A beloved Benbrook Lake bike trail will no longer close in October, after community members pushed back on a plan by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to reduce cyclist access to South Holiday Park.
Instead, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will let the trail remain open until Jan. 1, 2024, according to a spokesperson.
The Corps and cyclists community members met Aug. 18 to discuss the future of cyclists’ access to the camping section of the lake in Southwest Tarrant County.
The two groups planned the meeting after the Corps received backlash from the cyclist community over its initial closure plans. The closure was planned to go into effect on Oct. 1.
The local dispute has gotten the attention of the city of Fort Worth and U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth.
An official from the city of Fort Worth, a Granger staff member and former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price — known for her love of cycling — attended the meeting, said Richard Bumgardner, spokesperson for the Corps’ Fort Worth district.
Also in attendance was Stacey Pierce, executive director of Streams and Valleys. She said the groups gathered at the meeting agreed there is a need for new roads and trails for the two parks, Pierce said. Streams and Valleys wants to begin talks for possible funding for updating the park.
Craig Roshaven, a Fort Worth Bicycling Association member, felt optimistic after the meeting.
Cyclist community leaders and the Corps will work together to find a solution to maintain safety while allowing cyclists to continue to use South Holiday Park, Roshaven said.
“Ultimately, for us, it’s about safety. We don’t want a group of bicyclists going around a blind curve and getting hit by an RV,” Bumgardner said.
Delaying the trail closure gives the two parties more time to find an alternative plan, according to the Corps.
“Fort Worth is really committed to being a bike-friendly city; that’s part of our identity,” Roshaven said. “I think we made really good progress toward doing that today.”
Juan Salinas II is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at juan.salinas@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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