Houston cyclists plead next mayor for more bike lanes: 'We're demanding safety improvements'

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A group of cycling advocates in Houston is asking the city's next mayor to make roads safer for people who commute via bicycles.

BikeHouston held a rally on Houston Avenue Tuesday night to urge leaders to add more bike lanes in the city as a way to make things safer for both cyclists and motorists.

"Safe streets save lives," BikeHouston Executive Director Joe Cutrufo said. "We're demanding safety improvements on Houston Avenue and all of our dangerous streets in the city."

Data acquired by ABC13 shows 13 cyclists have died in accidents in Houston and Harris County in 2023, and the most recent example happened in the 1600 block of Houston Avenue in November.

Construction is currently taking place on that street to make things safer for pedestrians, but none of the improvements are aimed at cyclists.

The construction is taking place from Memorial Drive to Center Street and will include features like a new median and improved markings for driving lanes.

The section of Houston Avenue where that cyclist was killed last month is outside of the construction zone.

The approximately $100,000 project is being funded through the office of District H Councilwoman Karla Cisneros.

She was at Tuesday night's BikeHouston demonstration supporting their cause, but her office sent a statement explaining why this current project doesn't include anything for cyclists.

"Councilmember Cisneros also acknowledges that a whole lot more needs to be done to make all roads safer for all users throughout the City of Houston," it read in part.

The City of Houston's Public Works department added, "The scope of this project was too small to incorporate all desired long-term outcomes, including dedicated bike facilities."

The public works department did say this area is a priority for bike safety improvements, but those won't be taking place right now.

The current construction project on Houston Avenue started last month and is expected to be completed by the middle of this month, according to a spokesperson from the public works department.

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