A new shared path for pedestrians and cyclists will be built along the Buffalo Bayou Greenway after the project was approved by Houston City Council on Jan. 28.
The gist
The walking and biking path will connect the Jose Campos Torres Plaza, which is located at the intersection of Austin and Commerce streets, to the Heights Hike and Bike Trail, which is located at the intersection of Elysian and Runnels streets, according to Jan. 28 City Council meeting documents.
“I know that’s something a lot of folks are looking forward to to help connect our bayou greenways,” council member Mario Castillo said during the meeting.
The details
The project will be a collaboration between the city and the Houston Parks Board. The trail will be about 0.3 miles long, and the total cost is not known yet, said Justin Schultz, the Houston Parks Board president and CEO, via a Jan. 28 emailed statement.
"This project ... will fill a critical gap between the White Oak Bayou Greenway, the Heights Hike and Bike Trail, and Buffalo Bayou Greenway by ... allowing users to access downtown destinations more easily," Schultz said. "This project will provide a safer and direct route by avoiding street crossings."
Completion of the connector is expected before this summer, when the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in Houston, according to meeting documents. However, a project start date is unknown as of Jan. 28.
What else?
The Houston Parks Board will shoulder the costs of designing, permitting and building the project, according to meeting documents. After the project is built, the city will be responsible for maintaining the connector.
Building the project will involve rights of way owned by the city and by the Texas Department of Transportation, according to meeting documents.
