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Nicholson Hike And Bike Trail On W. 26th St.


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Looking at the planned route, and given that it is a former rail line, the grade should very nearly flat. But, it will link the Heights/TC Jester area to downtown, as well as the Buffalo Bayou trails, so you could spend nearly all day on this thing.

I don't think it connects to Memorial. Can anyone verify that?

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It doesn't connect to memorial or the White Oak Bayou trails yet.

The White Oak Bayou Association (WOBA) wants to connect the lower White Oak Bayou to the 11th street TC Jester trails and connect to Memorial Park along the railway.

The county likes the concept and will have to go through the proposal process and get the concept accepted. Imaging taking a bike from the heights to Memorial. Or from Oak Forest down White Oak Bayou and then to Memorial Park.

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You know, I used to be a big bikeway supporter. And I guess they're still nice in theory, but in reality most bikeways or paved paths are so poorly maintained that they are hard to use. The designated bikeways along streets accumulate gravel and broken glass, and paths like that along Allen Pkwy are in poor condition. At this point it is just as easy to ride along regular streets than to try to fit a route to bikeways. As they build out more bike routes I hope the city keeps them bike-friendly.

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Have you see the bikeways along TC-Jester from 11th to well north of I-610?

These are like bike highways. This is how the new bikeways will be built. TxDOT has the job of facilitating the program because of federal funds, they build these things like mini-highways.

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Haven't seen them.

This from today's Chronicle:

Heights residents walked the route of a proposed 6.5-mile bike path with city officials July 8, asking them to re-think what they say are problems with the design plan, including the potential loss of trees and the danger to bike riders from vehicles exiting driveways.

Residents of Nicholson Street told city officials they hope changes will be made before the plans are submitted to the Texas Department of Transportation for approval this fall.

Changes are needed, they said, to reduce risks to bike riders where the path would meet with driveways and cut down on the expanse of concrete where Nicholson Street becomes two lanes, from 16th Street to 19th Street.

"They told us it would be like a linear park. They forgot to tell us it would be a concrete park," said Nan Leverett, 38, an attorney who has lived in the Heights for 10 years.

Said Kurt Schweigert, an oil company executive, "This is going to be one of the widest streets in Houston."

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good point redscare.

Right now nicholson is a eyesore with the old rail road embankment there.

A nice bike path would be good. There will still be some places for trees and plant to go along the path. The neighborhood association can probably go ahead and beatify the path.

Remember, the plan was to build a path, not a park. It can be turned into a park and greenspace after. The Greenspoint Management District will be getting over 3 miles of new bike trail from Gears Loop to

Bradfield Road. A small section is already build and heavily used by residents.

The majority of this will just be a concrete path like the TC Jester bike path that will run on the top bank of the bayou and some low banks when it needs to go under a roadway bridge.

The management district will plant trees and maintain the pathway areas.

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That article is ridiculous. It's made to sound like all of the Heights is opposed to this, which isn't true at all. I'd like to see what trees they are talking about as this used to be a rail row. Would also like to see how they think this is going to be as wide as the Katy Freeway. The suburban quote was the best and makes for a great argument (sarcasm in full force with that statement), as in, poor guy, can't park his car on the government's property anymore.

If there are trees that are in harm's way in the plans, sure, fight that, but don't fight this thing because you can't park your car where it doesn't belong anymore. I'm sorry they felt like they could co-opt the old row into their property by placing fences and gardens in it, but I have no sympathy for these people. The houses along Nicholson are some of the smallest lots in the Heights, back when they were built it was the lower-income part of the Heights, with the houses literally feet from the railroad. Cut to today, and many of those old shotgun shacks have been replaced with townhomes that are inches from the property lines, and now they want to complain that this greenspace is being taken away from them? It's not "theirs" to begin with. Also, I don't understand how a bikepath is going to "destroy" property values. Master-planned communities clamour for amenities such as this.

Understand that I am a little selfish about this however. This bikepath will allow me and others a dedicated path from the heart of the Heights over to the new Sawyer Village and on to Downtown.

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I don't think you are selfish at all. I think they are. The alley behind my house has been fenced by all of my neighbors except me. This has artificially given me the alley for my own yard. Does that make it mine? No. As soon as the neighbors or city want it back, it's gone.

If these people wanted bigger yards, they should have bought standard lots. This plan for a bikeway has been around longer than these houses, as well. There is no surprise here. Plus, I am offended that bike riders like myself will somehow lower their values.

Hogwash.

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Plus, now that there will be a use for this space, groups will be able to go in and "pretty" it up like Trees for Houston did to the White Oak trail. They planted hundreds of trees along the bayou, and they will no doubt plant hundreds along this path. The Heights takes pride in this sort of thing. To date, they haven't been able to do anything with it, now they will. When it's all said and done this biketrail is going to be a jewel for the Heights, not the eyesore these doom-and-gloomer are portending.

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Plus, now that there will be a use for this space, groups will be able to go in and "pretty" it up like Trees for Houston did to the White Oak trail. They planted hundreds of trees along the bayou, and they will no doubt plant hundreds along this path. The Heights takes pride in this sort of thing. To date, they haven't been able to do anything with it, now they will. When it's all said and done this biketrail is going to be a jewel for the Heights, not the eyesore these doom-and-gloomer are portending.

Well, why don't these people do it? Or, will they delicate flower and say it is the city's job, since it's not their property?

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Well, why don't these people do it?  Or, will they delicate flower and say it is the city's job, since it's not their property?

I understand the bike path will be 10-ft. wide and made of concrete. There will be a 2-ft. shoulder on each side. This information is from submittals by Klotz Associates, Inc. Consulting Engineers to The City of Houston Department of Public Works and Engineering.

I live in the neighborhood and everyone I have spoken with sees this as an asset. We look forward to doing our part to take care of that asset.

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I like the idea of bike trails, but I would rather see Nicholson be a part of a rail system through the Heights. I don't have facts and/or figures to back this up, but I would say the Heights is close to doubling in population from, say 20 years ago.

What with the tendency to build multiple units on existing lots, and with projects like Park on Prince and other such projects in Shady Acres and elsewhere, I expect the population will double again in the next 20 years. The Heights would be a prime candidate for a rail system.

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Heights2Bastrop, while I am in favor of the bike trail, I wouldn't wish a RR on those people. While there is an existing RR row, Nicholson is very residential. If you're looking for a north-south corridor for rail, I think a better option would be Shepherd or Yale, whose residents are already used to a higher level of traffic than Nicholson, with Shepherd being the better option due to most of the explosive growth you mention occuring west of Shepherd in Shady Acres and Cottage Grove.

Speaking of Shepherd, has anyone else noticed that Ross is opening a store in the abandoned Fallis Paridisa (sp??) across from Kroger on 11th?

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Heights2Bastrop, while I am in favor of the bike trail, I wouldn't wish a RR on those people. While there is an existing RR row, Nicholson is very residential.

HeightsGuy, my grandmother lived at Waverley and 14th, and, as a kid, I used to go down and watch the trains pass along there all the time. So I imaging a great deal of my desire to see rail along there is out of nostalgia. I really haven

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Heights2Bastrop,

It would take about 10 times the money to widen a street compared to building a dedicated bike bridge. So in fact they saved you money. Also, I think it's becoming clear to everyone that dedicated bike paths along existing roads doesn't work. In Houston, cars and bikes don't mix. Why do you get so steamed about the bike bridge? The idea behind transit efforts is to give people a choice, and those bike trails aren't that expensive to build. Unlike road construction, there is not much "prep" that needs to occur before you pour concrete. In road construction, much of the cost is for base materials that go under the concrete. MaxConcrete or KJB434 are probably much more qualified to talk about the cost difference.

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