Biking The closest bicycle facility to TAMIU is located along Loop 20, which is a 3.73-mile shared use, off-street bikeway. As part of the Bob Bullock Loop upgrade, a separated bikeway will be built parallel to the highway and be extended farther south to close a key bicycle network gap (Figure 10). However, the highway expansion project may create more challenging crossing conditions and increase the number of conflict points between pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles. Walking The TAMIU campus core is a well-connected and compact pedestrian environment, with most of campus within a quarter-mile walk shed. As one moves out from the core, the pedestrian network is less connected and lacks basic amenities, such as sidewalks along University Boulevard loop. Large surface parking lots and more limited amenities, such as lighting and trees, reduce the walkability of the campus. As a result, parking lots at the edge, although within a short walk, are underutilized and affiliates complain about the lack of front-door parking access. The surrounding roadway infrastructure creates a high-stress and uncomfortable environment for walking. The 2020 Active Transportation Plan identified “feeling unsafe” as the primary reason Laredo residents do not travel by active transportation. At TAMIU, this sentiment is compounded by the “low” and “extremely low” street connectivity in the residential neighborhoods of nearby North Laredo, where much of the affiliate population lives. Wide roads with limited built frontage tend to make walking distances feel much bigger than they are. Especially in an area with wide roads and high-speed traffic between the Bob Bullock Loop and University Boulevard, TAMIU’s pedestrian network exhibits strong internal connections but very poor external connectivity. MINES RD. HWY 359 HILLSIDE SANTA MARIA SHILOH CLARK SAUNDERS MCPHERSON LOOP 20 LOOP 20 BARTLETT ARKANSAS MEADOW KILLAM JEFFERSON INTERNATIONAL DEL MAR CHICAGO SPRINGFIELD PARK FM 1472 BRISTOL WASHINGTON MILO TAYLOR DEL MAR SPRINGFIELD LYON I-69W JACAMAN I-35 ProPoSEd comPlEtE bicyclE nEtWorK MINES RD. HWY 359 HILLSIDE SANTA MARIA SHILOH LA PITA MANGANA EJIDO CLARK SAUNDERS MCPHERSON LOOP 20 LOOP 20 CUATRO LOMAS DEL SUR BARTLETT ARKANSAS VIENTOS WORMSER MEADOW JEFFERSON INTERNATIONAL DEL MAR PINE CHICAGO SPRINGFIELD PARK FM 1472 BRISTOL WASHINGTON MILO TAYLOR DEL MAR SPRINGFIELD LYON EJIDO I-69W JACAMAN Existing & Projected Network On‐Street Off‐Street Proposed Projects next 10yrs On‐Street Off‐Street Proposed Projects next 20yrs On‐Street Off‐Street Proposed Projects for Buildout On‐Street Off‐Street Once fully implemented, the network will consist of over 180 connected miles of on-street and comPlEtE nEtWorK Figure 10 Existing and Future Bicycle Network The TAMIU campus core is a well-connected and comfortable pedestrian environment. An on-street bicycle lane on University Boulevard has been identified in the Laredo and Webb County MPO 2020 Active Transportation Plan as a future project, slated for design and implementation in the next 20 years. TAMIU allows bicycling on its campus grounds but has no on-street bicycle lanes or dedicated facilities. The compact size and flat topography of the campus provide strong conditions for biking on campus. The lack of high visibility crossings and expansive parking lots, however, can create stressful conditions. TAMIU has numerous bicycle racks located outside its buildings, and in 2021 TAMIU unveiled a new bicycle repair and air station by the Kinesiology, Wellness, and Recreation Center. TAMIU Recreational Sports hosts multiple bike rides each month to trails across the county. Ridership analysis conducted by the Laredo and Webb County MPO revealed 830 bicycle boardings on El Metro Route 16 in 2019, averaging 17 boardings on a weekly basis. This data suggests that some TAMIU transit commuters carry their bicycles with them from home to campus. TAMIU 68 Texas A&M International University A/ APPENDIX
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