Table 27: Critical Active Transportation Network Gap locations

Gaps Analysis

General Connectivity Gaps

There is a gap in site connectivity from the roadway network and planned trail network to key employment centers and community amenities/businesses like the Veterans Administration Hospital (VA), Temple College and Baylor Scott & White Medical Center. The bicycle and pedestrian facilities typically end at the public right-of-way, making the last hundred-foot connection to the 'front door' less comfortable for access. These are possibly private roadways.

Continuity between Park Trails and Planned On-Road Network

The planned connections for trails and on-street bicycle facilities do an excellent job of connecting the network, turning a set of park trails into part of the active transportation network (where it is feasible). Because these are planning level connections, there is yet to be precise plans for their location and design, specifically at intersections/crossings. The gaps identified in Table 27 are areas where existing trail crossings could use further engineering and safety analysis, or future crossings should be considered carefully for optimal location and design that balances safety with usability.

Table 27: Critical Active Transportation Network Gap locations

Location Notes

Trail crossing across 1st Street at Temple College Friar’s Creek Trail crossing across Canyon Creek Dr Hickory Rd and Midway Dr

Signalized, but could benefit from high visibility features, traffic calming or other safety improvements.

Marked, but could benefit from high visibility features.

Signalized, but could benefit from high visibility features.

While not a physical gap, it is also important to make sure there is not a knowledge gap of the network and where it can connect. It will be important for Temple to coordinate between the Transportation and Parks and Recreation groups to create a signage and wayfinding system to clearly sign, mark and map the linkages between the two systems for seamless integration.

Critical Roadway Network Gaps

The Active Transportation Demand Analysis highlights an area in Temple where the Active Transportation Demand scores high and there are very few continuous North/South and East/West connections across the grid. The railroad is a significant barrier in this area and is likely forcing additional traffic to the few through cross-streets. This reinforces the need for a balanced roadway approach to make sure active transportation modes are accommodated on the through streets. Locations of critical gaps are identified in Table 28.