Memorial Park boosts safety, scenery with opening of new branch of popular jogging trail

A new alignment was announced Oct. 11 for one of the most heavily used trails at Houston's Memorial Park that will direct trail users away from the busy Memorial Drive and farther into the park's natural lands.

The Seymour Lieberman trail, which previously ran along Memorial Drive, now runs along the north of side of a land bridge completed this spring before veering away into the park's riparian landscape on a new 0.36-mile segment, according to an Oct. 11 news release from the Memorial Park Conservancy, which operates the park.

The new trail also runs over three new bridges that give users views of the park's ravines, which connect into Buffalo Bayou.

Randy Odinet, vice president of capital projects and facilities with Memorial Park Conservancy, previously told Community Impact the new trail is intended to boost both safety and user experience for those using the trail.

Work on the project began early this year and followed the opening of a connected Seymour Lieberman segment that opened in late November.

The section of the trail that previously ran along Memorial Drive is permanently closed. The new segment is the same length as the now-closed segment, and the overall trail maintains a length of 3 miles, according to the release.

Both the new trail and the land bridge are part of Memorial Park's 10-year plan, which maps out projects through 2028.