Date:  October 16, 2020

Notification of Sims Bayou Greenway Construction Start!

Greetings!

I have some exciting news to share with you! I am writing to let you know that Houston Parks Board will begin construction soon on a new Sims Bayou Greenway segment, our longest Bayou Greenway construction project to date at close to 6 miles.

This new greenway picks up where the existing Sims Bayou Greenway leaves off, at Scott Street, and heads west along the bayou's north side to Margaret Jenkins Park. At Margaret Jenkins Park, the trail connects into this park as well as the neighborhood to the west. The greenway continues along the north side, goes under Highway 288, and then connects into the Houston Sports Park.

After the Houston Sports Park, the greenway continues on the north side, connecting up to West Orem Drive, then continuing under Almeda Road and Union Pacific Railroad. West of Almeda Road, the greenway continues until it reaches Townwood Park, with connections into the park, and finally Buffalo Speedway.

The greenway will connect into an existing Sims Bayou Greenway segment at Buffalo Speedway, which continues west to Southwest Houston, ultimately ending at Hillcroft Avenue.

Notable new features of the Sims Bayou Greenway between Scott Street and Buffalo Speedway include:

• Neighborhood connections at Fairland Drive, Brisbane Street, Kirby Drive, West Orem Drive and Buffalo Speedway
• Trail connections into Margaret Jenkins Park, Houston Sports Park and Townwood Park
• Improvements to Margaret Jenkins Park, including a landscaped connection into the park's walking trail and signage
• A new hike-and-bike pedestrian bridge connecting the Sugar Hill Neighborhood west of Margaret Jenkins Park with the park which will provide the neighborhood with safe pedestrian and bicycle access
• Improvements to Townwood Park, including landscaped connections from the parking lot and the park's walking trails to the Sims Bayou Greenway, seating, planting and signage
• 10-foot wide concrete trail
• Planting of native trees and meadows
• Interpretive and directional signage
• Trash cans and recycling containers
• Implementation of our Conservation and Maintenance Program for the greenway, which includes weekly trash pickup, bi-weekly mowing of grass along the trail, upkeep of the trail and amenities, and any necessary flood cleanup

Sims Bayou Greenway will also sit along 30-acres of undeveloped meadow, which Houston Parks Board purchased in 2017. We intend to preserve this natural area to complement the future Sims Bayou Greenway and provide an opportunity for people to connect with nature.

This work is expected to begin within a couple of weeks and conclude in approximately fifteen months. Residents should be mindful of the active construction site along Sims Bayou as well as all intersection/connecting streets. Residents/the public should not enter areas surrounded by orange construction fencing. See the attached map for further details.

Sims Bayou Greenway is part of a citywide project called Bayou Greenways 2020, which Houston Parks Board is leading in partnership with the City of Houston and Houston Parks and Recreation Department in close cooperation with Harris County Flood Control District. Bayou Greenways 2020 will create a continuous park system along Houston's major waterways, transform more than 3,000 underutilized acres along the bayous into linear parks and connect 150 miles of hike-and-bike trails.

Want to know more?

Visit our Sims Bayou Greenway webpage, which contains maps and project updates. 

You can learn more about our nonprofit organization and how we create, improve, protect, and advocate for parks for everyone by visiting our "About Us" webpage.

We encourage you to share this information with others in your community. I am out of the office next week, so please contact our Events and Outreach Coordinator, Christopher Montes, with any questions you have: christophermontes@houstonparksboard.org.

Thank you,

Lisa Kasianowitz

Lisa Kasianowitz
Outreach Manager
Houston Parks Board
300 North Post Oak Lane
Houston, TX 77024
lisa@houstonparksboard.org
T 713.942.8500 x14

 
Share your story with #ParksByYou

The Houston Parks Board is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization dedicated to creating, improving,
protecting, and advocating for parks for everyone.