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Heavy public outcry after mayor orders removal of Austin Street protected bike barriers
Summary
Hundreds of residents, cyclists and public-safety personnel told council removing concrete protections from Austin Street will reduce safety for cyclists, pedestrians and some vulnerable road users; others said debris and operational issues justify reexamination.
The Houston City Council heard strongly divided testimony April 1 after the mayor ordered removal of concrete barriers from the Austin Street protected bike lane, prompting sustained public comment from cyclists, residents and first responders about safety, debris and neighborhood impacts.
Supporters of protected lanes said the barriers provide a safe, continuous corridor for commuters and vulnerable pedestrians. “That lane and its physical protection saved my life,” said Derek Finchem, a Midtown resident who described a 2021 crash in which raised barriers slowed a vehicle that otherwise struck him head on. “Please restore the barriers,” Finchem told the council.
Cyclists and urban-transportation advocates argued removal…
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