on the concepts involved with the Walkable Community Program. The MPO representative explained the benefits of a Walkable Community and the concept of Complete Streets. The benefits include, but are not limited to:

Transportation Benefits: reduced traffic congestion, improved safety, calms traffic, preserves road infrastructure

Economic Benefits: increased retail sales (restaurants, lodging

establishments, retail stores), job creation, and enhancement of nearby property values

Environmental Benefits: improved air quality and energy conservation Social Benefits: quality-of-life benefits from living in communities with more

open space and greenways and that provide more opportunities for walking and cycling

Health and Fitness Benefits: it is well recognized that individuals benefit in

many ways from living in communities with more open space and greenways and that provide more opportunities for walking and cycling

Following the MPO presentation, a representative of Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG) presented programs available through their organization that support active and alternative transportation. Programs AACOG provides include the Walking School Bus, Bike Buddies and the Green Patrol. Mr. Davidson addressed the participants as the originator of the application. He provided a brief background and thanked everyone for attending. The MPO’s other transportation partners supporting the workshop included Bexar County, the City of San Antonio Office of Environmental Policy, the City of San Antonio Community Development Office, a representative from the Linear Creekways’ Committee, Texas Department of Transportation and VIA Metropolitan Transit. After the presentations, participants were divided into four groups for a mapping exercise. During this process concerns were identified and possible solutions proposed for consideration by the respective agencies. Participants provided suggestions for improving the walkability and bikeability of the community. The overarching comments focused on the desire to improve the connectivity in the region and to lessen the reliability on the motorized vehicles. Concerns from the workshop are addressed in Table 2 of this report.

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Potential Funding Sources

There are no guaranteed funding sources for projects identified through the Walkable Community Program (WCP). Nonetheless, good planning has its own rewards in that the affected community begins working together with transportation agencies to identify and prioritize their transportation needs for cars, buses, walking and bicycling. This report represents the community speaking with one voice to assist elected officials and potential funding entities in seeking solutions to their transportation needs. Sharing project costs among several funding sources may be the best opportunity for funding above mentioned projects. Potential funding sources might include: Bexar County Special Road and Bridge Fund Farm to Market and Lateral Road Fund Future Capital Projects Bond Fund

City of Helotes City of San Antonio Council Neighborhood Access Mobility Program Community Block Development Grant (CDBG) Program City Street Maintenance Program Advanced Transportation District (ATD) Program Future Capital Projects Bond Program

San Antonio – Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization Surface Transportation Program – Metropolitan Mobility (after 2012)

Texas Department of Transportation Statewide Transportation Enhancement Program District Discretionary Funds Category 2 Metropolitan Corridor Projects Safe Routes to School Funds Federal Enhancement Funds

Private Funding (examples) San Antonio Area Foundation The Meadows Foundation Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Local Private Companies

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Next Steps Copies of this report are provided to the Alamo Area Council of Governments, Bexar County Commissioner Precinct 2 and 3, City of San Antonio Council District 7 and 8, City of San Antonio Planning and Development Department, City of San Antonio Public Works Department, San Antonio-Bexar County MPO Transportation Policy Board, Texas Department of Transportation and VIA Metropolitan Transit. We encourage the residents to stay in contact with the “BikeNWSanAntonio” Google Group and remain involved in planning for future improvements in the area. The future is forever becoming the past. Planning for the future is a dynamic process. Planning for a healthy environment ensures a healthy community. The MPO supports the efforts of the cooperative endeavor that included two cities, two council districts, two county precincts and several neighborhoods. MPO Contact Information:

Lydia Kelly Bicycle/Pedestrian Transportation Planner San Antonio – Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization 825 S. St. Mary’s St. San Antonio, TX 78205 Phone: 210-230-6911 Fax: 210-227-9321 E-mail: kelly@sametroplan.org Website:www.sametroplan.org

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Table 1

Safety Study Survey Responses

1) Do you feel there is a transportation safety issue in your area

Yes

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No 0

2) What are the most important Transportation safety issues in your area (Check all that apply). The number next to the item identifies the number of checkmarks for that item. Multiple responses were allowed.

_2_ Car seat/seatbelt usage _1_ Drunk Driving _2_ Ignore School Zones _0_ Lack of Crosswalks _4_ Mobile Phone Use while driving _2_ Poor Signage _3_ Speeding

_5_ Distracted Driver _2_ Faded Roadway Markings _3_ Lack of Bicycle Facilities _6_ Lack of Sidewalks _4_ Poor lighting _1_ Pot holes/other _1_ Other aggressive drivers who don’t treat cyclists as vehicles

3) Are there particular roads or intersections that are more dangerous? Please list what you believe are the most unsafe roads and/or intersections in your area and why.

Babcock at DeZavala Babcock Road from Hausman to the greenway (2 respondents) Bandera at Prue Bandera at Quincy Lee Guilbeau at Bandera Hausman at Loop 1604

Needs sidewalks and bike lanes for families to be able to walk to the park. Left turn into Bill Millers.

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Prue Road Prue Road at Old Prue Road Tezel Road UTSA Boulevard (2 respondents) UTSA Boulevard at Babcock

Expand (North-South alternative needed). Expand (North-South alternative needed). Students walking without sidewalks. Turning into university park from northbound lane.

4) List any comments/concerns for transportation safety improvements in your area.

There are accidents weekly at the light on UTSA Boulevard and Valero Way. Speeding on UTSA Boulevard. Need sidewalks. Light synchronization. Don’t wait until development is complete to implement a walkable community. Keep bicycles off major roads. There is no east-west walk way from Babcock to Loop 1604. Babcock Road, north of Bamberger Park, leads to parks, but is dangerous to pedestrian and bike traffic. People should be able to get to the greenway trail safely from most directions.

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Table 2

List of Infrastructure Improvements Identified

Area of Interest

Identified Concern

A.

Use of easements for joint/use path

1. Two CPS Energy easements were identified as possible connectors to access commercial, theater and other businesses. a. Power line west of Bandera Road: would allow multiple neighborhoods safe access to O’Connor High School and Weinke Elementary School with only a short improvement to Leslie Road for connectivity b. Power line east of Bandera Road: Vicki Ordaz of Pool Concepts has been in discussion with Mr. Davidson and has communicated a willingness to allow access on the property for connectivity to Western Oak neighborhood; this could connect with the fitness trail Kamary Commons is putting in; connecting in this manner would provide safe off-road access to the Bandera Road/Loop 1604 commercial area for Bandera Springs Apartments, Bavarian Forest, Cedar Springs and all of Sonoma Ranch c. Power line to Helotes: it is possible to ride in the power line easement to Old Town Helotes if access is established 2. Lisa Enrico and Los Pedernales Roads: possible connection to access power line path; Lisa Enrico Road is already open to power line path, Los Pedernales is blocked by a welded gate by Sonoma Ranch 3. Pedrotti’s Northwind Ranch property at the end of Sonoma Parkway: possible access point to utility line path/possible trailhead/park if property owners would allow 4. Braun Road: adjacent drainage/utility easement could be made available for connectivity 5. Use French Creek drainage easement as a Creekway, similar to Leon Creekway

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B.

Roadway improvements

1. UTSA Boulevard is in need of bicycle and pedestrian facilities for the safety of students 2. Bamberger Way from Babcock Road to Kyle Seale Parkway: joint use path or at least bicycle facilities and sidewalks 3. Braun Road: sidewalks and bicycle facilities needed from Loop 1604 to Bandera Road 4. Hausman Road: needs pedestrian and bicycle facilities the entire length; this was a major concern at the workshop; public opinion from the meeting suggests the center turn lane is not needed or used substantially; participants of the workshop would like to see pedestrian and bicycle facilities rather than the turn lane 5. Hausman Road and Babcock Road: dangerous intersection; becomes a choke point because there are no other alternatives to using a car in the area 6. Sonoma Parkway from FM 1560 to Kyle Seale Parkway: better connectivity needed with bicycle facilities; could potentially take cyclists off Loop 1604 as well as connect to Garcia Middle School 7. FM 1560 at Loop 1604: safe crossing needed for children; Hausman Road/Loop 1604 intersection does not have pedestrian walkways on both sides of the road 8. Tezel Road: bike facilities needed from Bandera Road to Old Tezel Road

C.

Connectivity related to schools and businesses

1. Connectivity needed for local businesses such as the 11600 Bandera Road HEB so residents do not have to rely on their cars every time; pedestrian connectivity to Bandera Road/Loop 1604 commercial area behind Brae Ridge and Brae Valley is blocked by a wall, forcing residents onto Bandera Road; the evidence of use in spite of the wall can be seen by a well warn path leading to the neighborhoods 2. Crossings: for Stinson Middle School are not safe 3. Brandeis High School: signage is needed identifying where the school is; sidewalk and crossing improvements needed on Kyle Seale Parkway between high school and the John Igo Library; sidewalks along Hausman needed because high school kids frequent business on Hausman

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4. Hector Garcia Middle School on Kyle Seale is missing 50 yards of sidewalk to connect it to the stoplight, allowing children from the west side of Kyle Seale Parkway to access it via the crosswalk instead of by bus 5. S. Hausman should have sidewalk to connect neighborhoods to Steubing Elementary School, aquatics center and Dub Ferris Rd 6. Wall behind Silverado 14 should be opened in at least two places to allow pedestrians access to shopping area from wide grass strips/easements 7. Short sidewalk missing on Loop 1604 from Bandera Springs Apartments to Home Depot entrance; sidewalk in front of Bandera Springs Apartments is excellent 8. O’Connor High School: sidewalk gaps exist for surrounding area

D.

Parks & Recreation

1. Bamberger Park: joint use paths to connect major roads leading to park 2. Leon Creek and Bamberger Park: Live Fire range is along pathway and near park; safety for those in the park and along pathways is crucial; perhaps shorten the range; this was brought up as a concern with two groups 3. A major reason people move to the area is the close proximity to Leon Creek, Government Canyon and the Hill Country; would like to see more connectivity for active transportation to those amenities 4. French creek and unnamed creek in the boundary area: Hike and bike connectivity opportunity

E.

Miscellaneous

1. Residents would like to see sidewalks with setbacks and not adjacent to the streets. 2. Less variances for sidewalk construction 3. More access points within the area so the dependence on cars is reduced.

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F.

VIA Metropolitan Transit

1. Public transit access to John Igo Library 2. Transit stop at Loop 1604 and FM 1560: bad access because of slope; needs sidewalk 3. Transit stops are located in heavy traffic areas with little or no protection from motorists

G.

Municipality collaboration

Residents from Helotes and San Antonio are interested in connectivity in the area so they are not required to use a motorized vehicle to get to the movies, grocery stores and libraries

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By Chuck McCollough - Contributing Writer/Northwest Weekly

Robert Davidson wants to turn the clock back to a time when kids could safely walk or ride bikes anywhere they wanted to go in their community.

And he has a lot of company.

More than 50 Northwest and North Central residents joined Davidson at an Oct. 22 Walkable Community Workshop that looked for bike and pedestrian connections between neighborhoods in the general area along Loop 1604 between Bandera Road and Kyle Seale Parkway.

“I grew up riding a bike everywhere, and I want the same for my kids. But the area around our neighborhood is landlocked so we can ride bikes to the neighborhood pool but that's about it,” he said

If Davidson and his family try to ride to the nearby ice cream shop, movie theater or DVD rental business “we have to go on a road (Bandera) where the speed limit is 50 mph and there is a lot of traffic.”

Davidson, an avid bike rider and walker, lives in the Sonoma Ranch area north of Loop 1604 and between Kyle Seale Parkway and Hausman Road in City Council District 8.

Davidson looked for unofficial connections between subdivisions that could be used or were already being used by pedestrians and bike riders.

Those connections included utility easements and so called “goat trails” where pedestrians have worn down a path by walking through grass or fields.

“Mr. Davidson came to us and said he had an idea about how to connect neighborhoods,” said Lydia Kelly, Bicycle-Pedestrian Transportation Planner for the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).

Davidson's efforts and that of others allowed the MPO to call the Oct. 22 Walkable Community Workshop at John Igo Library.

The workshop gathered data and ideas that could lead to expanding walkable and bikeable connections to keep pedestrians and bike riders off busy streets, Kelly said.

District 8 Councilman Reed Williams was at the meeting to show support for bike and pedestrian safety.

“I am very interested in this (connectivity) idea for a number of reasons including the fact a friend of mine was killed while riding a bike on Loop 1604 about four or five years ago,” he said.

“You can never make people completely safe and they have to take personal responsibility for their safety as well, but over time we can improve the safety of areas they ride,” Williams said.

The councilman told those attending the workshop he was surprised to find little if any planning for pedestrian or bicycle access improvements in the 2007 city bond issue.

Reed said information gathered at the workshop could be useful in planning for and funding of pedestrian and bike safety improvements through future bond issue elections.

“There is a strong demand for pedestrian and bike safety improvements in District 8. There is a concentration around the (South Texas) Medical Center, UTSA and USAA of people who like to bike and walk places instead of drive and that helps push these issues,” the councilman explained.

At the workshop, people divided into groups and looked at maps of the areas where they live and used pens and markers to identify existing or potential connections between residential areas and commercial areas.

Dede Goethke lives in the Stinson Middle School area and attended the meeting to show support for improved walking and biking accessibility.

“My husband bikes to work 22 miles per day using the Leon Creek Greenway and our family supports better safety, less driving and more walking and biking,” she said.

Participants marked up the maps to show existing or potential connections between areas and shared that data with the rest of the workshop crowd.

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Among ideas put forth for improving pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity were:

• Multi-use paths along utility and drainage easements that connect with the Leon Creek Greenway system establishing a wide network.

• More sidewalks in and around O'Connor High School and a nearby elementary school and a crosswalk at Bandera Road and FM 1516 (Hausman Road).

• Better access to Brandeis High School with improved sidewalks and crosswalk.

• Bike lanes on Tezel Road from Bandera Road to Old Tezel Road.

• Bike lanes on Braun Road from Loop 1604 to Bandera Road.

• More sidewalks on Hausman Road.

• Having a physical barrier like a curb between a road and a multi-use path.

• Stripping a multi-use path (like a road) with separate lanes for bike riders and pedestrians.

The MPO will take the safety and connectivity ideas and produce a report in about a month. The report will be sent to all applicable jurisdictions such as San Antonio, Bexar County and Helotes for future planning.

For more information about pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility plans and ideas visit the MPO Web site www.sametroplan.org.

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Visual Concepts from the Workshop

Potential connectivity through existing easement Sidewalk connectivity needed to access businesses

Hausman Road westbound would be safer with bike lanes and sidewalks

Hausman Road eastbound would be safer with bike lanes and sidewalks

Connectivity opportunity for businesses Connectivity opportunity for businesses

Example of connectivity from neighborhood to school (Steubing Elementary School)

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