Harris County Precinct 4 breaks ground on Brays Bayou trail project

A slate of new projects along Brays Bayou officially broke ground Jan. 28 in a ceremony led by Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones and the Houston Parks Board.

What you need to know

The projects include 4.4 miles of hike-and-bike trails, undercrossings and a memorial plaza, including:

• The installation of a 1 mile, 10-foot wide trail on the north side of Brays Bayou between Chimney Rock and Hillcroft
• An ADA-accessible trail connection to the METRO bus stops on Mullins Drive
• Four new underpasses and lower shelf trails along Brays Bayou at South Rice Avenue, Chimney Rock Road, Hillcroft Avenue, and North and South Braeswood Boulevard
• Three new underpasses at Fondren Road, Braes Bayou Drive and Bissonnet Street
• Replacement of the existing 8-inch wide asphalt trail with 10-inch wide concrete between Fondren and Braeburn Glen

The project also includes creating a new memorial plaza near Mullins Drive that will commemorate Captain Herod, a former Texas National Guard pilot who saved the lives of several residents after steering a failing jet away from homes and landing in Brays Bayou.

Funding for the project

The $6.6 million project is partially funded by the Precinct 4’s People 4 Places initiative and the Houston Parks Board.

The Precinct 4’s People 4 Places is a $48 million initiative that leverages $17.7 million in precinct funding with $31.1 million from partners across Houston and Harris County.

Briones announced the second call for projects in December and 20 projects were selected that range from constructing hike and bike trails and roadway improvements to drainage and bus shelter expansion.

Looking ahead

According to a Jan. 27 news release, the Brays Bayou projects will be constructed and completed over the next few years.

The Houston Parks Board will also continue its Conservation and Maintenance Program along Brays Bayou Greenway that includes trash pickup, mowing, graffiti abatement and flood cleanup, per the release.