Harris County Precinct 3 will undergo improvements to its parks and trails as part of a master plan that impacts more than 1 million residents. Precinct 3 has close to 70 parks, which total more than 8,600 acres of land. Extensive acreage within the Cypress and Spring Creek greenways amounts to over 40% of the total acreage. (Melissa Enaje/Community Impact)
A trail joining the Cypress Creek Greenway and Spring Creek Greenway is undergoing design, following the approval of an interlocal agreement on Aug. 6.
The breakdown
The project was approved with a unanimous vote from Commissioners Court during the Aug. 6 meeting. The motion created an interlocal agreement between Harris County Precinct 3 and the Houston Parks Board to develop the connecting trail.
The proposed 3.5 mile trail will connect the Cypress Creek Greenway and Spring Creek Greenway. (Courtesy Houston Parks Board)
The trail’s development is estimated to cost $1.33 million, with Precinct 3 agreeing to provide up to $665,000 from bonds to cover design costs, according to the joint participation agreement. The Houston Parks Board will match that amount to cover other design costs and overages.
Based on the proposed map, the 3.5 mile shared-use path is planned to have 1.65 miles of trail and 1.87 miles of sidepath. The proposed path features three major and two minor road crossings, in addition to three trailheads. It is planned to stretch from Cypress Creek Park at Timber Lane to Pundt Park.
According to communication from Precinct 3’s office, the trail is intended to improve:
Connectivity and enhance pedestrian and bicycle safety and mobility
Local access to area parks, Twin Creeks Middle School and surrounding neighborhoods
Regional connectivity and access to the parks, trails and amenities along the greenways
Zooming out
The trail project is part of the Precinct 3 Parks and Trails Master Plan, the HCTRA Tollways to Trailways Initiative, and the Timber Lane Utility District's Trails Master Plan, according to officials with Precinct 3’s office.
The master plan was rolled out in 2023, per previous Community Impact reporting, and has been a focus of Pct. 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey’s time in office. The plan was developed to meet the precinct’s needs as the population is expected to double by 2045, according to the precinct website. Precinct 3 offers the county’s largest park system and is responsible for part of the Cypress Creek Greenway and all of the Spring Creek Greenway.
In a statement, officials from Precinct 3 said the connector trail is a “great example” of how the master plan is being brought to life.
“Our goal is to build trails that reflect what residents need while connecting our parks and nearby neighborhoods,” the statement read. “We look forward to continuing this partnership with the Houston Parks Board and, most importantly, listening to residents as we move through the design process.”
Before you go
The Houston Parks Board and Harris County Precinct 3 will hold a public meeting about the trail’s design next month. The event will offer free dinner and refreshments, children’s activities and the opportunity to speak with the design team.
