Utility Corridor Trails

[BEES?!]

I remembered today that several years ago, a bill passed at the state level which would allow municipalities to work with energy providers to create trails along utility corridors.

I had wondered, while driving by one of the corridors, why they weren't being utilized in this way yet.

Lo and behold, it turns out that last summer, one of these trails was completed, and it stretches from W Airport down to the Sims bayou greenway trail- about 1.5 miles.

Here's a Chron article about it

 

This could be extremely helpful in linking the greenways together and creating a much safer alternative to shared lanes on streets and roads, while utilizing land that really can't be developed otherwise.

 

I'm interested to see more of these corridors develop this way.

 

Edited February 21, 2020 by BEES?!

[baalManche]

They are planning to do one similar in Spring Branch between Addicks Reservoir and White Oaks Bayou.

[august948]

7 hours ago, baalManche said:

They are planning to do one similar in Spring Branch between Addicks Reservoir and White Oaks Bayou.

 

Do you know if there are any docs about that available online?

[BEES?!]

2 hours ago, august948 said:

 

Do you know if there are any docs about that available online?

 

I found this!

 

And this PDF from December 2019

 

(I think there's a thread specifically about this project)

[Smacgregor]

https://twitter.com/LinaHidalgoTX/status/1321214456500752388

 

Looks like Centerpoint has given the city the go-ahead to build trails on their easements. Can't wait for these to go in and start linking up the bayou paths.

[X.R.]

5 hours ago, Smacgregor said:

https://twitter.com/LinaHidalgoTX/status/1321214456500752388

 

Looks like Centerpoint has given the city the go-ahead to build trails on their easements. Can't wait for these to go in and start linking up the bayou paths.

 

The easement on the West side...perfectly solves the issue of linking Hermann/Third Ward/UH to Memorial Park/Galleria. Its almost too good. I'm assuming this map is correct as it came from the 2014 article about this: 

 

[Reefmonkey]

The HCC Campus Trail in Westchase makes good use of the utility corridor between Westheimer and Richmond. But then if you want to keep going south on a trail, you have to cut through a parking lot and then cross Wilcrest, and go east (crossing Walnut Bend), before heading south again along a creek, following it all the way into Arthur Storey Park. I've gotta hand it to the Westchase District, they did a really good job of developing these trails, nice wide paved trails running through wide, level stable right of ways that allow bikes and pedestrians to coexist, good signage, emergency phone boxes spaced at good intervals.

 

https://www.westchasedistrict.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/October-2017-parks-and-trails-map.pdf

[august948]

5 hours ago, Reefmonkey said:

The HCC Campus Trail in Westchase makes good use of the utility corridor between Westheimer and Richmond. But then if you want to keep going south on a trail, you have to cut through a parking lot and then cross Wilcrest, and go east (crossing Walnut Bend), before heading south again along a creek, following it all the way into Arthur Storey Park. I've gotta hand it to the Westchase District, they did a really good job of developing these trails, nice wide paved trails running through wide, level stable right of ways that allow bikes and pedestrians to coexist, good signage, emergency phone boxes spaced at good intervals.

 

https://www.westchasedistrict.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/October-2017-parks-and-trails-map.pdf

 

I love that trail up until it reaches the treatment plant just north of Bellaire.  I've started diverting over to Rogerdale to avoid that segment.

[august948]

On 10/28/2020 at 3:49 PM, X.R. said:

 

The easement on the West side...perfectly solves the issue of linking Hermann/Third Ward/UH to Memorial Park/Galleria. Its almost too good. I'm assuming this map is correct as it came from the 2014 article about this: 

 

 

When you said the easement on the West side I immediately thought of the one just outside the beltway that connects White Oak, Buffalo and Brays.  If they build these fully out and do a good job with it, especially where they cross busy roads we're gonna be hard to beat as a cycling city.

 

One thing I wonder, though, is some of these easements have walls or fences across them and/or are being used by non-utility entities.  One example of this is the corridor in Westchase where it runs through Royal Oaks.  Royal Oaks extended their brick wall across the corridor.  I believe there are also some other uses and fencing on the corridor between Memorial Park and Brays bayou.

[BEES?!]

Some utility corridor trail updates I found while checking out the Houston Parks Board site.

Phase 1 was finished in 12/2020 and runs from Blalock to Wirt Rd.

There was a virtual meeting held today, 6/29 to discuss the next phase of the trail. This is an image of the current planned route (subject to change).  Looks like they're well on their way to connecting up Addicks with White Oak Bayou. :) I'm happy to see more of these trails pop up.

Speaking of more of these trails, I also found that there is a plan to put in a utility corridor trail in Sharpstown area, the map of the proposed trail is here. The final report is here. I'm not sure if/when construction has begun on this project. The last meeting was held in 8/2020.

Can't wait to see more of these projects pop up around town!

[sapo2367]

Excited about this concept, but I have to say I was disappointed when I tried out biking on Phase 1. It was just completed but there was water pooling on the trail, I would have hoped that they had done a better job handling rain (it had rained a few days prior). Maybe they will come back and add better drainage.

If this is completed though you're getting close to being able to bike from downtown Houston to Katy completely on trails (including GBP). Or even from the port of Houston if you throw in the Brays Bayou trail + Austin st trail. Wild stuff!!!

[BEES?!]

1 hour ago, sapo2367 said:

Excited about this concept, but I have to say I was disappointed when I tried out biking on Phase 1. It was just completed but there was water pooling on the trail, I would have hoped that they had done a better job handling rain (it had rained a few days prior). Maybe they will come back and add better drainage.

If this is completed though you're getting close to being able to bike from downtown Houston to Katy completely on trails (including GBP). Or even from the port of Houston if you throw in the Brays Bayou trail + Austin st trail. Wild stuff!!!

That sucks! I hope they're able to figure something out to fix that. I know they're pretty limited as to what they can do (no irrigation, no intrusive plantings, concrete can only be a certain width) but I really hope they can make something work within those confines to improve the drainage!