$7 Million Bike Trails

A flood of new bike trails for Houston: Project will link seven parks

More than 14 miles of new hike and bike trails are planned along Sims Bayou, Mayor Annise Parker announced on Friday. The $7 million project, developed in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, will run from Interstate 45 to Croquette Street in southeast Houston, linking seven city parks, including Reveille Park, Stuart Park, Law Park, Sims Bayou Park, the County’s Hill at Sims Park, Scottcrest Park, and Townwood Park.

“My goal is for cyclists to start at one point and be able to ride all the way to the other side of the city on bikeways."

The first phase, scheduled to begin in late fall, will include a 3.1 mile path from I-45 to Stuart Park, with concrete trails similar to existing ones along Buffalo Bayou and White Oak Bayou. The project, the first in five phases scheduled to be completed by fall 2015, will include picnic shelters, park benches, picnic tables, drinking fountains with dog bowls, parking lots and lighting.

“My goal is for cyclists to start at one point and be able to ride all the way to the other side of the city on bikeways," Parker said in a statement. "The Bayou Greenways initiative approved by voters last year envisions our bayous serving dual purposes of essential flood control as well as traffic free paths in extended green settings. With this project, Sims Bayou will remain an important component of our drainage system, but it will also be enjoyed on a daily basis by many Houstonians.”

Most of the cost will be covered by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The City of Houston and Houston Parks Board are responsible for paying for the planned recreation amenities and acquisition of three remaining land parcels needed to complete the project., the mayor said.

The project comes on the heels of a $6.5 million Transportation Enhancement Program announced in August. It will connect existing trails, parks, bus and METRO rail stop and neighborhoods along Brays Bayou as well as fund an ongoing flood control project on Hunting Bayou.

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flag-waving news

Texas drops on new list of most patriotic states in U.S.

Photo by Ray Shrewsberry on Unsplash

Texas ranked a dismal No. 45 this year after previously ranking as the 36th most patriotic state in 2024.

This may come as a surprise for many Texans, but the Lone Star State is far from being the most patriotic place in America, according to a new report.

WalletHub's latest study ranking the "Most Patriotic States in America" for 2025 placed Texas near the bottom of the list as No. 45, marking a significant nine-place drop from its rank as the 36th most patriotic state in 2024.

According to the findings, the three most patriotic states in America are Virginia (No. 1), Montana (No. 2), and Vermont (No. 3). Colorado (No. 4) and Oregon (No. 5) round out the top five most passionate, flag-waving states in 2025.

Texas flopped toward the bottom mainly due to its civic engagement rank (No. 47), but it did perform fairly well in the military engagement category (No. 13).

Texas has the third-highest average number of military enlistees, the report found, but it had the second-lowest percentage of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election.

WalletHub analyst Chip Lupo said patriotism can't be defined by geographic region or by which states fly the most American flags. Rather, true patriotism can be found in states with high voter turnouts, high volunteer rates, and more.

“The most patriotic states have a lot of residents who serve or have served in the armed forces, high voter turnouts during elections, and a high share of the population volunteering with national or local organizations," Lupo said.

States like Virginia and Montana ranked at the top of the list due to their high voter turnout rates during the 2024 presidential election, plus high volunteer rates in local or national organizations. Virginia is also home to the third-highest population of active-duty military personnel per 100,000 civilians, and there are 27 military bases in the state.

The report further acknowledges that many Americans may not be feeling very patriotic this year because of "societal issues" that span from "relentless high inflation" to tragedies like mass shootings.

"Many people may find it hard to celebrate a country where countless people are struggling and frequent violence persists," the report's author wrote. "However, an expression of love for fellow citizens is patriotic in itself."

Joining Texas among the least patriotic American states are Florida (No. 46), Alabama (No. 47), Louisiana (No. 48), New York (No. 49), and Arkansas (No. 50).

The top 10 most patriotic states in America are:

No. 1 – Virginia
No. 2 – Montana
No. 3 – Vermont
No. 4 – Colorado
No. 5 – Oregon
No. 6 – Washington
No. 7 – North Dakota
No. 8 – Maryland
No. 9 – Minnesota
No. 10 – New Hampshire

The report analyzed all 50 states across 13 "indicators of patriotism" based on military and civic engagement, including factors such as the rate of veterans living in each state for every 1,000 civilians; the share of adults who voted in the 2024 presidential election and the 2020 primary elections; the number of AmeriCorps volunteers per capita, and more.

texas wallethub reports patriotism