From Addicks Reservoir to White Oak Bayou Greenway and beyond

HOUSTON — December 10, 2020 — The Spring Branch Management District, Houston Parks Board and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department today celebrated the completion of the hike-and-bike Spring Branch Trail Phase 1 as a key part of a planned regional amenity for outdoor recreation, exercise and commuting over about 22 miles. 

The $1.7 million, 2.4-mile segment in Spring Branch stretches between Blalock Road and Wirt Road along the Centerpoint Energy right-of way north of Hammerly Boulevard and south of Kempwood Drive, connecting neighborhoods, retail stores, schools, Schwartz Park and employment centers.

The Spring Branch Management District funded the project, the non-profit Houston Parks Board was responsible for managing the design and construction of the first segment, and the city Houston

Parks and Recreation Department managed the contract between the District and the City for the design, construction, and maintenance of the trail.

Completion of all 10-feet-wide, paved Spring Branch Trail phases — part of the District’s 2015-2030 Comprehensive Plan — will link trails along the east side of the Addicks Reservoir to the White Oak Bayou Greenway on the near northwest side. The existing Greenway connects directly to trails to Northwest Houston as well as to the heart of downtown Houston and Buffalo Bayou Park, with links to the East End, the Texas Medical Center, Texas Southern University and the University of Houston.

For photos courtesy of Houston Parks Board, see below.

Phase 1 features include:

• Trail connections to Schwartz Park and neighborhoods at Lazy Spring Drive, Tilson Lane, Alcott Drive, and Ridgemore Drive
• Proximity to Buffalo Creek Elementary School, St. Jerome Childhood Center, Edgewood Elementary School, Landrum Middle School, and The Lion Lane School
• Safe road crossings at Blalock Road, Hollister Road, and Bingle Road with pedestrian and bicycle crosswalks and signage
• Directional and informational signage, plantings at road crossings and neighborhood connections, and native grasses along the trail
• Ongoing maintenance of the trail by Spring Branch Management District, including weekly trash pickup, bi-weekly mowing, and trail and amenities upkeep

By providing people-powered, alternative forms of transportation, the long-term trail project complements the city’s multi-pronged efforts toward greater resiliency and curbing local carbon emissions from sources such as motor vehicle traffic.

Quote from At-large Council Member David Robinson, chair of the council Transportation, Technology and Infrastructure Committee,

“The Parks Department is committed to fulfilling the Mayor’s vision of a greener, sustainable, and resilient Houston,” said Kenneth Allen, Interim Director, Houston Parks and Recreation Department. “This new 22-mile trail is one example of how we are working to implement that vision. Today we thank our partners, the Spring Branch Management District, and the Houston Parks Board, for working with the City of Houston on this project. We continue our unwavering mission of providing all communities with equal access to quality neighborhood parks and greenspaces all across the City.”

“Today we celebrate another way that the management district gets things done. We provide the area with everything from safety patrols and graffiti removal to economic development and public art,” District Board Chairwoman Pat Maddox said. “But today we are serving more than Spring Branch. Phase 1 of the trail is a key piece of a planned network that will connect the Houston area like nothing Houston has seen before at a time when people are looking for more ways to get around without sitting in traffic or creating more pollution.”

Within the future trail network is the popular Emnora Lane Hike-and-Bike Trail, built and maintained by Harris County Precinct 4 along a CenterPoint Energy easement from Gessner to just west of Moorberry Lane, north of Hammerly Boulevard.

The Spring Branch Trail project is also part of Houston Parks Board’s Beyond the Bayous initiative, a shared vision to bring more parks and trails to Houston so that everyone can enjoy equitable access to green spaces.

“We are delighted to be part of the expansion initiative taking place in Spring Branch,” said Beth White, President and CEO of Houston Parks Board. “This project is in perfect alignment with the Houston Parks Board mission and is just the first step in connecting the Spring Branch community to more parks and green space.”