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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, In recent years, the City of Brownsville has carried |
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out an innovative program to promote bicycling, and in so doing, the |
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city has become a well-known center for this healthy and |
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environmentally friendly activity; and |
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WHEREAS, Originally started as a way to promote exercise |
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among the city's residents and to combat obesity and diabetes, this |
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unique effort has helped to make bicycling an important part of |
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recreation and tourism in Brownsville as well as a more viable form |
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of local transportation; and |
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WHEREAS, The city has passed a number of ordinances to make |
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the community more bicycle friendly, and it has created 64 miles of |
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bicycle trails and on-street bike routes, including the Historic |
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Battlefield Trail; designated as a National Recreational Trail by |
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the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2013, this nine-mile route |
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runs through the heart of the city and ends at the Palo Alto |
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Battlefield National Historic Park, the site of the first clash in |
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the Mexican-American War; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2012, Brownsville has also sponsored several |
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CycloBia events; during these gatherings, certain streets are |
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closed to motor vehicles, and as many as 10,000 bicyclists, |
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runners, and walkers turn out to enjoy the less congested roadways; |
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moreover, the city has partnered with volunteers to create the |
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Brownsville Bicycle Barn, which offers residents lessons in bike |
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safety and maintenance, and the Earn-a-Bike Program, which allows |
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people of all ages to receive a bike in exchange for completing 25 |
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hours of community service; and |
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WHEREAS, The city has benefited from the growth of private |
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groups of bike enthusiasts as well, including the Velociraptors |
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Cycling Team, the Brownsville Bike Brigade, and the Brownsville |
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River Rockets Cycling Club; in addition, four locally owned bicycle |
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shops operate in Brownsville; and |
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WHEREAS, To build on the success of its efforts, the city has |
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adopted a bicycle and trail master plan, Connecting Brownsville, to |
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create a network of bicycle and pedestrian routes and other |
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facilities that will enable bicyclists and walkers to travel |
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throughout Brownsville; future plans include the development of new |
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trails, extensions and improvements to current bike routes, and the |
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installation of more bike racks around the city; Brownsville's |
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efforts have already earned it recognition as an All-America City |
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by the National League of Cities, as well as a Culture of Health |
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Prize from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation; and |
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WHEREAS, By successfully promoting bicycling, Brownsville |
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has become a model for other Texas communities, attracting |
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additional visitors to the region and encouraging a fun, |
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beneficial, and sustainable way of life for its residents; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the 84th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby designate Brownsville as the official Bicycling Capital of |
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the Rio Grande Valley; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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until the 10th anniversary of its designation. |