It all started a few months ago, The Tyler Bike Stripes Project was brought to the city by the civil engineering department at UT Tyler.
"So their civil engineer students are actually doing the work which is good training for people in college,” Scott Taylor, managing director of utilities and public works said. “It also helped you know we got it at a reduced price if we had to use a regular consultant."
Taylor said the bike lanes are a simple project.
"It does not involve concrete all it involves is paint and what we will do is put stripes on the city streets for bike lanes," Taylor said.
The addition will help connect the city as well as the three colleges.
"So Texas College, Tyler Junior College and UT Tyler will all be connected either via street or concrete paths so students that might be taking classes at the other ones they will be able to get there," Taylor said.
The funding for the bike lanes comes from an 80/20 grant. Where 80 percent is paid for by the Federal Highway Administration and 20 percent by the city.
"Today's action was to start approving the administrative funds that TxDOT will need to oversee the project and this first phase was 20 percent of the total of the their administrative costs, which is a little over $9,000," Taylor said.
Taylor said the city will owe another payment of about $21,000 and that the project is still in the design phase and will be bid out in 9 to 12 months.