AUSTIN, Texas \u2013 A Texas Department of Transportation commission approved nearly $285 million worth of bicycle and pedestrian-centered infrastructure projects across the state this week.<\/p>\n
The commission\u2019s funding allocation to 73 projects comes the same week a TxDOT report<\/a> suggesting the state agency in charge of building massive highways and overpasses provide a boost to public transportation in rural and smaller urban areas.<\/p>\n The revelation, described by The Texas Tribune as \u201ca stunning acknowledgment in car-dominant Texas,\u201d comes from a first-of-its-kind plan released in October. <\/p>\n All of the projects \u2014 including at least 10 across the San Antonio metropolitan area \u2014 plan to tackle transit and pedestrian-related issues.<\/p>\n Where does the funding come from?<\/p>\n The projects sought funds from the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program, which is specifically designed to support local bicycle and pedestrian-focused projects across Texas, according to TxDOT.<\/p>\n The transit agency separates the projects by service district, which is why some of the projects \u2014 ranging from exploring a hike and bike connectivity plan in Castle Hills to sidewalk infrastructure in Uvalde and Hondo \u2014 are presented across the region. Due to this distinction, 12 counties comprise the San Antonio district.<\/p>\n All of the projects seeking TA funding are broken down into the following categories:<\/p>\n Community-based \u2013 Sidewalks, bike lanes, shared-use paths<\/p>\n Large scale \u2013 Bike\/pedestrian bridges, regional trails, multimodal hubs<\/p>\n Network enhancing \u2013 Upgrade crossing, upgrade bike lane, bike share<\/p>\n Non-infrastructure \u2013 Safe Routes to School plans, safety action plans<\/p>\n TxDOT\u2019s Thursday afternoon news release announcing the funding does not explicitly state which projects had their funding approved.<\/p>\n