Main Street Bicycle & Pedestrian Trail Enhancement

Main Street, which is also State Highway 95, is a busy thoroughfare that essentially divides the City of Taylor in two – connecting both sides of the city to key destinations like the historic downtown area, retail centers, parks, churches, schools, and city hall. Because a large majority of Main Street lacked safe and accessible pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure, KSA was hired to design concrete sidewalks, curb ramps, retaining walls, driveways, and drainage structures along Main Street and Lake Drive utilizing a grant from TxDOT’s Transportation Enhancement Program.

Before design began, we made several site visits and took plenty of pictures to get a clear understanding of the scope of the project and our client’s vision. We also conducted a topographic survey to solidify our understanding of the existing features and topography within the right-of-way. Because the 12,500 linear foot sidewalk was designed to accommodate both pedestrians and bicycles, we designed it with a general width between 8 and 10 feet. This was challenging to accomplish in such a developed right-of-way, so we designed unique sidewalk cross sections that incorporated retaining walks, toe walls, elevated sections, and storm sewer piping. We also had to coordinate effectively with TxDOT and utility companies to ensure compatibility with the existing utilities, driveways, and drainage structures.
 
KSA has provided municipal engineering solutions for the City of Taylor for many years. This project, like the others, is successful because it meets the needs of the city. It was completed within the timeline and budget allotted.  Since this was a high-profile project within the city, the KSA team prepared exhibits and presented at multiple public meetings throughout the project’s design.