The regional agency that plans roads for Bryan and College Station is studying major changes to South College Avenue and University Drive near Texas A&M, including ways to move pedestrians and cyclists up and over, or down and under, car traffic. It has scheduled a public meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 10, to collect comments.
Daniel Rudge, executive director of the Bryan/College Station Metropolitan Planning Organization, presented the options Wednesday to the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce's transportation committee, KBTX reported. He told the group the agency worries about deadly collisions among cyclists, walkers and vehicles on University Drive.
"It's also an opportunity that the University and the local government, City of Bryan, City of College Station, are all interested in doing something transformative along University Drive," Rudge said, according to KBTX.
What is being studied
The corridors are University Drive, which is FM 60, and College Avenue, which is Spur 308, according to a College Station City Council Transportation and Mobility Committee agenda that listed Rudge's Oct. 20 briefing on the "Complete Streets Project" for the two roads.
Among the ideas are grade separations, meaning pedestrian and bicycle crossings built as bridges or underpasses so they do not share the roadway with cars. KBTX reported the estimated cost at $200 million. No design has been chosen, and the work remains in the planning stage.
Who would pay
Rudge said the agency is not counting on funding from the MPO itself, from Bryan or College Station, or from TxDOT, the state's highway department. He said consultants are now working on the study's last phase, a plan for how the projects could be financed.
MPO records show the Complete Streets Plan contract was signed in March on a 12-month schedule. An update on the plan is on the staff report for the MPO Policy Board's next meeting, Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 9:30 a.m. at the Brazos Transit District, 2117 Nuches Lane in Bryan.
