City opens segment of Shoal Creek bikeway

The city has officially opened a two-mile segment of a two-way bikeway on Shoal Creek Boulevard between Shoalmont Road and Foster Lane. The city says the “landmark bikeway, constructed with numerous pedestrian improvements and a fully protected intersection at Foster Lane, has already produced safety benefits. According to a city speed study conducted recently, dangerous speeding (5 mph over the posted limit) is down 80 percent on the newly opened segment.” Chris Riley, president of Bike Austin, lauded the move, saying in a press release, “We’re one step closer to a city that gives people the choice to ride a bike safely to get nearly anywhere in the city. A lot of Austinites are choosing to get out of their car and onto a bike as a direct result of improvements like this.” Adam Greenfield, president of Walk Austin, pointed out that the bikeway improvements include something for everyone who uses the streets, including “more safe crossings, safer intersections, and better places for people to walk.” The full bikeway, funded through the 2016 mobility bond, is expected to be finished this summer.