Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones officially opened the Captain Herod Memorial Plaza along the Brays Bayou Greenway on April 25. (Courtesy Annie Mulligan)
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In collaboration with the Houston Parks Board and community partners, Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones announced the official opening of more than 4 miles of trails and a new memorial plaza April 25.
The backstory
The $6 million project broke ground in January 2025 and is partially funded by Precinct 4’s People 4 Places initiative, as previously reported by Community Impact.
The remaining $3.45 million came from an annual economic development grant from the city of Houston to the Houston Parks Board to maintain the Bayou Greenways, Briones said.
“As a mom of three and as a former teacher, to me it all goes back to our children and our grandchildren and how we’re working together to make this community more united, more connected and safer,” Briones said.
About the project
Along with the 4 additional miles of trails, the project included seven new pedestrian and bicycle underpasses that improve accessibility and trail safety for around 20,000 people in the community, officials said.
The Brays Bayou Greenway serves over 150,000 users annually. (Courtesy Annie Mulligan)
At the ceremony, the new memorial plaza was dedicated in honor of Captain Gary L. Herod, a former Texas National Guard pilot who saved the lives of thousands of residents after steering a failing jet away from homes and landing in Brays Bayou.
“As a Meyerland native and an alumnus of the Herod Elementary School, I’m excited that thousands of community members can safely travel and enjoy nature through the new trails and underpasses,” said Justin Schultz, president and CEO of the Houston Parks Board. “It’s meaningful that Houstonians will be able to rest and reflect in the memorial plaza to honor Captain Herod and his bravery and legacy.”
What’s next
At the ceremony, Briones said the Brays Bayou project is one of 50 projects totaling $220 million that the precinct is working on.
She said every year the People 4 Places initiative opens for residents to submit infrastructure projects for the precinct to consider, and that the 2026 call for projects will open shortly.
