Bicycling advocates - fresh off finalizing a plan for Houston's bike future - face the challenge of getting formal city approval of their ideas as they incrementally piece together what could be a $500 million investment.

Changing attitudes, however, have proponents optimistic that most if not all of the 1,800 miles of bike lanes, trails and shared use paths will be built in the next decade.

"We are starting to get the right people in the room," said Geoff Carleton, who consulted on the bike plan and spoke Monday before City Council's transportation, technology and infrastructure committee. "Those conversations are taking place from Metro about transit accessibility, and the city when it designs a street is asking the right questions about the best way to use it. ... those things are happening much more now."

If fully built, the bike lanes and trails would provide an alternative to driving that's not easily available to most Houstoninans for trips ranging from workday commutes to visiting a park on weekends. Moreso, supporters said, it will signal an important shift in the city's commitment to keeping riders safe, lowering dependence on automobiles and reducing vehicle emissions.

"There is growing recognition that we need to rethink our mobility paradigm," Houston Planning Department Director Patrick Walsh said.

City Council members on Monday praised the plan as reflective of the city's need to add mobility options other than driving.

"I think that is a really important direction we are going in," at-large councilman David Robinson said.

Debuted in February, the Houston Bike Plan was altered and finalized this month after nearly 150 public meetings and events. After receiving a deluge of public reaction, officials added 133 more miles of bike trails or shared use paths to the long-term plan. Eventually, city planners and advocates hope for 1,789 miles of bike-friendly paths and trails, including 668 miles separated from automobile traffic.

Explore Houston's Bikeways Map

The interactive Bikeways Map shows the city's existing bikeway network and long term vision for bikeways in Houston.Click here for the full version.

Citywide, Walsh said the public response to the plan led analysts to believe there is a small, committed group of established, frequent riders, about 3 percent of the population. Another 7 percent are engaged and confident to ride most places.

The vast majority of Houston residents, however, fall in two camps: About 20 to 30 percent who have no interest in cycling and will not ride, and 60 to 70 percent who are, Walsh said, "interested and concerned."

Tapping into those riders, by developing a better network that makes riders feel safer, is the goal.

Shifting Gears

Walsh, who led the bike plan efforts, said the next step will be to seek formal approval from the City Council in July, and make minor changes to the city ordinances to better incorporate the plan.

The changes would build on policies already favored by Mayor Sylvester Turner, including a focus on considering all users in street redesigns, such as pedestrians and the disabled.

The city infrastructure design manual, used by Houston Public Works to guide how streets are rebuilt or required to be improved, will be expanded to include an entire chapter on bicycling amenities, allowing for increased flexibility and use of separated paths and other options, officials said.

Even more changes could be needed to encourage cycling, City Council members said Monday, echoing Turner's push for more mobility options. In some cases, improvements can be made by eliminating certain hurdles.

District E Councilman David Martin, who represents the Kingwood area, said community groups that installed trails in Kingwood pay the city's drainage fee because they created an impervious surface.

"If we are going to do this the right way, and reflect our visions and goals, then I think we need to change it so they are not subject to the drainage fee," Martin said.

Large Investment

Accomplishing all of the plan, however, will take a large investment over the next 20 years, estimated at more than $550 million based on the highest cost projects. Funding for the projects could come from the city's street money, its share of Metropolitan Transit Authority's 1 percent sales tax and state and federal dollars that can be spent on city infrastructure projects. Houston has trailed some of its peer cities in securing federal funds related to bicycle and pedestrian improvements.

Despite the price tag, the plan has support from a host of local groups, including Bike Houston and various neighborhood groups and Houston Parks Board. Compared to billions in highway spending - a plan to widen Interstate 45 alone is estimated to cost $7 billion - the investment in better bike lanes is minimal, when incorporated into other road improvements and trail enhancements.

"The more we can do to connect residents to green spaces, the better," said Carter Stern, a parks board member and executive director of Houston Bike Share.

Few people in the city now have adequate cycling conditions, supporters of more investment say. Based on the analysis used for the bike plan, 38 percent of the city's residents are within a half-mile of a usable, so-called "high-quality," bike system.

Projects currently planned would increase that to 52 percent of the city's 2 million residents, adding 134 miles to the 270 miles of mostly trails that exist today.

Various Uses

Focusing on better connections, a first round of projects - estimated to cost $27 million to $51 million - could increase the amount of residents within a half-mile to 80 percent. Construction of all the bike plan's projects would cover 97 percent of residents.

Increased cycling is already happening, officials said. Recreational and leisure use has led to a 100 percent increase in bikes brought aboard Metropolitan Transit Authority buses and trains from 2011 to 2015, said Luis Guajardo, a Metro transit planner.

"What we have found in our data and reporting is bicycles are a necessity and not a luxury item," Guajardo said. "That makes the bike plan even more important."