Texts shed light on Whitmire's battle against Austin Street bike lane
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The former Austin Street bike lane has been behind barricades for months. Photo: Jay R. Jordan/Axios
Newly released text messages shed light on Mayor John Whitmire's fight against bike lanes and raise questions about the city's justification for removing one in Midtown earlier this year.
Why it matters: Mobility advocates say protected bike lanes are safer for riders and drivers, but Whitmire's transportation priorities center on relieving inner-city traffic congestion he says plagues drivers.
Driving the news: The texts were obtained through open records requests by Houston transportation advocacy group A Tale of Two Bridges and released this month.
Catch up quick: Houston Public Works closed the Austin Street bike lane from Holman to Gray streets in late March to make way for a drainage project along the corridor, city officials said.
- Once the work is complete, Austin Street will no longer have a protected bike lane running north and south but will instead have a paint-only bike lane for northbound cyclists, along with additional parking in place of the former bike lane.
The latest: There appears to be little progress on the drainage project. On Monday, only a small stretch between McGowen and Hadley streets, about 20% of the project's three-quarter-mile span, appeared under construction.
Flashback: Whitmire's appointed Public Works director, Randy Macchi, said at the time the project was not centered on removing the bike lane.
- "That is the result of what we're doing, but this is a drainage project," Macchi told reporters on April 2.
Yes, but: Whitmire said, "I'm resurrecting the fight against the 2-way bike lane on Austin St." to senior adviser Marlene Gafrick in 2024 before the bike lane was closed, per the texts.
- "BikeHouston, (Harris County Commissioner Rodney) Ellis and Planning Department leaders are bullies who have ignored the impact of the bikeways on the community," Whitmire texted. "This is not right, and it's time for change."
- Whitmire's office did not respond to a request for comment.
The other side: "There's no legitimate rationale for tearing up the Austin Street bikeway," BikeHouston executive director Joe Cutrufo tells Axios.
- "Mayor Whitmire ordered it to be ripped out, and now Public Works is scrambling to clean up his mess. This is what happens when you have a mayor who governs by fiat."
What they're saying: "We will continue to advocate for a world where our roads and our streets are safe for people on foot, on bike, or in their vehicles, without exception," Ellis, whose office funded nearly $2 million to build the Austin Street bike lane in 2020, tells Axios.
The big picture: Whitmire's administration has increasingly moved to reverse his predecessor's transportation policies, which focused on pedestrian and bicyclist safety.
- In the texts, Whitmire also talked about potentially removing bike lanes from 11th Street and Quitman Drive.
What's next: In a statement to Axios on Monday, Macchi said the drainage work — which will cost about $2.5 million — is scheduled to wrap up by October, barring any weather-related setbacks.
- He added the bike lane's conversion to shared-use markings will "help improve solid waste collection services and neighborhood parking."
Editor's note: This story has been corrected to show Austin Street will have a dedicated paint-only bike lane for northbound cyclists (not just markings to share the road with cars). Also, Marlene Gafrick is a senior adviser to Mayor John Whitmire (not director of Planning and Development).