Thanks to a bond election passed last November and private funds secured by the Houston Parks Board, the City of Houston is well on its way to a 100-year-old plan for 150 miles of continuous hike and bike trails along its iconic bayous.
Houston City Council unanimously approved this fund-matching partnership on Wednesday, which will funnel a total of $205 million to the Bayou Greenways 2020 project.
"Every section of Houston will benefit from this initiative," said Mayor Annise Parker at a press conference, noting that the first priority is connecting more residents to larger portions of the trail.
Roksan Okan-Vick, executive director at the Houston Parks Board, said that work will begin in a few months along White Oak Bayou, followed by projects to improve Brays and then Buffalo Bayou, according to KHOU Channel 11 News.
"We're going to change the way people move and the way our community is able to get to various parks around the city," said Joe Turner, director of Houston Parks and Recreation.
Watch KHOU's full report:
The plan for bayou greenways is 100 years in the making.
Sante's Garden Room is decorated with two olive trees.
Photo by Chris Furia
