west houston trails master plan introduction

8/6/2019 West Houston Trails Master Plan Introduction

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An introduction to the plan that linkspeople, places and communities.



The West Houston Trails Master Plan isa big idea. It’s a vision or more than 100miles o interconnected trails located in a

113,000-acre area in West Houston withina 6-mile radius centered at the intersec-tion o IH-10 and State Highway 6. It’s a plan or a shared-use trail system that willlink business centers, residential neigh-borhoods and parks, providing alternativetransportation and outdoor recreation.It’s a proposal that works with t he shapeand natural characteristics o the land to

enhance the area’s natural beauty, that supports habitat preservation and sustain-ability, that maximizes compatible landuses and increases economic vitalit y.

The West Houston TrailsMaster Plan is

an initiative that originated as a joint venture o the Energy Cor-ridor District andthe National ParkService, one that

was realized withinput rom literal ly hundreds o people,

guidance rom multiple agencies, usingdata gathered during hundreds o hourso public orums and rom thousandso surveys.

The plan isthe product o more thantwo years o

volunteer e ort – o countlesshours o meetings, workshops and discus-sions. It is the tangible result o concen-trated e ort by interested individuals andpublic and private entities.

The brochure you are holding now isonly an introduction to the West Houston

Trails Master Plan, a comprehensive,

156-page document. This brochure o ersan overview o the

goals, objectives andbenefts o a multi-use,interconnected trailssystem. The completeplan o ers guidelines

or design, constructionand maintenance o trails. It identifes po-

tential par tners and revenue sources and

includes detailed maps, recommendationsor implementation, even historical and

cultural data o the targeted area.

It is the hope o theplan development teamthat, a ter reading thisoverview, you will bedriven to review the ull

plan. We believe that a multi-use trails system

will have a major positive impact on thehealth and happiness o residents as wellas on the economic development o West Houston.

We’d like your help in making the plan areality.

A Plan Built by Community



Visions, Goals & Objectives

VisionCreate a 100+ mile interconnected trail

system within West Houston whilerespecting the natural ecosystems andcultural resources o the area.

Goals • Identi y locations o uture public trails

and connecting routes. • Provide outdoor recreation opportunitieson trails through parks and conservationareas.

• Provide opportunities or bike-to-workcommutes and sa e routes or walkingand cycling to schools and other locations.

• Increase conservation through reduced

use o cars, uel and roadways. • Increase opportunities or health and

itness.

• Promote sa ety through proper design o trails and road crossings, constructiono trails separated rom roadways andeducation supporting sa e use o trails.

• Provide connections to transit and on-road bikeways.

Objectives • Connect new miles o trail to 34+

existing miles o trail. • Add at least 15 miles o new trail by 2015.

• Identi y and promote an initial trailto demonstrate the importance o connectivity (targeting Patterson/NorthEldridge Trail).

• Develop a strategic plan to prioritizeimplementation o trail projects, create

partnerships or implementation andidenti y unding strategies.

The vision o the many people who helped develop the West Houston Trails Master Plan is a system o trails that connect theparks and public lands o West Houston. The goal is to createa trail network that serves the greatest number o users whileproviding good stewardship o land and water resources. Inorder to achieve this goal, existing t rails have been identifedand proposed routes or new tra ils have been developed andprioritized.

Once implemented, the West Houston Trails Master Plan willcompliment the existing transportation corridors, increasecommuter choices, provide greater outdoor recreationalopportunities develop sa e routes to schools and other publicplaces. It will also provide an increased awareness o the storm-

water management system and the importance o riparianrestoration and protection.



Proposed Spine Trail System The West Houston Trails Master Plan development team recognizes theimportance and value o public input and there ore has included all proposedtrails , shown as red dashes. The development team recommends strongly those very important corridors re erred to as spine trails, shown in black. A spine trail is defned as having substantial length and the potential to connect existing trails and destinations like parks, neighborhoods and businesses,

creating the backbone o the interconnected system. The ollowing list represents the priority recommendations in the WHTMP.

Barker-Cypress Spine Trail » 5.9 miles adjacent to Barker-Cypress Road

Bear Creek Pioneers Park Spine Trail » 2-mile multi-use trail t hrough park

Bear Creek Spine Trail » 2.6 miles along creek on HCFCD right-o -way

Bellaire Blvd Drainageway Spine Trail » 5.2 miles on HCFCD right-o -way (2.3 milescompleted)

Brays Bayou/Barker Dam Spine Trail » 6 miles along bayou on HCFCD right-o -way (1

mile completed)

Clay Road Spine Trail » 10.3 miles adjacent to road, part within Addicks Reservoir (1 mile completed)

Patterson/N. Eldridge Spine Trail

»

3.5 miles within Addicks Reservoir Eldridge/Energy Corridor Spine Trail » 2.8 miles adjacent to Eldridge Parkway (2

miles completed)

Eldridge/South Spine Trail » 2.9 miles adjacent to Eldridge Parkway

George Bush Park Spine Trail » 14.1 miles around and through Barker

Reservoir (10.4 miles completed)

Greenhouse Kingsland T109 Spine Trail » 4.5 miles adjacent to Greenhouse & Ki ngsland

Blvds. & HCFCD drainageway (2.6 milescompleted)

Grisby/ IH-10 Spine Trail » 2 miles rom Barker Dam along Grisby, SH6,

and IH-10 to Eldridge (1.1 mile completed)

Horsepen Creek Spine Trail » 1 mile along creek on HCFCD right-o -way

Langham Creek Spine Trail » 4.9 miles along creek on HCFCD right-o -

way plus inside Addicks Reservoir (.5 milecompleted)

Mason Creek Spine Trail » 3.7 miles along creek on HCFCD right-o - way plus edge o Barker Reservoir (.9 mileunderway)

Noble Road Spine Trail » 2.3 miles within Barker Reservoir

S. Mayde Creek-Cullen Park Spine Trail » 6.5 miles along creek on HCFCD right-o -way

and inside Cullen Park (3.6 miles completed)

SH-6 North Spine Trail » 6 miles adjacent to SH-6, hal within Addicks

Reservoir (.4 completed)

SH-6 South Spine Trail » 1.2 miles adjacent to SH-6

Wycliff Highline Spine Trail » 8.7 miles ollowing overhead power line right-

o -way



Th H u t nn r r ri r

Patterson/ N. Eldridge Spine Trail The WHTMP has identifed this trail as top priority. The 3.5-mile corridor would begin at Patterson Road and SH- 6 east o N. Eldridge Parkway andtravel through the scenic, wooded Addicks reservoir, connecting to Terry

Hershey North Trail, a METRO Park & Ride, the public transit system, a city bikeway and to the Energy Corridor District.

Partners: USACE, TxDOT. Harris County Precinct 3, City o Houston,Energy Corridor District, and Energy Corridor businesses.

• This spine trail is proposed primarily within existing City o Houstonroadway right-o -ways.

• The City o Houston and the Energy Corridor Distr ict have held meetingsdiscussing strategies or moving this project orward pending inalapprovals by the U.S. Army Corps o Engineers.

• The project would be coordinated with the State TransportationEnhancement Program (STEP) and the tra il development project or North

Terry Hershey Park implemented by Harris County Precinct 3.• City o Houston Parks & Recreation and local council members wil l be

strong partners to help urther this project.

• Trail may be eligible or Congested Mitigation & Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) unding as well as other Pedestrian and Bikeways Transportation

Enhancement unding. Current e orts are underway to acquire suchunding and support.



Trails make our livesricher in a variety o

ways. Not only do they

allow people to connect with nature, they allow people to connect with

one another. They provide a venue whereneighbors meet, where children play,

where amilies gather. Trails bring people out o their homes, out o their cars, and into their

communities.

Connectivity Trails connect people to the places they want to be. They o er routes betweenhome and school, church, retail andbusiness, between parks and open spaces.In the best o circumstances, trails also

o er a stimulating and

pleasurable outdoor experience and createplaces or socialinteracting.

Alternative TransportationBy providing a sa e alternative to single-occupant car travel,

trails alleviate thedemands on publicin rastructure andreduce the negativeenvironmental impact o motorized commuting.

Recreational Activities The desirability and economic strength

o a community is o ten measured by thedegree it supports and promotes outdoor recreation or its citizens, activities that contribute greatly to individual

well-being and quality o li e.

Better Health Trail systems allow communities toengage in regular physical activity

including walking, running andbiking. Such activity can help lower rates o obesity, prevent and control heart disease and diabetes, decrease bloodpressure, reduce symptoms o depression

and decrease rates o aging. Studiesclearly show that improved overall healthlevels result in increased educational

achievement and reduced costs to thehealth care system.

EconomicDevelopmentNumerous studies haveshown that havingtrails incorporated intoresidential developments helps sellproperties and improve real estate values.In act, trails are the second amenity pre erred by potential homeowners,only a ter roadway access. Businesses

pre er to locate in cities o eringquality-o -li e amenities suchas recreational areas, short and alternative commutesand attractive urban design.

Similarly, livable cities attract the creative class o workers who

can choose where they live, work andplay.

Benefts o Trails

Turning the Plan Into Reality.



• Developing a road- and br idge-abutment slope policy that supports

uture trail additions by providinga ledge under bridges or elevatedroadways allowing a trail alongdrainageways.

• Developing recreational -use easementson all open and accessible areascurrently slated as public maintenanceeasements.

• Adopting trail corridors in this andother regional plans and, whenproperties containing proposedtrail corridors are submitted or

development review, incorporatingrequirements or implementationresponsibilities.

•

Including a minimum 8- oot wide multi-use trail or a set aside easement in thedesign o new public road right-o -ways.

• Creating an advocacy organization,coalition or regional trail authority to promote the West Houston TrailsSystem.

• Developing susta inable designpractices to reduce the burden o

uture land maintenance costs.

• Evaluating vegetation management policies that surround drainage andriparian corridors to encourageappropriate vegetation growth,re orestation o the upper banks andhabitat restoration, improved water quality and reduced maintenance costs.

• Removing unnecessary encingsurrounding detention basins, thusexpanding amenity opportunities toallow trail access, wildli e reviewingand habitat development.

An interconnected system o trails would be a boon or all o West Houston.It would urther enhance the attractiveness o the area to residents andbusinesses alike. It would ease tra fc congestion while improving the healthand well-being o commuters. It would augment the beauty o the land, help topreserve the natural resources and advance the quality o li e and economic

vitality o the area.

I you are interested in viewing the entire plan, please visit ww w.energycorridor.org/west-houston-trails/masterplan. We encourage you tobecome involved by volunteering your time or contributing unds. Call 281-759-3800 or an appointment.

With your help, we can make this plan a reality.

Recommendations



The Houston Energy Corridor The best business center in the best business city in theUnited States. Located in West Houston along Interstate10 rom Barker Cypress to Kirkwood and along EldridgeParkway to Briar Forest. Home to global energy and hightechnology companies with frst-class hotels, convenient

retail, attractive neighborhoods and the region’s best school districts.

Energy Corridor District The 1,700 acre special district in The Houston Energy Corridor receives additional police protection, businessdevelopment assistance, public space improvements andmaintenance, multi-modal transportation choices and hikeand bike access to t he region’s best park system.

For more information contact: Energy Corridor District, 14701 St. Mary’s Suite 290, Houston, Texas 77079, 281-759-3800

National Park ServiceSince its establishment in 1916, the National Park Servicehas been entrusted to care or special places saved by the

American people so that all may experience their heritage. The National Park Service pro essionals and volunteerstake the mission on the road o ering advice, technical

assistance and recognition to help communities acrossthe country preserve and create close-to-home recreationopportunities.

The National Park Service is honored to be invitedinto America’s towns and cities to work with those whoshare their commitment to conservation, preservationand recreation. They are proud to join orces with thestate and local governments, nonproft organizationsand private citizens through programs like the Rivers,

Trails and Conservation Assistance program to plan andbuild trails, protect rivers and watersheds, recognize andpromote local history and introduce the next generation tostewardship opportunities and responsibilities.

RTCA o ten acts as a catalyst to help assemble thenecessary pieces to achieve on-the-ground conservationsuccess, helping identi y resources, navigate the planningprocess, and convert ideas into actions. By workingside-by-side in partnership with communities throughout the country, the National Park Service is building a nationwide system o parks, open spaces, rivers, andtrails.

B R IA R FO R E S T

G R I S B Y

D A I R Y A S H F O R D

ENERGY CORRIDORDISTRICT

K I R K W O O D

M E M OR I AL

T H E H O U S T O NENERGY CORRIDOR

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P A R K R O W

B A R K E R C Y P R E S S

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west houston trails master plan introduction

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