Dan the Man Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 I recently discovered that there is a small bike trail along Little White Oak Bayou that starts at Cavalcade and runs northwest to Enid St. The trail appears to be recently constructed, and it of the same construction standard as the trail along Nicholson. However, it does not appear that the trail is regularly maintained; grass runners and vines extend over the pavement, and grass along the trail is probably a foot high.Anyone know when this trail was built and if there are any plans to extend it further south? Potentially, it could connect to Moody Park, Woodland Park, and the trail along White Oak Bayou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 anyone know when they plan on extending this? This to be a waste if no plan to extend the trail, its not even a half a mile as is. Would be nice if it continued south and went along the bayou to merge with the Heritage Corridor trail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Yes, extension in progress. http://www.houstonbikeways.org/current-news/white-oak-bayou-extension.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Yes, extension in progress. http://www.houstonbikeways.org/current-news/white-oak-bayou-extension.htmWrong bayou. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted April 22, 2011 Share Posted April 22, 2011 Ah, okay. Here's a PDF on the ribbon cutting. http://www.houstontx.gov/citizensnet/littlewhiteoakbayou.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan the Man Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 So it looks like it was intended to just be an extension of the bike lanes along Cavalcade? I agree with SilverJK - this seems like it was a wasteful project for such a short distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted April 23, 2011 Share Posted April 23, 2011 (edited) The bike paths have to be done in short segments because the funding keeps drying up. There was an attempt in the HGAC recently to re-allocate $12 million in bike and pedestrian funding to roads. It thankfully failed. Edited April 23, 2011 by kylejack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I read somewhere that the next section will be started in 2012, but I can't seem to find the link. I wish they'd hurry up and finish the east/west heritage corridor connection, that will make downtown travel much easier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricco67 Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 I read somewhere that the next section will be started in 2012, but I can't seem to find the link. I wish they'd hurry up and finish the east/west heritage corridor connection, that will make downtown travel much easier.Considering the city is considering some fairly serious cutbacks, I'm sure this will be fairly low on their spending until things back back to normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Considering the city is considering some fairly serious cutbacks, I'm sure this will be fairly low on their spending until things back back to normal.It's not entirely their call. $12 million from the Feds was allocated by Houston Galveston Area Council to bike and pedestrian infrastructure. They're only allowed to spend it on that, so they may as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 It's not entirely their call. $12 million from the Feds was allocated by Houston Galveston Area Council to bike and pedestrian infrastructure. They're only allowed to spend it on that, so they may as well.Hopefully there's an investigative reporter out there that would be willing to put together a compendium of misallocated federal monies. This isn't the first time in recent history that I've been made aware of this kind of thing going on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kylejack Posted April 25, 2011 Share Posted April 25, 2011 Hopefully there's an investigative reporter out there that would be willing to put together a compendium of misallocated federal monies. This isn't the first time in recent history that I've been made aware of this kind of thing going on.Misallocation? It's federal transportation funds, which HGAC TPC had the responsibility to allocate. There was a motion to transfer it back to roads, but it failed, so it's going to bike and pedestrian infrastructure. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heights_yankee Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I didn't want to start a whole new thread and this was the 1st biking related one I found.An online and paper petition has been started to try and get some signalized crossings for the bike trail at super busy/dangerous intersections. If you're interested, sign. If not, don't.http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/safe-walking-and-biking-in-the-heights.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I'd like to state that I am in opposition to this movement on the basis that I neither live in the Heights or work in the Heights, but careen through it on a regular basis and do not wish to be slowed down. Also, it is my belief that no one neighborhood should receive a disproportionate amount of safety implements so as that Darwinism may be allowed to take place on a fair and equitable basis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJxvi Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 11th and Nicholson is definitely dangerous for an idiot, but I suspect any motivation to address a problem there is driven by frustration of runners and bikers having to wait on traffic at rush hour to cross. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverJK Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) I probably use these trails more than the average person in the neighborhood, and I've never once felt any form of danger for myself. I have seen a few teens and dumb adults barrel through these intersections without even looking though. I agree with Niche, I dont think we should receive a disproportionate amount of funding to make this happen. If the petition included a section for the neighborhood to raise funding necessary to make these changes I would gladly sign it. If the city approves of the desired changes the group could organize one of those websites to raise the money in a certain timeframe. I'd gladly throw a little bit of money to help make it happen (even though I don't think I personally need the changes whatsoever).I'd love to see the residents get more active in paying for improvements, I think enough people are willing to throw their own coin at some projects to get them done and stop waiting for the city to pay for it. Edited February 28, 2012 by SilverJK 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s3mh Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Disproportionate? The tax base in the Heights has been on a near vertical upward trajectory over the past ten years but much of the residential streets are still 18' with open drainage ditches. You need to use your parking brake when you go to 19th street because the corona in the road is so huge compared to the sidewalk. Residents have to pay out of pocket to hire constables to patrol the neighborhood. A few bucks for some better pedestrian safety is hardly disproportionate attention for the neighborhood. The hike and bike path at 11th and Yale are extremely difficult to cross by people with children when traffic is heavy. Crosswalk signals at those intersections would be a great idea. Families wanting to walk or bike after work/school would have safe passage for the full length of the bike path. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJxvi Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 I rest my case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Given the number of infrastructure improvements in the Heights in the last few years, including North Main street and storm water, 11th Street street and storm water, the new water main on Heights, repaving of Yale, new concrete, curb and storm water on Harvard and Courtlandt, Studewoodnumerous repaved streets west of Yale, new sidewalks on Pecore, and, of course, the new bike path that is the subject of this petition, I rather suspect that the Heights is over-represented on the infrastructure funding, even compared to the few hundred extra dollars in taxes we pay. I think there are many more valuable uses for scarce city dollars. Perhaps if a 380 agreement were available I might be OK with that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J008 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 (edited) Hopefully there's an investigative reporter out there that would be willing to put together a compendium of misallocated federal monies. This isn't the first time in recent history that I've been made aware of this kind of thing going on. Would love to see a pie chart on the past 10 years of roadway spending vs all other transportation spending for texas and federal. There would be no sense in carving a sliver out for hike\bike because it couldn't be detected using the unaided eye, so might as well lump it with rail and others. For graft you should look at the woodlands water taxi funding.http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/courier/news/woodlands-controversial-water-taxis-elicit-varied-response/article_eafc6387-81b6-56cf-af30-f9d6f652d517.html Edited February 28, 2012 by J008 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Disproportionate? The tax base in the Heights has been on a near vertical upward trajectory over the past ten years but much of the residential streets are still 18' with open drainage ditches. You need to use your parking brake when you go to 19th street because the corona in the road is so huge compared to the sidewalk. Residents have to pay out of pocket to hire constables to patrol the neighborhood. A few bucks for some better pedestrian safety is hardly disproportionate attention for the neighborhood.The hike and bike path at 11th and Yale are extremely difficult to cross by people with children when traffic is heavy. Crosswalk signals at those intersections would be a great idea. Families wanting to walk or bike after work/school would have safe passage for the full length of the bike path.When it comes to public health and safety, I absolutely disagree that expenditure should be proportionate with the tax base of a neighborhood. It should be proportionate with the geographic distribution of the city's population...REGARDLESS OF AFFLUENCE! That anonymous little brown kid that can barely speak English in the 2nd Ward is at least as deserving of safe parks and recreation as any kid of yours, but I don't hear you advocating for any capital expenditure toward their interests.Heights residents want special attention? Go advocate for a management district so that you can be taxed for it directly. The City's capital improvement budget is extremely limited and should be shared.Would love to see a pie chart on the past 10 years of roadway spending vs all other transportation spending for texas and federal. There would be no sense in carving a sliver out for hike\bike because it couldn't be detected using the unaided eye, so might as well lump it with rail and others. For graft you should look at the woodlands water taxi funding.http://www.yourhoust...d6f652d517.htmlThis isn't about roadway spending versus other spending. I agree that the Woodlands Waterway was a horrible expenditure; one mistake does not justify another. Lets stay on topic. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 I probably use these trails more than the average person in the neighborhood, and I've never once felt any form of danger for myself. I have seen a few teens and dumb adults barrel through these intersections without even looking though. I agree with Niche, I dont think we should receive a disproportionate amount of funding to make this happen. If the petition included a section for the neighborhood to raise funding necessary to make these changes I would gladly sign it. If the city approves of the desired changes the group could organize one of those websites to raise the money in a certain timeframe. I'd gladly throw a little bit of money to help make it happen (even though I don't think I personally need the changes whatsoever).I'd love to see the residents get more active in paying for improvements, I think enough people are willing to throw their own coin at some projects to get them done and stop waiting for the city to pay for it.agreed entirely.Best as I can tell, the current mechanism to see something like this happen is TIRZ, and the closest one is City Park? Maybe it's time that there's organization to get a TIRZ for the Heights (of course you'd want to include the cash cow that is Walmart in that TIRZ map!). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J008 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 This isn't about roadway spending versus other spending. So you are equally outraged at all the spending on the Yale speedway and highway feeder roads and exits going in the heights? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 So you are equally outraged at all the spending on the Yale speedway and highway feeder roads and exits going in the heights?No. Those expenditures are unrelated to public health or safety. And wasn't it TXDoT that funded the feeder roads? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J008 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 No. Those expenditures are unrelated to public health or safety. And wasn't it TXDoT that funded the feeder roads?No it is one of those "shovel ready" stimulus funded projects.http://www.chron.com/neighborhood/heights-news/article/Stimulus-project-starting-up-in-area-1719073.php Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 No it is one of those "shovel ready" stimulus funded projects.http://www.chron.com...rea-1719073.phpGreat, so the State of Texas administered federal funding to improve an interstate highway and you're comparing to unrelated neighborhood-level health & safety projects funded by the City of Houston. Articulate a cogent point or get back on topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J008 Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Great, so the State of Texas administered federal funding to improve an interstate highway and you're comparing to unrelated neighborhood-level health & safety projects funded by the City of Houston. Articulate a cogent point or get back on topic.Sidewalks and bike trails are transportation for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Sidewalks and bike trails are transportation for me. Why not designate White Oak Bayou itself as a transportation corridor? People could kayak it if they wanted to. It'd be an additional option. And I know how much cyclists like to tout options, no matter how impractical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samagon Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 (edited) Kayaking to work adds additional headache over a bicycle.You have to portage the kayak from the bayou to the office, and then when you get there, there's no kayak racks to lock up to (plus, I don't know of any companies that make kayak locks).Bicycles are to kayaks and cars are the metro, as far as convenience goes.Either way, I have a buddy who just started doing a 4 mile commute on a bicycle to get to his office, it's very practical, no matter whether you want to say it or not. Edited February 29, 2012 by samagon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Bicycles are to kayaks [as] cars are the metro, as far as convenience goes.Yeah, sure. But its another option. J00b wants options. While we're at it, J00b really ought to set up a petition to compel the FAA and TXDoT to accommodate ultralight aircraft like the Mosquito ultralight helicopter as a commute solution. And why not!? It's another option, and very practical compared to METRO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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