Cyclists expand input for Texas Education Trail creation
Remember those tranquil days of our youth, riding our bicycles, no gears, probably no helmet, maybe through our neighborhood (and beyond), or maybe a paper route? We’ve formed a new bicycle trail committee in the Texas Hill Country local area that has far more targeted goals and practical function.
Ben Eldredge, Pam Hodges and I (Nolan Kuehn) were on the spin-off sub-group of the Kendall County/Boerne/Fair Oaks Ranch Transportation Committee. Our single charge of this group was to develop a county-wide bicycle plan; in this case, Kendall County.
We started our work in January 2022 and completed it last fall. The overall transportation plan now rests in the hands of the Kendall County Judge and the two mayors.
We recognized a continued need for development of bicycle trails in the area, some of which were noted in the report. Our hope is that these noted trails will eventually become part of an overall bicycle trail network in the Hill Country of Texas – and become the envy of the nation.
Look what San Antonio has done with the Linear Greenway Trail System, named after former Mayor Howard Peak. Over 100 miles of paved trails in the city, and widely touted for its progressive approach to transportation and recreational needs.
My interest was in a paved, multi-purpose trail coming from the 118-acre Lemon Creek Ranch development into Fair Oaks Ranch on the Bexar County side of Balcones Creek. With the opening of the new H-E-B in the first quarter of 2024, I felt it incumbent that a safe passage to H-E-B be developed.
We expressed interest in a trail that would go from this same development to the proposed new Alamo Colleges campus on the west side of I-10. This focus on education grew, as we learned of the new Boerne ISD elementary school (the eighth in the district) under construction in the Corley Farms subdivision on Scenic Loop.
We then decided to focus on the trail to the Alamo Colleges campus as a first step, because we felt it was more salable than the next phase, which would bring a trail into Fair Oaks Ranch.
This education emphasis, however, caused me to react to the word “education.” (Hint: My wife was an educator).
We are now saying this trail shall be hereby known as the Texas Education Trail. It is succinct, it speaks to education, it speaks to safety, and mom and pop will take note. A Boerne BISD Board representative loves the name.
Now, let’s get to the make-up of our committee: We feel that this should be a Bexar County project, so there is Bexar County representation. The Lemon Creek developer is a Fair Oaks Ranch resident; he will be on the committee. Several other Fair Oaks residents will serve, as well.
Alamo Colleges will have a vice chancellor as their representative. H-E-B will have a public affairs employee to act on its behalf on the committee. I’ve also asked an individual well-respected and well-connected in the bicycling community to be a contributor to our efforts.
Ben Eldredge from Boerne will chair this committee as he did for the aforementioned spin-off sub-group.
Pam Hodges, also from the Boerne area, is an expert on water -- water districts, rights, conservation, etc. I remember her first words on our previous team: Put bicycle trails on the estuaries, the waterways; they’re in a flood plain. Good words to follow.
I’m excited about the committee that we have put together. We come from diverse backgrounds, we have different interests, and we’ll have a common transportation goal of getting to an educational facility in a safe fashion and a safe mode.
The committee’s first organizational, goal-setting session will be at 1:30 p.m. October 5 in the Fair Oaks Ranch City Hall complex off Dietz-Elkhorn and Chartwell Street. I’ll make public the results of this first meeting.
For details, call 210-3552645 or send an email to: [email protected].
Nolan Kuehn, a Fair Oaks Ranch resident, is a member of the new Bicycle Trail Committee.
Out for a leisurely ride through Fair Oaks Ranch are (from left) Karen Chin, Stefanie Johnson-Sykes, Rick Pozos and Lee Wheeler. Star photo by Jeff B. Flinn.
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