New trail at Trinity River.

[monogodo]

Saturday night my wife and I were watching the news on channel 5 waiting for SNL to start, and I saw a short story about a new trail opening up at the Trinity River near Downtown. I wasn't paying full attention to the TV at the time, so I missed the important details, like where exactly it was. I did a websearch for it Sunday and couldn't find anything. Later when I went for my bike ride, I looked for it, but couldn't find anything. All I remember from the story was that it was near Downtown, between the levys, and is 10km in distance. The report showed a bunch of runners on it.

Does anyone know anything about it?

[Columbus Civil]

I think that everyone who has not been down there yet should pencil in an afternoon to spend in the River Bottoms this spring before the heat and vegetation take over. I think if you see the Trinity River first hand and up close you will realize that the TRP thing will never work.

You will be humbled at the amount of trash.

[jsoto3]

Saturday night my wife and I were watching the news on channel 5 waiting for SNL to start, and I saw a short story about a new trail opening up at the Trinity River near Downtown. I wasn't paying full attention to the TV at the time, so I missed the important details, like where exactly it was. I did a websearch for it Sunday and couldn't find anything. Later when I went for my bike ride, I looked for it, but couldn't find anything. All I remember from the story was that it was near Downtown, between the levys, and is 10km in distance. The report showed a bunch of runners on it.

Does anyone know anything about it?

I went to check out the trail on Saturday. Unfortunately, it is not near Downtown. It is on top of the levees north of Sylvan/Inwood. It is nothing special yet. They didn't pave it, they simply put up markers and granted the public legal access to the levees. Access is from Trammell Crow Park within the TRC. So, in reality, the top of the levee (full length) is as much a trail now as it was before. You can still access the levee tops anywhere along the TRC, though not necessarily legally.

[tamtagon]

Will tree planting ever be allowed on the levees?

[rantanamo]

So is it going to be paved or will this simply always be a "marked" trail?

[monogodo]

Thanks for the info, jsoto3.

[jsoto3]

I believe that eventually the entire length of the levees will have paved trails on them, but I am skeptical about seeing trees. I won't claim to know official rules about tree planting on levees, but my gut tells me that it is prohibited as the roots could potentially compromise the integrity of the levee.

[rantanamo]

There are ways around actually planting them on the levees

[Insidetheloop]

I went to check out the trail on Saturday. Unfortunately, it is not near Downtown. It is on top of the levees north of Sylvan/Inwood. It is nothing special yet. They didn't pave it, they simply put up markers and granted the public legal access to the levees. Access is from Trammell Crow Park within the TRC. So, in reality, the top of the levee (full length) is as much a trail now as it was before. You can still access the levee tops anywhere along the TRC, though not necessarily legally.

It's not all that far from the southern terminus of the Katy Trail near Baby Doe's. Taking Victory West underneath Stemmons from the AA Center it's only a few blocks. I think it would be very difficult in any case getting to the levees from the Central Business District due to the train tracks, I-30 and Industrial Blvd.

But yes....all the city did was name an un-named dirt road a "trail". It's the same road that's been there since the levees were built. I posted some information about it in another thread. My main concern is that the official map puts pedestrians and cyclists on bridges that lack sidewalks and/or a cycling lane. It was my thought that whoever came up with the trail idea never walked the route. If they did, they would see a number of issues that would have needed immediate attention prior to the official opening.

[Insidetheloop]

There are ways around actually planting them on the levees

Even if someone put them in large self contained planter boxes I don't think the idea would fly with the COE. After large and heavy floods the COE and the City need access to the levee to fix parts of the levee that have "sluffed" off.

[rantanamo]

That's not what I mean either.

[Tnekster]

I always thought trees helped prevent slides like this.

[Insidetheloop]

I always thought trees helped prevent slides like this.

You would think so...but the roots could undermine the levee and provide a weak link for water to travel. I don't think I've ever seen a COE built levee with trees as a feature. All along the Mississippi, for instance, the levees are devoid of trees.

Just think what a disaster it would be if one of the levees broke during a large flood. In the past the Trinity River has made it as far as the 2nd step of the Old Red Courthouse and up to what is now the Downtown El Fenix. A number of homeowners on McKinney Avenue drowned when their homes were flooded. But that was pre-levee.

[tamtagon]

I was just wondering if the flood control corrective steps currently being undertaken by the COE would eventually eliminate the need for the levees - and that instead if removing them, they become sculpted hills or something. I dont know....

[Insidetheloop]

I was just wondering if the flood control corrective steps currently being undertaken by the COE would eventually eliminate the need for the levees - and that instead if removing them, they become sculpted hills or something. I dont know....

You would still need the current levees in place. You could maybe taper them so that the angles are not so high...but you would still need their height. If the levees were not in place then according to this map most of lower downtown would be underwater.
http://www.nctcog.org/envir/trin/model/spf/fldspf2a.gif

http://www.nctcog.org/cgi-bin/envir/imagecen.asp?/envir/trin/model/spf/fldspf2a.gif=FFFFFF

The red shaded area shows a water depth of over 30 feet.That includes the AA Center. I think that water would be lapping at Fountain Place and much of the West End would be under 10 feet of water. I believe this is the 500 year flood plain.

[rantanamo]

That doesn't take into account, new flood controls. The flatness of the land, though, is why they are needed unless the flood plain made much deeper than it is. Not impossible, but more expensive than levees. The tapering would be cool. You could also make the levees more aesthetically pleasing. You'll probably see that where the tollway goes through, at the bridges or at certain park areas.

[jsoto3]

Well, I road the trail today and was pleasantly surprised, which is odd because as i said above, nothing has really changed. Never-the-less, it was an absloute delight! I highly encourage people to go. I dare say that being in the TRC is almost as pleasant now for casual bikers & hikers as it will be when "The Project" is done. Actually, perhaps more so given the pending highway. As I was riding I couldn't help but think that it might be fun to have DMF bike tours. Anyone interested?

[Insidetheloop]

But isn't the toll road gonna be built where the trail is currently located? If construction ever starts on the toll road, the levee trail wil disappear.