Dad pleads for more maintenance
Every weekend, rain or shine, Preston Hollow resident Jordan Shaw and his 11-year-old son, Blake, can be spotted riding their bikes along Northaven Trail — the boy’s laughter rolling behind like a second set of wheels.
But for dad and son, these rides aren’t just about bonding — they’ve become part of a larger mission: pushing the city to improve and expand its bike path maintenance.
“For us, biking is more than just exercise,” Shaw said. “It’s a way to connect with each other, with nature, and with our community. But there are areas on our path where biking gets a little iffy after a storm.”
Over the past year, Shaw has led a growing effort calling on the Dallas City Council to allocate more funds toward bike lane maintenance.
“Families want to ride. Kids want to ride. But it has to be safe,” Shaw said, adding that Blake’s growing confidence on his bike inspired him to take action.
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Preston Hollow
Following heavy rains earlier this month, many of the city’s bike paths were littered with mud, debris, and leaves — conditions that can be dangerous for cyclists.
On one of their post-storm rides, Blake posed a question that added a new layer to the pair’s advocacy. “Dad, how often do they clean these bike paths?”
That simple question spurred a call to City Hall — and a ripple of action.
Shaw believes the inquiry prompted the city to publicly post a maintenance schedule for bike path sweeping.
The city’s Department of Transportation and Public Works (TPW) also said it is considering upgrades to maintenance frequency during the rainy season.
Shaw said the newly posted schedule is a “great first step,” but he’s not putting the brakes on their larger goals of adding more bike lanes and expanding improvements.
“We know that getting more people to bike isn’t just about building a network,” said Dr. Gus Khankarli, director of Dallas TPW.
“This plan integrates with our multi-modal system and gives us a set of key action items that should be targeted over the next five to ten years,” he said, adding that resident input is central to the plan.
The city intends to establish a permanent bicycle advisory committee in coming months that will help implement and advance the plan. The city also plans to continue to engage with neighborhoods as future bike projects are built.
“Blake and I are just four wheels in a much bigger movement,” Shaw said. “This city has the potential to be a haven for bikers of all ages — we just have to maintain what we’ve got and then keep pushing forward for more.”
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