In late October, the city of San Marcos began a construction project on North LBJ Drive that is one of many that could potentially transform the way drivers, pedestrians and cyclists navigate San Marcos.

The city is also in the midst of discussions about an ordinance that would guide the way roads in San Marcos are designed and built.

Matthew Lewis, director of planning and development services, said the ordinance comes just in time for the city's update to its Transportation Master Plan. The ordinance would force the city to analyze the feasibility of including Complete Streets principles such as sidewalks, bike lanes and pedestrian lighting when building new roads and reconstructing old ones, he said.

"It's not about cars versus pedestrians and pedestrians versus bicyclists and bicyclists versus cars," Lewis said. "It's more about providing diverse opportunities for people to choose modes of transportation."

The ordinance would not be applicable to interstates or projects that would have a disproportionate cost or do not have need for Complete Streets elements such as bike lanes and sidewalks.

The city's SmartCode, adopted in 2011, guides development downtown and already requires Complete Streets principles. Lewis said many of the city's current projects adhere to Complete Streets principles.

Hutchison Street is becoming more in line with Complete Streets principles, Lewis said. Construction on that project has been ongoing since 2012. When completed, the street will include wide sidewalks, pedestrian-scale lighting, street furniture and on-street parking. The first phase of the project, which included relocation of electric utilities underground as well as on-street parking, was completed in early November.

In situations where right of way is not available, such as the current project to reconstruct North LBJ Drive, the city is looking to tighten driving lanes. Most lanes in San Marcos are 12 to 14 feet wide, but city staff are looking to narrow them to 10.5 feet or 11 feet, Lewis said.

"We've built our streets so large that narrowing them down and redefining the space with the existing space you have usually works really well," he said.

The city's budget may not always allow for all the elements of Complete Streets in routine maintenance of a roadway, but city staff would evaluate the feasibility of adding those elements and search for additional funding that would allow for creation of a full Complete Street, Lewis said.

"If the project is a new construction or a full reconstruction of a street, then we'll be doing it as a Complete Street," Lewis said.