Residents of The Woodlands are continuing to provide feedback and learn more about the township’s pedestrian and bicycle master plan. The design phase is expected to be complete in July.

The Woodlands Township held a public forum Jan. 19 to better inform residents of the master plan—designed by engineering firm Jones and Carter. The forum offered detailed maps of potential bike and pedestrian lanes running throughout The Woodlands villages as well as an overview of the plan’s main goals and objectives by Jones and Carter representatives.

John McGowan, assistant director of parks and recreation for The Woodlands Township, said more than 100 residents attended the forum to go over the details of the plan.

“The main goal of the [pedestrian and bicycle master plan] is to look at any improvements the township can make to bicycle lanes and running lanes while looking at the current status of the system,” McGowan said. “We want to see what other options are possible.”

At the forum, residents were given a form that included a list of objectives and goals the plan would accomplish, including maintaining connectivity and mobility; providing safety for people to walk or ride their bikes; identifying funding for maintaining the improvements that occur as a result of the plan; coordinating plan recommendations with officials on a local and county level; and establishing design guidelines that are in accordance with national standards.

David Hitchcock, a member of Bike the Woodlands Coalition, attended the forum and said he was pleased with the information given to residents.

“As a whole, I was pleased with the number of people who showed up as well as the participation of everyone,” Hitchcock said. “The consultants there also seemed to be very aware of the cycling opportunities in The Woodlands.”

George Mendes, also a member of Bike the Woodlands Coalition as well as part of the Township steering committee for the master plan, agreed with Hitchcock that the forum shed more light on proposed bike and pedestrian pathways.

“The purpose of the forum was to gather public input and ideas from people who live an active lifestyle,” Mendes said.

McGowan said with the engineering study expected to be finished in July, the township will then look at its budget and determine what projects will be possible for 2017.

To determine what residents want, the township has been getting feedback from residents in the area by hosting public meetings and offering an online survey on the township’s website that closed Jan. 31. The costs to implement proposed pedestrian or bicycle facilities in the plan have not yet been funded in a future township budget. However, with the plan in place the township could be eligible for grant funding.

The process to develop the plan is nearly halfway complete. There will be a final steering committee meeting held in May, and the plan is expected to be approved in July after additional community review.