Background on the Bee Cave Hike and Bike Connectivity Plan

The Bee Cave Hike & Bike Connectivity Plan, adopted by City Council in November 2016, is a guide to provide a safe, convenient, and functional transportation network throughout the City to satisfy regular travel and recreational needs for pedestrians and cyclists.  The network is loosely configured as a hub and spoke system with a concentration of multi-use pathways in ‘town center’—i.e. the Hill Country Galleria; the Shops at the Galleria; and the area identified in the City’s Comprehensive Plan as the “Recreational Entertainment District,” generally positioned west of RR 620, south of Bee Cave Parkway, and north of Little Barton Creek (inclusive of the forthcoming Village at Spanish Oaks project)—and ‘spokes’ out to the majority of residential neighborhoods, most of which were built with their own network of sidewalks.

The Connectivity Plan was most recently amended in April 2021.

Transportation Alternatives Grant

On December 2, 2022, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced a statewide Call for Projects for Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA) Program funding.  The TA program provides funding to plan for and construct a variety of alternative transportation projects that improve safety and mobility for non-motorized travelers and mitigate congestion by providing safe alternatives to motor vehicle transport.  Through TxDOT’s 2023 TA Call for Projects, the department will select projects for recommendation to the Texas Transportation Commission (commission) for current TA funds associated with available FY 2022-FY 2023 and anticipated FY 2024-FY 2025 federal appropriations under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), totaling approximately $250 million.            

This Call for Projects features a two-step application process.  The Preliminary Application (Step 1) provides high-level proposed project information to determine eligibility and funding opportunities.  Following successful completion of Step 1, a Detailed Application (Step 2) provides more comprehensive project information. This two-step approach is intended to enhance the quality of project applications and to foster communication between prospective project sponsors and TxDOT District staff.  Both steps must be completed in order for a project to be considered for funding under this program call.

TxDOT’s 2023 TA Program Guide and Preliminary Application (Step 1) are available on the department’s website at: http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/public-transportation/bicycle-pedestrian.html.  TxDOT’s 2023 TA Program Guide includes detailed information about eligibility requirements, specific procedures applicable to this Call for Projects, evaluation criteria, a map of the department’s district offices, a list of the District TA Coordinators, and a list of virtual workshop dates for prospective project sponsors.  The completed Preliminary Application must be received by TxDOT, via Box.com as outlined in the preliminary application instructions, no later than 5:00 p.m., CDT, on Friday, January 27, 2023. The Detailed Application (Step 2) will be posted on TxDOT’s webpage on or about March 27, 2023.

The Connectivity Plan was last updated in April 2021, ahead of and anticipation of discussions related to the City's current Capital Improvement Plan FY21-22 to FY 25-26, adopted in October 2021, which includes pedestrian related projects.  During the course of Council discussions related to the CIP and, in July 2022, with the adopted of Ordinance 480 related to the Pearl project, there were some shifts in prioritization and direction related to pedestrian bridges.  More specifically:

1) Council shifted the 'priority pedestrian bridge' from east of RR 620 between the Hill Country Galleria and Shops at the Galleria in the vicinity of 13001 SH 71 (aka the "Old Backyard" music venue) to approximately 1,600 feet west of RR 620 to cross between the forthcoming Village of Spanish Oaks and 13308 SH 71, (aka the City-owned "Revival tract" and forthcoming southern vehicular entrance to Bee Cave Central Park).  Two of the purposes of this amendment are to reflect this new above-grade crossing (See Label "A1" in attached "Proposed Changes" graphic), while simultaneously removing the on-grade crossing currently shown a few hundred feat to the east (See Label "A2").  

While still recognizing the need to improve pedestrian safety across SH 71 east of RR 620, Council discussed leaving the decision of a bridge in the original location versus a grade-level improvement at the intersection of SH 71 and Cross-Town Parkway to be determined at a future point in time, dependent on availability of funds TBD.  One of the purposes of this amendment is to provide the flexibility of the type of improved pedestrian crossing in this vicinity to on-grade OR above-grade. ("B")

2)  In its CIP discussion, Council earmarked funds for a second bridge, location TBD.  With the adoption of the Pearl PDD Ordinance 480 in July 2022, that second location was solidified as being just north of the intersection of RR 620 and Bee Cave Pkwy.  Two of the purposes of this amendment are to delete the on-grade crossing ("C1") and  insert an above grade crossing north of the intersection ("C2").    Furthermore, Ordinance 480 amended the pedestrian plan of the preceding project to include a pedestrian path along its entire frontage on Bee Cave Pkwy.  One of the purposes of this amendment is to fill in this gap. ("D")

Unrelated to the prompts above, but to reflect reality, the last proposed amendment is the addition of an on-grade pedestrian crossing  to the intersection of Bee Cave Pkwy and Willie Way, as it is part of the required infrastructure improvements in the Back Yard Site Plan. ("E")

Changes C2 and D are critical for the City to be competitive in its request to TxDOT for Transportation Alternative Funding; the scope of Bee Cave's application, which is still being prepared, includes the RR 620 pedestrian bridge, and several segments of path along Bee Cave Parkway, Tordera, and 2244 identified in the CIP--for a total of approximately $10 million.