KATY, TX (Covering Katy News) - A bike trail allowing cyclists to ride from South Mason Road, near the Great Southwest Equestrian Center, to George Bush Park without crossing a road with automobile traffic could be under construction as early as next year.
The project is being led by the Willowfork Drainage District in coordination with Harris County, the Army Corp of Engineers and several Municipal Utility Districts.
The path will start just north of the Camden Downs Apartments and run about 1.8 miles to an existing trail in George Bush Park.
The construction of an underpass will allow the bike path to go beneath an existing bridge on South Fry Road that crosses a drainage channel. The underpass will be about a quarter mile north of the Westheimer Parkway intersection.
Currently, cyclists in that area must cross the busy South Fry Road at Westheimer Parkway intersection.
"About 29 thousand vehicles a day cross that intersection," said Gregg Nady, Vice President of the Willow Fork Drainage District,
By comparison, an intersection a short distance south on Fry Road has half as much traffic, according to Nady.
The underpass will allow cyclists to avoid Westheimer Parkway while accessing George Bush Park from Cinco Ranch.
"That intersection is terrible for cyclists," said bicycle shop owner Katya Morzhueva of Cool Cat Cycles. "Often, drivers making a right turn do not see the cyclists.
Once at George Bush Park, cyclists can continue into Terry Hershey Park and ride uninterrupted to Beltway 8 in Houston's Memorial neighborhood. An underpass at Highway 6 connects the two parks.
"There are 145 miles of connected trails through and beyond George Bush Park," said Nady.
Planning for the path involves numerous parties and is complex.
"We're working on some property access agreements, permitting with Harris County, and additional funding," Nady said.
Numerous organizations are involved and are sharing costs. For example, a permit is required from the Army Corps of Engineers for the section of trail inside George Bush Park, and Harris County Municipal Utility Districts 345, 346, and Nottingham Country MUD are sharing the cost of the South Fry Road underpass, according to Nady.
"The current cost estimate of the underpass is $600,750, and the trail is $850,000," Nady said. "The projects will go to bid once all the agreements are in place."
Inflation is causing construction costs to rise, so the Willow Fork Drainage District will know the final price once the winning bids are selected.
Funding from the Willowfork Drainage District comes from a 29 million-dollar bond package approved by voters in 2011.