The vision of being able to safely ride a bicycle from one end of Beaumont to the other binds together the members of the Southeast Texas Hike and Bike Coalition.
And eventually, they want to go beyond Beaumont and link with surrounding communities. The Web site has a proposal for a trail from Beaumont to High Island.
"It's kind of a long shot," Bill Rawlinson of Beaumont, the coalition secretary, said of the Beaumont-High Island trail.
For now, the group's goal is to connect the north and south ends of Beaumont. A proposed path includes Delaware Avenue, Lucas Drive connecting to Harrison Avenue to South Fourth Street and Lucas connecting to Magnolia Avenue, according to a map of proposed bike paths.
"You should be able to ride a bike in Beaumont and ride across town safely," he added.
Officials from the city of Beaumont, Texas Department of Transportation, Drainage District 6, the South East Texas Regional Planning Commission and the bike coalition recently met about ways to help make Beaumont more "bike-friendly."
At least one improvement already has been made.
A resurfacing project on Texas 105 from Beaumont to Sour Lake provided an opportunity to paint in a bike lane. It should alleviate confusion at a spot where motorists usually use the shoulder to turn right, Janet Manley, Texas Department of Transportation transportation operations director in Beaumont, said.
"It's the little steps to see what we can do for them," Manley said.
Other requests were to consider using different materials for road shoulders and signage, she added.
Usually the shoulders seem smooth for cars but it's like riding through gravel for bikers, said Duane Browning, an area engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation.
Some problems, including ways to go over the Interstate 10 Neches River bridge, will take some work to figure out.
"I have concerns about people (biking riding) on the interstate at all," Browning said by phone.
In Port Arthur, a contract for a hike and bike trail in the middle of Thomas Boulevard from Houston Avenue to Woodworth Boulevard hopefully will be let in January, said Ross Blackketter, city engineer and assistant director of public works.
The 1.85 mile, 10-foot wide trail has been in and out of planning since 1995, when initial bids came in at three times the amount - $100,000 - budgeted for the project, Blackketter said by phone. It was tabled until more money was found several years ago.
"We'll have to see what the bids come in at," he said, noting the city now has about $425,000 to spend.
rappleye@beaumontenterprise.com
(409) 880-0727