Ready to go exploring, Houston?
Whether you live in East End or The Heights, Greens or Buffalo Bayou, your ticket to greater H-town just got the green light. By the end of 2020, Houstonians will have more than 150 miles of trails and 3,000 acres of green space to roam in the biggest city in Texas. [Photo: bryanmalloch]
Photo: emelanie_photography
Such a project was first conceived a century ago by urban mastermind, Arthur Comey. Connecting the bayous through the park system was central to his vision for a developed, walkable, city. Due to a variety of factors – namely, cars – this project was put on the backburner.
In 2012, however, new life was breathed into this initiative for a city-wide park system. Massive public support awarded the Houston Parks Board with a budget of $100 million to create new greenways, and thus, the Bayou Greenways Initiative was born. Since then, the Houston Parks Board was able to secure an additional $120 million via private donations, totalling $220m in funds for the largest urban transformation project of its kind.
Photo: fudgelump
As 77 miles of trails and bridges already exist in the greater city, the project will focus on “stitching” the trails together. The eight bayous central to the project are White Oak, Sims, Hunting, Halls, Greens, Buffalo, and Brays.
With this project, you will be able to walk, hike, or bike from Hermann Park to MacGregor Park, or from the Orange Show to the original NASA building. The project seeks to create improve the areas and facilitate access so that “1.5 million Houstonians will live within 1.5 miles of the Bayou Greenways.” For more information, visit their website.