A case study looking into the benefits of developing the Cypress Creek Greenway suggests that when it comes to physical, mental, environmental and economic health, there are significant incentives to keep the project moving.

The study—funded by the Houston-Galveston Area Council and carried out by urban consulting and market research group CDS Spillette Alliance and real estate and planning firm Marsh Darcy Partners—studied the impacts of the greenway project in several areas, including recreational use value, urban cohesion, connectivity, air quality benefits, ecosystem services and flood control.

"The return on investment is actually higher for Cypress Creek compared to other bayous because the area is already highly developed and the population is quite large through this region," said Jen Powis, advocacy director with the Houston Parks Board, at an Aug. 28 presentation on the case study. "There is real value in preserving this land as park land. Park land and access to park land is a big part of quality of life."

The Cypress Creek Greenway initiative involves linking trails along the 40-mile-long Cypress Creek into one continuous trail. The actual project involves creating trails, anchor parks and building bridges to fill in gaps from west of Hwy. 290 to the Jesse H. Jones Park, where the Cypress Creek Greenway will connect to the Spring Creek Greenway.

"The big idea is to have all of our riverways within this region connected along with our major park systems," said Jack Cagle, commissioner of Harris County Precinct 4. "When it is all done that way, what a beautiful central park we will have extending into all of our neighborhoods. That's an amazing vision to be able to accomplish."

Since the project is being developed piece by piece, the overall cost of completing the greenway is hard to pin down, Powis said. The future of the project—in terms of where bridges will need to be built, or where trails will need to be created—is highly subject to change, but the cost of installation averages around $50–$53 million, she said. In a moderate analysis, the return on investment was about $16 million per year, according to the case study.

Advocates for the greenway are reaching out to private and public entities for partnerships. Working with MUDs is particularly crucial to obtain land and fund the creation of vital trails and bridges. Three precincts and 68 utility districts are connected to some portion of Cypress Creek, Powis said. As of Aug. 28, 23 of those 68 MUDs have pledged support for the greenway.

Funding is the biggest challenge in moving the project forward, Cagle said. As a result, the project has been advancing piece by piece throughout the years.

"One of the reasons you see us so actively pursuing the little pieces of opportunity and the partnerships is to keep that ball moving down the road," Cagle said. "We can't do it all right now in one fell swoop of funding because the funding is not there. If you look at the map from 10 years ago and the map we have today, you would be shocked at how much we have been able to do, quietly, step by step, piece by piece."

A survey of 600 residents along Cypress Creek found 74 percent are very supportive of the greenway, while another 61 percent have expressed a willingness to get involved. Involvement at this stage is largely centered on calling MUDs and demonstrating support, either as individuals or through homeowner associations, Powis said. As the taxing entities for pieces of land along the greenway in unincorporated Harris County, the onus is ultimately on the MUDs to advance certain parts of the project.

"People have been quietly in support of this and quietly working on this all along, but based on the case study, we feel that now is the time for people to start being more vocal with their support," Powis said.

As parks continue to be developed and connected with trails, opportunities exist to implement other amenities—such as dog parks or disc golf courses—based on the desires of MUDs or residents in the area. According to Jim Robertson, chairman of the Cypress Creek Greenway project, 24 new parks have been developed along Cypress Creek since greenway studies began. Individual developers have played a role, as have MUDs and precinct commissioners.

Officials representing some of the MUDs along the greenway have expressed a variety of concerns regarding the project, ranging from the cost to the prospect of allowing public access to their land via trails and parks. Cagle ensured that constables will patrol the trails and added that opening trails up to the public typically has a positive effect on the type of people attracted to the area.

"We are trying to add those features of safety into those communities," Cagle said. "In our experience of wherever our trails have gone, the values have gone up, public safety has gone up."

Powis said providing equitable distribution of park land has been the objective from the start.

"No matter who you are, no matter where you live, you have access to a beautiful space for respite, for wildlife, for biking—whatever it is that you do," she said. "That access should be there."