City Council hears presentation from TxDOT about IH-35 Improvements

City council heard a presentation about improvements to the IH-35 corridor through San Marcos during Tuesday night's (11/15/2016) regular meeting. Prior to the TxDOT presentation Sherwood Bishop presented the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance's proposed Cross Town trail connection.  The SMGA board authorized its president, Mark Taylor, to send the following correspondence to the Mayor, Council, City Manager and Planning Staff outlining a preferred 'connection' between our neighborhoods and promote travel, not just by automobile and motorized vehicle, but also pedestrian and bicycle traffic.

San Marcos River at Ramon Lucio Park would connect to the Eastside of the city.

November 14, 2016

Dear Mayor Guerrero and Council Members :

I am writing on behalf of the San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance (SMGA) to express support for a bicycle-pedestrian trail connection under the IH-35 main lanes and access roads as part of TXDOT's planned improvements to the State Highway 123/IH-35 intersection area. SMGA understands that TXDOT's planning for this project may prioritize other aspects of the project at the expense of a properly located and well-designed trail connection.

The importance of this trail connection cannot be oversta ted. It is at the center of our community; it will serve to connect areas of the city that are otherwise separated by an extremely busy highway; without it, bicycle-pedestrian transit of the interstate will be funneled to busy overpasses where TXDOT is attempting to address motor vehicle congestion; the planned elevation of the access roads will allow this trail connection to be grade- separ ated from traffic both on IH-35 and the access roads.

This trail connection is shown on the trail system map being prepared as part of the Greenways Master Plan. SMGA anticipates this will be among the most heavily used sections of the city's trail system. SMGA regards this trail connection as critically important to connecting everyone in our community, strengthening neighborhoods and businesses, and drawing visitors and new residents. If properly located and designed, it will enhance our quality of life as San Marcos continues to grow.

We would like to express our appreciation to Jared Miller and Laurie Moyer for their assistance in providing input to TXDOT on the importance of this trail connection. We respectfully ask for your support for this effort.

Thank you for your consideration of SMGA's position.


Sincerely,

Mark B. Taylor

San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance, President


Cc: Jared Miller, Laurie Moyer, Rodney Cobb, Shannon Mattingly