89R9474 KRT-D
 
  By: Gámez H.C.R. No. 116
 
 
 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
         WHEREAS, The City of Brownsville has carried out an
  innovative program to promote bicycling, and in so doing, the city
  has become a well-known center for this healthy and environmentally
  friendly activity; and
         WHEREAS, Originally started as a way to promote exercise
  among the city's residents and to combat obesity and diabetes, this
  unique effort has helped to make bicycling an important part of
  recreation and tourism in Brownsville as well as a more viable form
  of local transportation; and
         WHEREAS, The city has passed a number of ordinances to make
  the community more bicycle friendly, and it has created an
  extensive system of bicycle trails and on-street bike routes,
  including the Historic Battlefield Trail; designated as a National
  Recreational Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2013,
  this nine mile route runs through the heart of the city and ends at
  the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park, the site of the
  first clash in the Mexican-American War; and
         WHEREAS, Since 2012, Brownsville has also regularly
  sponsored CycloBia events; during these gatherings, certain
  streets are closed to motor vehicles, and a multitude of
  bicyclists, runners, and walkers turn out to enjoy the less
  congested roadways; moreover, the city has partnered with
  volunteers to create the Brownsville Bike Barn, which offers
  residents lessons in bike safety and maintenance, and the
  Earn-a-Bike Program, which allows people of all ages to receive a
  bike in exchange for completing 25 hours of community service; and
         WHEREAS, The city has benefited from the growth of private
  groups of bike enthusiasts as well, including the Velociraptors
  Cycling Team, the Brownsville Bike Brigade, the City Cruisers
  Cycling Group, and the Brownsville River Rockets Cycling Club; in
  addition, numerous locally owned bicycle shops operate in
  Brownsville; and
         WHEREAS, To build on the success of its earlier efforts, the
  city updated its bicycle and trail master plan in 2021, outlining
  further enhancements to enable bicyclists and walkers to more
  easily travel throughout Brownsville; over the years, the city's
  focus on biking and walking has helped it earn a Culture of Health
  Prize from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as well as
  recognition as an All-America City by the National Civic League;
  and
         WHEREAS, By successfully promoting bicycling, Brownsville
  has become a model for other Texas communities, attracting
  additional visitors to the region and encouraging a fun,
  beneficial, and sustainable way of life for its residents; now,
  therefore, be it
         RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas
  hereby redesignate Brownsville as the official Bicycling Capital of
  the Rio Grande Valley; and, be it further
         RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of
  Section 391.003(e), Government Code, this designation remain in
  effect until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is
  finally passed by the legislature.