East End Hike And Bike Trails

[samagon]

On 5/13/2009 at 11:25 AM, samagon said:

That really is a shame.

On a side note, there ought to be a law against littering...

man, I read that and think whoever wrote that was an a-hole!

ha, that wasn't at all how I intended it to sound, 12 years later.

3 hours ago, Andrew Ewert said:

Does anyone know if there's ever been any discussion of getting lighting on the Columbia Tap Trail? At this point, with the traffic it receives, it seems like a no-brainer. Jogging or riding it after dark still feels a little touch-and-go. Who would even be the agency responsible for getting it done?

thanks for bumping this, I am very unsure on who would be the right person/group to handle lighting.

that path has become very high use, and could do with some lighting, for sure. 

overall, the city is doing well with the East End and alternative transportation options. the Polk, Leeland, and Cullen improvements are awesome! looking at the overall bike plan, there is more to come as well.

[Texasota]

East End Management District would be a good option I would think. Not for the whole trail, but at least their portion.

[BeerNut]

 

4 hours ago, Andrew Ewert said:

Does anyone know if there's ever been any discussion of getting lighting on the Columbia Tap Trail? At this point, with the traffic it receives, it seems like a no-brainer. Jogging or riding it after dark still feels a little touch-and-go. Who would even be the agency responsible for getting it done?

OST/Almeda TIRZ for the part that goes through Third Ward.  

PDF for TIRZ map

[wilcal]

4 hours ago, Andrew Ewert said:

Does anyone know if there's ever been any discussion of getting lighting on the Columbia Tap Trail? At this point, with the traffic it receives, it seems like a no-brainer. Jogging or riding it after dark still feels a little touch-and-go. Who would even be the agency responsible for getting it done?

 

1 hour ago, X.R. said:

Paging @wilcal, I feel like he'd know best. The part through TSU (I know its only a bit) does have lights, so theres that. I thought they used some federal money to help complete it, but I'm not sure if its the houston parks and rec or the City that would be responsible. 

I know someone that has pushed on this quite a bit and y'all are going to love the response.

It is considered park space (like the Bayou Greenway trails as well) and they are technically closed from dusk until dawn and adding lights would only encourage their use outside of park hours.

Yes, I do think that something might be done eventually, specifically with Columbia Tap, but it is going to take a policy change. I believe local politicians/etc are on board, but it isn't funded and still technically against the rules.  

I was asking once about the Bayou Greenway trails and whose rules even apply (wanted to ride my electric scooter yet the signs say no motor vehicles, blah blah blah) and when I asked about the hours they said that no one is enforcing so go right ahead. I'm white, but that is the perfect situation where POC get hassled over stupid BS. If you want it to be legal, then make it legal. 

Edited June 7, 2021 by wilcal

[samagon]

I never would have dreamed that they would be closed after dark.

I've used the Columbia Tap trail many times late at night to stay off the roads. oh well, guess I'm a law breaker!

[mkultra25]

24 minutes ago, samagon said:

I've used the Columbia Tap trail many times late at night to stay off the roads. oh well, guess I'm a law breaker!

We'll be on the lookout for a guy on a bike that bears a suspicious resemblance to Rob Halford.

 

[wilcal]

9 hours ago, samagon said:

I never would have dreamed that they would be closed after dark.

I've used the Columbia Tap trail many times late at night to stay off the roads. oh well, guess I'm a law breaker!

Agreed. Imagine if some streets were closed from dusk until dawn (or an on-street bike lane). They just don't understand that these trails are transportation infrastructure and should be treated as such. 

[samagon]

10 hours ago, mkultra25 said:

We'll be on the lookout for a guy on a bike that bears a suspicious resemblance to Rob Halford.

 

lol. 

I only ever think of Beavis and Butthead when I hear that song.

 

[Houston19514]

17 hours ago, wilcal said:

 

I know someone that has pushed on this quite a bit and y'all are going to love the response.

It is considered park space (like the Bayou Greenway trails as well) and they are technically closed from dusk until dawn and adding lights would only encourage their use outside of park hours.

I'm a little skeptical of that answer, because the premise (that all parks are closed from dusk until dawn) is false.

[wilcal]

1 hour ago, Houston19514 said:

I'm a little skeptical of that answer, because the premise (that all parks are closed from dusk until dawn) is false.

It is right here on their site: https://www.houstontx.gov/parks/parkrules.html The only exception I am aware of is Lake Houston Wilderness Park which allows overnight camping and I believe Memorial Park has written hours of 5am-11pm. Basically, the HPARD rep told me directly that the technical hours for Columbia Tap and Bayou Greenways were technically dawn to dusk.

Two sections of the Columbia Tap are also listed as being part of the park trial system: https://www.houstontx.gov/parks/trails.html

Also, evidently EaDo was going to put lights on their portion of the trail but were told to hold off because if they were going to make a change they wanted it to be consistent. Again, I think they are willing to do later hours and lighting, but there isn't funding to do the entire thing. 

 

[Houston19514]

3 hours ago, wilcal said:

It is right here on their site: https://www.houstontx.gov/parks/parkrules.html The only exception I am aware of is Lake Houston Wilderness Park which allows overnight camping and I believe Memorial Park has written hours of 5am-11pm.

Apparently they forgot the asterisk on the website.  ;-)  Yes, the general rule for Houston parks is dawn to dusk, but that is a general rule and applies except where it doesn't.  Hermann Park, Memorial Park, the lighted portions of Buffalo Bayou Park are all open until 11 pm. 

[Andrew Ewert]

On 6/8/2021 at 11:32 AM, wilcal said:

Also, evidently EaDo was going to put lights on their portion of the trail but were told to hold off because if they were going to make a change they wanted it to be consistent. Again, I think they are willing to do later hours and lighting, but there isn't funding to do the entire thing. 

That's one of the most insane things I've ever heard. "Don't do some of it because we can't do all of it, and also please never walk your dog at night."

Sure, okay.

I'm willing to start harassing people over this, if I know who to harass. If it's park rules that apply, is it Houston Parks & Rec that's the sticking point?

[wilcal]

6 hours ago, Andrew Ewert said:

That's one of the most insane things I've ever heard. "Don't do some of it because we can't do all of it, and also please never walk your dog at night."

Sure, okay.

I'm willing to start harassing people over this, if I know who to harass. If it's park rules that apply, is it Houston Parks & Rec that's the sticking point?

I'm assuming it is funding for HPARD so that they entire thing can get done, so city council?

[sapo2367]

Looks like they are doing work to extend the trail under the rail line just east of Mason Park. That’ll add another mile to the total length!

[JBTX]

1 hour ago, sapo2367 said:

Looks like they are doing work to extend the trail under the rail line just east of Mason Park. That’ll add another mile to the total length!

Is this the Harrisburg Trail?

[sapo2367]

Brays bayou trail, down at the easternmost point. Almost where the brays and buffalo bayous meet. I actually rode the Harrisburg trail but it doesn’t connect through fully, I was on the road for a bit and then turned down 70th to join up with the brays trail near the golf course. 

[JBTX]

Gotcha. That makes sense. Thanks!