brian0123 Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 I was hoping someone could fill me in on the bike paths that enter into Downtown. I have been trying to use the city's map at http://bikeways.publicworks.houstontx.gov/images/maps/cbd-south.jpg, but it isn't labeled that well. In particular, I am trying to find out how to get onto the path that runs from Downtown, slightly north (following 45), underneath onto Spring Street, past the Target, and up into the Heights. From what the map shows, there should be a trail along the north part of Downtown along the train tracks just north of the bayou (somewhere near UH Downtown). I have tried two times now (unsuccessfully) to find a path near here. First, I went to where the train tracks cross (near San Jacinto at Allen), but I just found train tracks... no bike path. I also tried a little further down where it looks like they should cross over the bayou on a railroad bridge.... I went to that point and found the bridge, but it was closed off. Am I not reading the maps correctly? Can someone tell me how to get onto the new trail that goes up to the Heights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Its incomplete. The trail deadends just prior to reaching the UH-Downtown parking lot, just east of the area under the freeways.Link This shot is a little old. The old bridge shown here has been covered over with a nicer paved bridge but the trail ends immediately east of the bridge. You can ride on dirt to the UHD parking lot if your tires can handle it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 Its incomplete. The trail deadends just prior to reaching the UH-Downtown parking lot, just east of the area under the freeways.Link This shot is a little old. The old bridge shown here has been covered over with a nicer paved bridge but the trail ends immediately east of the bridge. You can ride on dirt to the UHD parking lot if your tires can handle it.Well no wonder why. How complete is the trail from the bridge you posted? Is it a dedicated trail all the way to the Heights? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Good to Spring Street and then on Spring Street its basically street riding, which is fine because its a really slow street. Once you get to Target, the trail is top notch and separated from the road for the rest of the way (aside from intersections). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 wow, and I thought Houston was really taking steps to improve bikability in the city. But no, a bridge to no where, sounds like something straight out of Alaska!okay, don't ranting, I guess walking my bike down the dirt trail won't be so bad, having to get on and off the bike every now and then is good, and it gives me time to practice my Quicksilver dismount! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 wow, and I thought Houston was really taking steps to improve bikability in the city. But no, a bridge to no where, sounds like something straight out of Alaska!okay, don't ranting, I guess walking my bike down the dirt trail won't be so bad, having to get on and off the bike every now and then is good, and it gives me time to practice my Quicksilver dismount!Its just so strange that they would stop work right when they got to the easiest part. Its just a straight shot of paving for, what, 300 yards to get to the parking lot or 1200 yards to get to the road. Maybe there's a right-of-way problem or something. I rode the East End bike trail yesterday and it deadends as well.Starts here: Link Note that its not connected to McKee. You have to go down an embankment.and ends here: Link It supposedly continues on to Swiney. I had to go over some rocks and stuff to get to Swiney and then I find that Swiney is apparently a private road as I was locked inside a gate at Swiney and Bayou. I was able to go around the gate.In other words this trail currently goes from nowhere to nowhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian0123 Posted March 15, 2010 Author Share Posted March 15, 2010 Its just so strange that they would stop work right when they got to the easiest part. Its just a straight shot of paving for, what, 300 yards to get to the parking lot or 1200 yards to get to the road. Maybe there's a right-of-way problem or something.I went the other weekend to the "start" according to the city of Houston map on the abandoned RR bridge just north of downtown. There were some work crews on it doing something... maybe prepping it for the trail? Only strange thing is that the other side of the bridge didn't have a path or anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted March 15, 2010 Share Posted March 15, 2010 Its just so strange that they would stop work right when they got to the easiest part. Its just a straight shot of paving for, what, 300 yards to get to the parking lot or 1200 yards to get to the road. Maybe there's a right-of-way problem or something. I rode the East End bike trail yesterday and it deadends as well.Starts here: Link Note that its not connected to McKee. You have to go down an embankment.and ends here: Link It supposedly continues on to Swiney. I had to go over some rocks and stuff to get to Swiney and then I find that Swiney is apparently a private road as I was locked inside a gate at Swiney and Bayou. I was able to go around the gate.In other words this trail currently goes from nowhere to nowhere.That is awesome beyond words.At least Columbia Tap Trail seems to not just end. I wonder if it was made by the same people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 As I understand it, part of N. Main will be rerouted to the west of its current location when the intermodal transit center is complete. Part of this may may take it where the trail is supposed to lie. It wouldn't surprise me if the trail ends there for now simply because TxDOT didn't want to lay the trail down just to have it torn up in a few months or years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsets Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Doesn't Columbia Tap just sort of end on the east side of downtown? At least it did when I tried it. A little unnerving to be following the "bike route" signs and then wind up going the wrong way down a one way street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Doesn't Columbia Tap just sort of end on the east side of downtown? At least it did when I tried it. A little unnerving to be following the "bike route" signs and then wind up going the wrong way down a one way street.Well, it terminates properly onto a street (Walker, at Dowling), if that's what you're asking. Walker is a two-way street here. Mind the cross-traffic on Dowling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunsets Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 OK, thanks. Don't think I'll be riding that one again, anyhow.I tried it as a more scenic and car-free alternative route home from the Med Center, and it took me over 1.5 hours. I can do my normal commute in 28-35 minutes. Can I just say how much I hate the stop signs every. single. block. on that trail? What's the point of even having a dedicated trail if you might as well be riding on the neighborhood streets? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted March 17, 2010 Share Posted March 17, 2010 Well where else are you going to put a trail? Anyway, I don't stop at stop signs unless there's cross trafic, and there's some pretty decent stretches without stop signs. It is a little out of my way, though. Down Fannin or Main is a straighter shot to the Med Center from downtown. I still like that trail and use it sometimes. Its also well serviced. I reported some downed trees to the 311 website and the city cleaned it up quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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