Houston is coasting toward an approved, updated bike plan within a few weeks after an uphill climb and some changes in the past few months, though concerns remain that the plan pins the city to spend millions on bicycling to the detriment of other needs.

The bike plan identifies roughly $500 million in high-quality trails and lanes either parallel or on Houston streets, but commits no funding to any projects. The goal, supporters said, is to develop the trails and lanes needed so Houstonians can feel safe riding, whether to work, school or for recreation purposes.

Two Houston City Council committees -- transportation, technology and infrastructure and ethics elections and council governance – held a joint meeting Monday to discuss the plan. It could appear in front of City Council later this month, along with technical changes to city planning rules that add public involvement to adding bike lanes along streets and trails.

That was one of the critical parts of receiving support from some community groups, namely the Super Neighborhood Council.

“From our starting point a year ago, it now has the necessary provisions for public input and public engagement,” said Michael Huffmaster, incoming chairman of the Super Neighborhood Alliance.

Funding and the cost-effectiveness dominated the discussion, despite the plan’s lack of certainty on specific projects. Many council members and skeptics questioned the use of ReBuild Houston money. The program, funded by a controversial fee, was narrowly approved by voters to provide Houston funding for street and drainage improvements.

“When we voted for Rebuild Houston, that is not something we agreed to,” said Tamara Bell, who lives in MacGregor Park and active in community issues.

District D Councilman Dwight Boykins also repeatedly noted his concern that narrowing streets by adding bike lanes, leaving automobiles less room, would increase congestion in some neighborhoods.

Like Boykins, many of the skeptics of the plan’s specifics said they supported bicycling, but not at the expense of either slowing down or complicating traffic, or spending money to relieve congestion with improved or wider roads.

Bob Jones, a local engineer and longtime supporter of Rebuild, cautioned many of the bike lanes identified in the plan also assume funding will come from when streets are rebuilt, which will reduce how many streets Houston can improve.

“I’m not against a bike lane or bicycling, I just think someone needs to consider the cost, the full cost,” Jones said.

Some council members were less concerned with funding specifics, noting those decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis for each project after input from city departments and residents. The plan, District K Councilman Larry Green said, is meant to be "aspirational," using the Bayou Greenways program that combined public and private money as an example. The plan for trails along the bayous was supposed to be a 20-year plan, which was accelerated when philanthropic money poured in.

Funding for trails currently and in the future comes from a host of sources, ranging from federal and state grants, city public works funds, money controlled by management districts in the area and community groups.

ReBuild Houston allots money for both drainage and street repairs, which is often paired with other funds for total projects. In many cases, drainage money funds replacing sewer pipes, while other money is cobbled together – including from ReBuild – to rebuild streets, sidewalks and rights of way above the pipe.

Bicyclists, which have a legal right to the road, often argue street money is spent in a way to make traffic move faster, at the expense of their safety.

“We need bike paths,” Mitch Dickerson told council members. “I think they are absolutely necessary so I don’t have to ride my bike in fear.”