Harris County Precinct 4 using $2M grant to study if small parks can be built over Katy Freeway

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Could there one day be parks built on top of I-10, the widest freeway in the nation? Harris County Precinct 4 is set to find out.

Pct. 4 just won a $2 million grant from the federal government to do a study on this 3.2-mile stretch of I-10 between White Oak Bayou and Old Katy Road.

Luis Guajardo, Pct. 4's planning and community development director says that although other plans are in the works, nothing like this is currently in our area.

Some examples of these kinds of parks are Klyde Warren Park in Dallas and The Big Dig in Boston.

The study in Houston, he says, will likely start at the end of 2026 and last between a year and a half and two years.

"It might take a couple of years now, but it will solve issues for the next 30, 40, 50 years if we do it right," Guajardo explained.

The goal is to connect Memorial Park to the White Oak Bayou trail network.

Guajardo explains that a large cap park stretching the entire 3.2 miles is likely not feasible from a financial or construction standpoint.

Instead, here's what he thinks may work.

"So having a series of kind of three to five smaller parks above the highway is something that structurally can be supported and then finding a way to interconnect them above the highway through - not necessarily a full cap, but a smaller hike and bike trail that can interconnect the whole thing is what is thought of right now that could be done," Guajardo explained.

The federal funds Pct. 4 just received will cover 80% of the study's estimated $2.5 million cost, and Pct. 4 will cover the rest.

Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones released the following statement about the study:

"This Reconnecting Communities study will allow us to prioritize future infrastructure investments focused on enhancing safety, connecting our community, and improving access to schools, healthcare facilities, and workplaces. This infrastructure would also enhance access to Houston's crown jewel, Memorial Park, which is twice the size of Central Park and serves people from over 170 zip codes. I am grateful for this investment in the future of the Inner Katy Corridor. Together, we will create a safer, more resilient future for Harris County."

There is no estimated timeline yet for when these parks may be constructed.

For more news updates, follow Courtney Carpenter on Facebook, X and Instagram.