Construction will soon be underway on Memorial Park's 100-acre, $70 million land bridge across Memorial Drive, which will tie together the north and south sections of the park, bolster the area's native prairies and expand its trail network, the Memorial Park Conservancy announced Aug. 10. The project also includes a 45-acre prairie restoration.
“This new parkland will symbolize the triumph of ‘green over gray,’ healing the divide created by Memorial Drive half a century ago,” said Shellye Arnold, president and CEO of Memorial Park Conservancy, in a news release. “We are confident that together, the land bridge and prairie project will further distinguish both Memorial Park and Houston, serving as an icon for a greener and more resilient future.”
The conservancy also said the project will have area drainage benefits by offering detention and a stream channel through the site to act as a "green sponge, helping to absorb and clean stormwater," according to the news release.
“From aiding with critical stormwater management to granting people and wildlife safer crossing over Memorial Drive to providing a dynamic outdoor destination for all visitors, the Land Bridge and Prairie will be an asset not just for Memorial Park but for all Houstonians,” Mayor Sylvester Turner said in the announcement. “It’s about unifying both sides of the park and giving people a new landmark that they can be proud of and use to enjoy nature.”
