Houston Bike Advocates Propose Two Bridges Across White Oak Bayou

As famously car-centric Houston works to boost its biking infrastructure, a proposal dubbed “A Tale of Two Bridges” could give Houston cyclists a more convenient option for crossing White Oak Bayou, reports Dug Begley in the Houston Chronicle.

Despite some points on either side of the bayou being just 500 feet apart, “Cyclists and runners now must make a roughly 1.6 mile detour via the closest span across the bayou east of T C Jester unless they use city streets that aren’t friendly to anyone outside a car or truck.” That distance can make a crucial difference for people with mobility impairments, Begley points out.

“The proposal cobbles together an open space the Texas Department of Transportation acquired for stormwater detention north of Interstate 10 and White Oak Bayou, current plans for a bridge where Rutland dead ends north of the bayou, and apartment and commercial development on both sides of the bayou at Patterson” to propose adding a second bridge that would make the route more convenient for cyclists and pedestrians. 

“TxDOT, with federal money doled out by the Houston-Galveston Area Council, has a $2.4 million plan to build the Rutland bridge, set to start construction in fiscal 2024.” Advocates hope another entity will provide the funding for the Patterson bridge, arguing that the two spans would complement other planned bike lanes and trails and help spur economic development and social activity in the area. As more people adopt biking and walking as essential transportation and recreation modes, providing safe crossings across the bayous that criss-cross the city will be a crucial component of a comprehensive trail network.