frequently asked questions
People rightfully have lots of questions about bike lanes and biking in Houston. And unfortunately, the amount of misinformation around these difficult questions makes it even harder to understand what is going on.
Here answers to questions we commonly hear and myths we’re hoping to bust. Don’t see your question here? Want to know more about a specific topic? Reach out to info@bikehouston.org to learn more.
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It depends on the situation. In some cases, roads were made very wide in anticipation of development and motor vehicle traffic that never materialized. In addition, the primary determinant of travel times is the wait times at traffic signals. In some cases, queueing space at intersections can be preserved and there the effect of bike lanes between traffic signals is insignificant.
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Bike lanes don’t back up like car lanes do. You might not be seeing people using the bike lane because how efficiently they move people through an area.
You might also not be seeing people using the bike lane because many of Houston’s bike lanes aren’t yet connected to parks , grocery stores, schools and other parts of the bike network. When there are gaps, many choose not to ride on these destination-less lanes when the gaps are unsafe. After the bike lane network expands and the gaps are gone, the people will come.
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One simple road diet feature can actually improve response times: the two-way, left-turn lane. Road diets can significantly improve response times by allowing emergency vehicles to bypass traffic by using the two-way, left-turn lane.
Link is broke, fed govt has been altering resouce (https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/road_diets/resources/pdf/fhwasa17020.pdf)
Because each project is unique, the design and approval process includes a review by the fire department
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Business owners constantly overestimate the share of customers arriving by car and underestimate how many walk, bike, and use transit. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-12-08/for-store-owners-bike-lanes-boost-the-bottom-line
"Bike lanes have been found to boost local sales across San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneapolis and other U.S. cities with several studies confirming their impact."
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The short answer is: yes.
Outside of areas defined as “business districts”, you are allowed to ride on Houston sidewalks. From a practical standpoint, if you are weaving in and out of a lot of pedestrians, you ought to stay off that sidewalk. If no one is around, you are unlikely o get in trouble, but remember that turning motorists aren’t looking for fast-moving objects on sidewalks, so stay very alert and ready to stop. (If you want to get into the legal nitty-gritty then see Houston Ordinances Sec. 45-302).