Houston Develops Plans for Bike Interstates/Trails Along Utility Easements

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The city of Houston (43.8% Latino) could soon have its own city-wide bike network, thanks to an agreement it entered with electric company CenterPoint Energy, to build trails along utility easements.

According to a Streetsblog USA blog, in May 2014, the city of Houston reached an agreement with CenterPoint Energy, to create trails along utility rights-of-way.

Because the utility rights-of-way are wide and prevalent from north to south throughout the city, such a network of trails would complement plans for the city’s Bayou Greenways system—a network of trails to be built along bayous which run east to west—nicely and provide a grid-like network of bike trails for the community.

CenterPoint Energy’s decision to build trails along easements did not happen overnight.

Streetsblog USA reports that it took years before city and state leaders were able to get the energy company to overcome liability concerns. It was until a 2013 state law (HB 200) that protects energy companies from liability was signed that CenterPoint Energy committed $1.5 million toward the trails.

Although the utility rights-of-way provide an excellent location for the trail system, there are still some infrastuctural challenges to overcome. For instance, because trees must be kept away from powerlines, trail designers must find alternatives for providing shade.

Read more about this in the Streetsblog USA post.