If there’s a sportsman to represent the city of Austin, it will be Lance Edward Armstrong. Although Armstrong was born in the Dallas part of Texas, he made Austin his home for many years. And since he was a professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France seven times, it is just apt that a bikeway project for Austin city is named after him.
The Lance Armstrong Bikeway Project is a continuous bicycling route that stretches for six miles and was designed to link Austin from east to west. The idea for its construction began in 1999 and this was proposed by Austinite cyclist and activist, Mr. Eric Anderson. The plans for this bikeway are for it to extend from Lake Austin Blvd. on the west side of the town to the Montopolis Bridge on the eastern part of the metropolis. This bike path is designed with combination of various concrete trails off-street and on-street striped and signed bike routes and lanes. The design and engineering services for this bikeway project was given to the Wilbur Smith Associates by the Council on December 14, 2000.
The placement for this bikeway for the city was seen as an advantage. With another biking route, there will be an expected increase in the bicycling community. It will help achieve the city’s goal to manage traffic congestion by giving city residents another means for them to safely commute. It will also help enhance the vitality and health of many of its city residents.