Reader Jeromy Murphy sends a couple pics of a temporary ford of Buffalo Bayou seen last week near the site of the Police Officers Memorial off Memorial Dr. just west of Downtown. Planned nearby: a new permanent pedestrian bridge that will make the memorial accessible to soulmates hanging about in Glenwood Cemetery to the north. The bridge will also open the memorial to visits from bikers on the recently updated trail on the bayou’s north side.
This map shows the plan:
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It also indicates the purpose of the temporary land bridge: for trucks hauling excavated silt as part of the Harris County Flood Control District’s Buffalo Bayou reconstruction project.
Work on restoring the bayou’s conveyance capacity, stabilizing the banks, repairing erosion, removing invasive plants, and even adding a few trees will continue west to Shepherd Dr., through 2014.
- Previously on Swamplot: More Pedestrian Bridges and Other Twists and Turns in the Plans for Buffalo Bayou Park
Photos: Jeromy Murphy. Map: Buffalo Bayou Partnership
It is amazing the amount of trees they have removed all along the bayou during this process. I assume it is part of the erosion/flooding issues they are tackling, or maybe they are just clearing out a better view to the beautiful flowing waters.
They are also getting ready to install the new pedestrian bridge under the Shepherd overpass. The supports are up and they have the bridge pieces ready to connect.
That’s great! Now if they would put a pedestrian bridge or two (or more) in the Galleria all the new apartment dwellers could actually cross Post Oak and Westheimer without taking their lives into their hands. Same with Highland Village.
beautiful flowing water???
wish they had all these pedestrian bridges when i was running the loop every day 6 years agos, glad to see them updatingthis area as it’s always been one of the best treasures of being in-town. at least the place was always deserted back in the day, made for some pleasant running away from the herds at Memorial.
@htownproud
This is the walk bridge that was really needed, going to be nice when this one is opened. I wish they would pick up the trash and mow, that would be sweet.
But of course Joel, join me for a swim?
@Northsider: I’m sure they are going to reintroduce trees in a big way to the bayou if they are clearing them out now. I suspect they are just removing them temporarily to make room for the trucks and such they are using during project.
They are expanding the capacity of the bayou in several spots by widening where errosion was already taking place from the natural flow of the bayou. In order to do that, they are taking out the banks and all the vegetation that was on them. In other spots, they have actually done a pretty good job of just removing the invasive vegetation, leaving the bald cypress, sycamores and other trees in tact.
It is so nice to finally see a major investment being made in the park. The only thing I would want to add to the master plan is a few more pedestrian bridges over Allen parkway around Waugh and Studemont. You really take your life into your own hands even if you cross Allen Pkwy legally at the intersections of Waugh and Studemont.
From what the web says the trees are being removed as they are invasive species and will be replaced with native plants ans trees that will better serve us and the needs of the bayou. I say bring it. I ride every other day and the ride gets better everytime.
@Golyadkin, I am sure you are right, but the last bike ride I had through there was eye opening, and in narrow areas where trucks couldn’t go anyways. It was more likely the removal of invasive species they are taking out. I wonder how they have determined the appropriate historical time to restore the ‘natural’ or original habitat around the bayou?
You can see the before and after views of the original straightening by toggling between the 1953 and 1964 views at historicaerials.com.
1953:
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.6E-05&lat=29.761289593449&lon=-95.381978091554&year=1953
1964:
http://www.historicaerials.com/aerials.php?scale=1.6E-05&lat=29.761289593449&lon=-95.381978091554&year=1964
Ok, so when can I kayak the bayou again, they just put up a mud block bridge….
Northsider,
The ‘natural’ habitat being restored has nothing to do with the bayou alignment. It’s purely about removing excess silt build up (which happens in streams when the approach tidal zones), removing invasives, and replanting trees and bayou side plants that protect against erosion.
This project is happening with cooperation from USACE.
Rode by this Saturday, the bridge is already gone.