Fourth Friday Luncheon Biking in Nacogdoches focus group and discussion

Fourth Friday Luncheon "Better Biking Begins with You"
News Release

ACTIONetwork, working with Texas Department of Transportation Lufkin District, will present the latest information for considering biking options in the community. The luncheon will include a time for feedback, because your input is needed!

Bonus! A lucky attendee wins $50 at the luncheon thanks to sponsor Commercial Bank of Texas. All Chamber members are included in the $250 drawing sponsored by Carr, Riggs & Ingram, but you must be present to win.

More about the presentation:
The TxDOT District Bicycle Plan is an opportunity to improve safety, connectivity, and access for people who bike in Texas, while supporting recreation, tourism, local mobility, and future project development across the state and in the Lufkin District.

Project Overview

• TxDOT’s on-system road network connects communities, regions, and destinations; the bicycle plan helps identify how biking can be better integrated into that state-managed system.
• The plan is intended to identify bicycling needs, evaluate where improvements would provide the greatest benefit, clarify the role of key routes, and guide future project development and investment decisions.
• The plan does not directly fund or program specific projects, but it creates a framework that can help TxDOT and local partners advance improvements when roadway projects, maintenance activities, or funding opportunities arise.

Lufkin District 

• The Lufkin District covers Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, and Trinity counties.
• The plan focuses on practical connections: safer shoulders, lower-stress routes through towns, better transitions between local streets and highways, and improved access to schools, parks, downtowns, trailheads, and civic destinations.

Public Engagement 

• Public input is essential because technical data alone cannot capture every barrier bicyclists experience on the road.
• The project team, led by Toole Design, is asking stakeholders to help identify specific roads that might feel unsafe, intersections that are difficult to navigate, areas with limited visibility, shoulder or pavement issues, and locations where bicycle access would improve community connectivity.
• The team is encouraging comments from both frequent cyclists and motorists regarding state roadways and trails.
• The upcoming presentation and interactive session with the Nacogdoches County Chamber of Commerce is an opportunity for participants to learn more about the project and to share insights.

TxDOT Website: please visit https://www.txdot.gov/projects/planning/bicycle-pedestrian-planning-designing/statewide-bicycle-analysis-district-bicycle-plan-pilot.html to learn more.

About Anish Tailor (pictured below left)
Anish is a planner at Toole Design with a unique background that blends complex economic data analysis, innovative community engagement strategies, and narrative storytelling to inform equitable urban planning and design strategies. After working as an international financial economist in Washington, DC for eight years, Anish switched his career to urban planning and obtained a master’s of Urban Planning and Policy from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Anish is passionate about creating places that are sustainable, both environmentally and economically, and foster health and well-being for all. His most recent previous work has focused on uplifting marginalized communities in environmental justice zones. Outside of work, Anish enjoys woodworking, learning choreography, attending live theater, and exploring cities on bike.

About Leigh Hornsby, Ph.D. (pictured below right)
Dr. Leigh Hornsby leads PIA in providing clients with customized, effective communications, public engagement, analysis, strategic planning, and project management services. In her more than 30 years of experience in strategic communications, Leigh has served as a public information officer, trainer, news director, anchor, reporter, and project manager.

Depending on the client’s needs and project scope, Leigh assembles a project team of PIA’s public outreach professionals to plan and implement strategic outreach efforts, data analysis, media relations, training, strategic planning, and project management. Leigh’s enthusiasm and attention to detail ensure that each client receives the exact combination of communication services they require.