Westchase Trail Network provides new way to commute
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A brand new trail system has opened in the Westchase District, and it could make commuting to work a lot easier.
The two-mile Brays Bayou Connector trail gives cyclists and walkers direct access to METRO's Westchase Park and Ride facility.
It was built along the Centerpoint and Harris County flood control utility corridors, which allows the trail to be 100 percent off-road.
Underground crossings at Richmond, Westpark, Westpark Tollway, Harwin, and Bellaire allow cyclists and walkers to avoid potentially dangerous intersections. The district hopes the trail system will help ease the commute for the 88,000 people who work in the Westchase area.
"The only way you could get here was by vehicle and by bus, of course. So we wanted to provide our residents and employees alternate ways of transportation, and we saw the trail as a way of doing so," said Irma Sanchez, the Westchase District spokeswoman.
The new trail also provides a direct connection to Houston Community College Northwest. A lot of college students are transit users, so they could potentially come to the park and ride and then hike or bike their way up to the HCC campus, Sanchez said.
Portions of the trail network were flooded during Harvey. They have been cleared of debris and are now ready for use.
More trails are in the works, including a trail that will connect to the Gessner Park and Ride. A $4 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration helped fund the trail system.
