Buffalo Bayou Master Plan

[capnmcbarnacle]

Here is the article from the Houston Press:

http://www.houstonpress.com/2006-07-20/news/dark-water/full

The gator photo was taken in Memorial Park on the North bank of the bayou. It is at a point about due south of where the maintenance yard is. It is amazing how wild that section feels. If you think about the fact that ROCC is to the south and the park is to the north, it is about as isolated as you can get inside the loop.

[Original Timmy Chan's]

The gator photo was taken in Memorial Park on the North bank of the bayou. It is at a point about due south of where the maintenance yard is. It is amazing how wild that section feels. If you think about the fact that ROCC is to the south and the park is to the north, it is about as isolated as you can get inside the loop.

I've hiked down to the bayou inside Memorial Park, and it's amazing how far it feels from the rest of Houston.

There are some great beaches down there too!

[Deut28Thirteen]

I can't believe that some of those picture were in Houston! The 1st one looks like your in some kind of jungle. very nice

[20thStDad]

My wife took these on our walk along Allen/Memorial/Buffalo Bayou this morning. We have ourselves a nice pollution haze just like Beijing, maybe not as bad. Also, we have a huge problem with trash/litter. Nonetheless, it was a nice walk and she took some decent pics I think.

[bachanon]

as always, i enjoy when you guys share.

nice pictures and thanks for sharing.

[Dan the Man]

Thanks for the photos. That trail is one of my favorite places to bike and jog; it's scenic, it's rarely ever crowded, and parts of it feel like a world apart from downtown. I just wish the trail surface was crushed granite, rather than crumbling asphalt...

[TheNiche]

Thanks for the photos. That trail is one of my favorite places to bike and jog; it's scenic, it's rarely ever crowded, and parts of it feel like a world apart from downtown. I just wish the trail surface was crushed granite, rather than crumbling asphalt...

I'd be plenty happy if the crumbling asphalt was continuous throughout.

Really, we need them to be considerably wider, concrete (crushed granite is subject to erosion problems), and built with drainage in mind so that they can be used within a day after some heavy rains. Right now, the runoff tends to cover trails with a film of mud. That, and the Parks Department needs to power wash mud off the trails within a day of a high water event.

Anybody that's ever tried to use the trails too soon after a flood knows what I'm talking about.

[crunchtastic]

Really, we need them to be considerably wider, concrete (crushed granite is subject to erosion problems), and built with drainage in mind so that they can be used within a day after some heavy rains. Right now, the runoff tends to cover trails with a film of mud. That, and the Parks Department needs to power wash mud off the trails within a day of a high water event.Anybody that's ever tried to use the trails too soon after a flood knows what I'm talking about.

I do, and you're absolutely correct on this one.

[houstonmacbro]

I love the crystal clear waters of our beloved bayou.

[Metro Matt]

I love the crystal clear waters of our beloved bayou.

I never knew bayou's were supposed to be clear...ever been to Louisiana?

[houstonmacbro]

I have actually, but I don't think I remember seeing their bayous. I have seen their lake (the one with the long bridge).

[Metro Matt]

I'm glad to see efforts continue to keep trash out of the bayou.

[Dan the Man]

I'd be plenty happy if the crumbling asphalt was continuous throughout.

Really, we need them to be considerably wider, concrete (crushed granite is subject to erosion problems), and built with drainage in mind so that they can be used within a day after some heavy rains. Right now, the runoff tends to cover trails with a film of mud. That, and the Parks Department needs to power wash mud off the trails within a day of a high water event.

Anybody that's ever tried to use the trails too soon after a flood knows what I'm talking about.

Crushed granite probably would wash away, now that I think about it. Concrete is awfully hard on many older runners' knees. Maybe a recycled rubber product would fit the bill?

Wash the mud off the trails? Are you kidding? When it dries out, the sand provides more of a workout!

[crunchtastic]

Yay! Mayor's office unveils plan for new bayou bridge at Montrose.

Didn't reallize there was a Memorial Heights TIRZ. New high-rise, new bridge, cool!

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6145342.html

[kylejack]

Yay! Mayor's office unveils plan for new bayou bridge at Montrose.

Didn't reallize there was a Memorial Heights TIRZ. New high-rise, new bridge, cool!

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6145342.html

I ride those trails all the time and frankly I don't see how this is all that necessary. There's a turn-around that puts you back on the other side of the trails at Shepherd, and its not as if its difficult to cross at Montrose, Waugh, or Sabine. It seems like there are some much better things that this could be spent on, like for example the unfinished bike/pedestrian bridge on MacGregor (Columbia Tap Rails-to-Trail project).

[rsb320]

Oh, I forgot to report that the bridge will have multiple landing points (I think three). It will take the route of the old train tracks that used to go to the grain silo.

[LTAWACS]

Yay! Mayor's office unveils plan for new bayou bridge at Montrose.

Didn't reallize there was a Memorial Heights TIRZ. New high-rise, new bridge, cool!

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/6145342.html

That thing looks nice... Interesting rendering of those buildings.

[kylejack]

Oh, I forgot to report that the bridge will have multiple landing points (I think three). It will take the route of the old train tracks that used to go to the grain silo.

Could you provide some more information on what you mean by that? I have no idea where the grain silo or rails were. Is this just barely east of Montrose?

Also whatever happened to the Asian community center or somesuch that was going to be built around here?

Edited December 3, 2008 by kylejack

[totheskies]

Wow, I like the sound of this bridge, but uh...

PRIORITIES!!! Dynamo stadium FIRST!

[Zippy]

Built with public and private funds, the "Tolerance Bridge" will connect trails around Allen Parkway with those on the other side of the bayou on Memorial Drive near Montrose Boulevard.

The "Tolerance Bridge" ?! WTF is that?!

And where are the pics?

Edited December 3, 2008 by Zippy

[rsb320]

Could you provide some more information on what you mean by that? I have no idea where the grain silo or rails were. Is this just barely east of Montrose?

Also whatever happened to the Asian community center or somesuch that was going to be built around here?

The Rice/Grain thing was approximately where the 25 story building is, so I think the rail bridge over Buffalo was east of Montrose. I think there is still some evidence of the remaining pilings, but I'm not sure.

Multiple landing points means that you'll be able to get on/off north of Memorial, south of Memorial/north of Buffalo and north of Allen Pkwy/south of Buffalo.

I think the Asian Center was maybe in the eastside TIRZ.

Edited December 3, 2008 by rsb320

[OkieEric]

The "Tolerance Bridge" ?! WTF is that?!

And where are the pics?

The same exact questions I had... Can you imagine using "Tolerance Bridge" when giving someone directions? Who names these things again?

[RedScare]

I ride those trails all the time and frankly I don't see how this is all that necessary. There's a turn-around that puts you back on the other side of the trails at Shepherd, and its not as if its difficult to cross at Montrose, Waugh, or Sabine. It seems like there are some much better things that this could be spent on, like for example the unfinished bike/pedestrian bridge on MacGregor (Columbia Tap Rails-to-Trail project).

Given that the Memorial Heights TIRZ funds can only be used to enhance the area within the Memorial Heights TIRZ, bridges at MacGregor would seem to be an illegal use of TIRZ funds.

[TheNiche]

The same exact questions I had... Can you imagine using "Tolerance Bridge" when giving someone directions? Who names these things again?

"Tolerance Bridge" "Discovery Green" ... Elementary school teachers, I would think.

[TheNiche]

I ride those trails all the time and frankly I don't see how this is all that necessary. There's a turn-around that puts you back on the other side of the trails at Shepherd, and its not as if its difficult to cross at Montrose, Waugh, or Sabine. It seems like there are some much better things that this could be spent on, like for example the unfinished bike/pedestrian bridge on MacGregor (Columbia Tap Rails-to-Trail project).

Actually, I use the trails often, and IMO one of the two big shortcomings are that there isn't access to Montrose at all from the north side of the Bayou.

The other shortcoming is that trails need to be paved with concrete and raised a little off the ground and with adequate drainage, so that they don't get covered with as thick a layer of silt after any minor flood event.

I can see the need for a pedestrian bridge, and it'll be just that much more as Memorial Heights continues to densify. All those apartments in that area will be made more appealing given better access to parks. In contrast, once you get south of Braes Bayou along Columbia Tap, there's basically a few medical facilities, a little bit of low-density single-family housing, and then lots of warehouses beyond that, before joining up with an active segment of the rail line. And the nearest apartments in that area are already only across the road from Hermann Park.

[wernicke]

I ride those trails all the time and frankly I don't see how this is all that necessary. There's a turn-around that puts you back on the other side of the trails at Shepherd, and its not as if its difficult to cross at Montrose, Waugh, or Sabine. ridge on MacGregor (Columbia Tap Rails-to-Trail project).

I've ran the trails along the bayou and I definitely think there is a need for more crossing points. There is a huge stretch from Sabine to Waugh where you can't get from the north bank to the south bank (there is no access at Montrose/Studemont)...

[Highway6]

KHOU has a video clip showing the Bridge

[wernicke]

KHOU has a video clip showing the Bridge

Kind of strange... not sure if I like the design.

[barracuda]

Actually, I use the trails often, and IMO one of the two big shortcomings are that there isn't access to Montrose at all from the north side of the Bayou.

The other shortcoming is that trails need to be paved with concrete and raised a little off the ground and with adequate drainage, so that they don't get covered with as thick a layer of silt after any minor flood event.

I can see the need for a pedestrian bridge, and it'll be just that much more as Memorial Heights continues to densify. All those apartments in that area will be made more appealing given better access to parks. In contrast, once you get south of Braes Bayou along Columbia Tap, there's basically a few medical facilities, a little bit of low-density single-family housing, and then lots of warehouses beyond that, before joining up with an active segment of the rail line. And the nearest apartments in that area are already only across the road from Hermann Park.

IMO, raising and repaving the trails should be a priority. A lot of work has been put into the trails near downtown, and the landscaping there is really impressive. But as you go west of the skate park on the north side or the parking lot on the south side, the trail breaks up frequently and the landscaping is a mess. Not that landscaping should be the priority, but the trail itself is begging for a makeover.

[uhlaw09]

Tolerance Bridge:

EDIT: Added new renderings released.

Edited December 4, 2008 by uhlaw09