TxDOT Proposal Elevating Stretch of I-10

TxDOT is proposing to elevate a stretch of I-10 along White Oak Bayou. The FWP Board is against this for the reasons listed below from our friends at the Woodland Heights Civic Association.

Please submit the below pre-written comment via email to TxDOT. The DEADLINE is September 9 so please do not delay and share with your neighbors. Click or select the link below to open the pre-written email.

Sincerely, 

FWP Board

“THERE IS NO POWER FOR CHANGE GREATER THAN A COMMUNITY DISCOVERING WHAT IT CARES ABOUT.” – MARGARET J. WHEATLEY

  

Help stop the project by submitting this pre-written email to TxDOT and elected officials: click here.

  

ACT NOW: The deadline to submit comments is September 9th.

 

In recent weeks the WHCA has challenged TxDOT on their plan to elevate I-10 near our neighborhood between Heights Blvd. and I-45. Due to the lack of transparency, engagement, and overall dubiousness around the project, the WHCA cannot support this project. The project, in its current form, seems to be a waste of taxpayer money and jeopardizes the tranquility and worth of our community. Below is a high-level list of issues:

  • TxDOT has defined the need, designed, and funded this project to start in 2024 without first considering the impact to the surrounding communities and ecosystems or engaging the public.

  • TxDOT should halt this project until Harris County Flood Control District (HCFCD) completes its evaluation of a plan to build 8 massive tunnels that would divert and store water underground. A study should be done to determine whether the I-10 elevation would be needed if the tunnel system goes forward.

  • This finished project would not withstand a Hurricane Harvey level event and traffic would still need to be re-routed as it is now and would be through the construction period. Any tax-payer funded project that purports to address flooding should be built to take on a 500-year flood.

  • The elevation of I-10 would add significant noise pollution to already very loud highway noise. The increased noise will impact property values along White Oak and surrounding streets.

  • The construction will last a minimum of four years and will be a burden to our community. In that time we will have limited access in and out of the neighborhood which will cause congestion within the neighborhood. That could lead to homeowners leaving, depressed home values, and homes sitting on the market longer.

  • TxDOT should consult local organizations to define parameters of the environmental impacts to be studied for ecosystems along White Oak and Little White Oak bayous and into our neighborhoods which are nesting sites for important birds like the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, the official bird of Houston and formerly endangered Bald Eagles.

  • TxDOT should not take away any greenspace along White Oak Bayou.

  • TxDOT should not disturb the forested area slated to be a detention pond. This provides important sound mitigation, natural habitat and aesthetic beauty.

  • TxDOT should not break the Inner Katy project into smaller projects.

    • We are concerned that TxDOT’s decision to split the Inner Katy Corridor into segmented projects will mean that the full environmental impacts are not captured under National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).

    • We support other communities like Cottage Grove who are fighting a separate I-10 project threatening their parks and further dividing their neighborhood.

    • Impact analysis should be combined with the current I-45 impact analysis as they will affect the same neighborhoods and bayous

Here’s how you can help stop TxDOT’s I-10 Plan: 

·        Submit a pre-written email to TxDOT and elected officials: click here.

·        Submit your own comment on the TxDOT.gov website and reference project number: CSJ 0271-07-326

  

“ALONE WE CAN DO SO LITTLE. TOGETHER WE CAN DO SO MUCH.” – HELEN KELLER

Woodland Park to Moody Park Trails

Do you wonder how the Woodland to Moody Trail came to be?

According to FWP Board Member, Pat Rutledge, “Nat Smith (partner of another FWP Board member Becky) is an explorer extraordinaire and he no doubt hiked the banks of the Little White Oak Bayou from Woodland Park to Moody Park long before he invited me to join him, probably as early as 2005-2010.”

Once a month, Bike Houston, Houston Parks Board, and others held casual bike rides to show off the City’s bayou trails and amazing waterway, and they were affectionately referred to as Skelly rides after one of the key organizers, Mike Skelly. Nat thought the riders would find it interesting to see both Woodland Park and Moody Park via Little White Oak Bayou by bicycle. He volunteered to lead a ride one spring Sunday morning, and a weekend or two prior Nat, Tony Banks, and Pat brought some basic trail clearing tools and trimmed tree branches so that the riders could get through with just a little effort.

Although Pat credits Nat with doing much of the work, both played a key role and have a great depth of knowledge about the bayou and its banks. Pat says, “I was there because I enjoy his (Nat’s) company, his sense of adventure, and his can-do positive spirit.” This sentiment truly embodies the spirit of the FWP board to this day!

Early in the spring/late winter is the best time to explore, before the weeds make it difficult to pass. See the attached map as a rough guide for your adventure. There are several residences along the bayou, homeless camps (abandoned as we went through), a pristine meadow and beautiful stream, as well as of course Hollywood Cemetery, so please be respectful and mindful of your surroundings as you make your way along this 4 mile loop.

Woodland Park trail map.

Woodland Park trail map.

2019 Mayor’s Proud Partner Award

We are extremely proud to report that because of your support, guidance, advice, and hard work to make Firefly Field by Dylan Conner a reality, our Woodland Park gateway amenity has been selected for recognition with a 2019 Mayor’s Proud Partner Award.

Saying “we couldn’t have done it without you” is an understatement of mammoth proportions. So we hope you will be as proud of this accomplishment as we are. We are eternally grateful to you.

Birds in the park — october 2019

From Jason Bonilla:

Hi all. We had our October bird survey this morning at Woodland Park with 24 species observed. There were several warblers around, Wilson's, Nashville, and American Redstart. We also got a look at the Great Horned Owl which was a little too close, and tucked away for a scope view, but was easy to see through binoculars. The full list is below. Our next survey will be on Saturday, November 2nd at 7:30 am.

Rock Pigeon - 1

White-winged Dove - 55

Mourning Dove - 2

Chimney Swift - 3

Great Egret - 1

Green Heron - 1

Cooper's Hawk - 1

Red-tailed Hawk -1

Great Horned Owl - 1

Belted Kingfisher - 1

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker - 1

Red-bellied Woodpecker - 1

Downy Woodpecker - 2

Blue Jay - 13

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - 4

Carolina Wren - 5

European Starling - 5

Northern Mockingbird - 2

American Robin - 1

Great-tailed Grackle - 12

Nashville Warbler - 1

American Redstart - 1

Wilson's Warbler - 1

Northern Cardinal - 6