PLACE WE KNOW OLYMPIC ATHLETES
HAVE TRAINED IT OUR OWN MEMORIAL
PARKS RUNNING TRAILS. SOON THERE WILL BE A NEW
SOON THERE WILL BE A NEW
STANDOUT FEATURE IN THE PARK.
I SAW THE TRANSFORMATION THAT’S
TAKING PLACE RIGHT NOW. I LEARNED HOW THIS WILL SET OUR
I LEARNED HOW THIS WILL SET OUR
CITY APART FROM THE CROWD.
IT’S SURROUNDED BY CONCRETE.
>> IT’S OPEN SPACE, TRAILS,
HABITAT. >> A PLACE TO BE ACTIVE.
>> A PLACE TO BE ACTIVE.
>> THIS IS A DESIGN FOR THE
CITIZENS TO ENJOY T.
>> OR TO JUST FIND SOME PEACE. >> THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
>> THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
TO USE IT.
>> RIGHT NOW IT’S A CONSTRUCTION
ZONE.
>> WE ARE HEADED TO THE CONSTRUCTION SITE.
CONSTRUCTION SITE.
>> RANDY IS BOTH PROUD AND EXCITED ABOUT THE MEMORIAL PARK
EXCITED ABOUT THE MEMORIAL PARK
CONSERVANCIES BIGGEST PROJECT.
>> IT’S TWICE AS BIG AS CENTRAL
PARK. >> HE’S VP OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
>> HE’S VP OF CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THAT’S THE GROUP IN CHARGE OF
PRESERVING, RESTORING AND
ENHANCING THIS PARK.
>> WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS EVERY DAY.
>> CREWS ARE WORKING TO BUILD
TUNNELS THAT WILL SHIFT TRAFFIC
SLIGHTLY TO THE SOUTH.
>> THEY FEEL MORE LIKE GOING
THROUGH AN OVERPASS AND SCALE THAN A TUNNEL.
THAN A TUNNEL.
>> TO HELP YOU UNDERSTAND HOW
BIG THE TUNNELS ARE, LET’S TAKE
A LOOK FROM THE AIR. THEY ARE 27 FEET TALL.
THEY ARE 27 FEET TALL.
AND 54 FEET WIDE.
THAT’S WIDE ENOUGH FOR THREE
LANES OF TRAFFIC AND EACH
TUNNEL. TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.
THE LARGEST TUNNELS ARE 450 FEET
LONG.
>> IT’S REALLY THE CENTER PIECE
OF A TEN YEAR PLAN.
>> THIS MUDDY CONSTRUCTION ZONE ABOVE THE TUNNELS AS THESE
ABOVE THE TUNNELS AS THESE
RENDERINGS SHOW WILL BECOME A
NEW GREEN SPACE TO ENJOY.
>> IT’S AMAZING WHAT YOU CAN SEE IF YOU GET OUT JUST 30 FEET
IF YOU GET OUT JUST 30 FEET
ABOVE THE GROUND.
YOU HAVE SPECTACULAR VIEWS ACROSS MEMORIAL PARK.
ACROSS MEMORIAL PARK.
>> THE TEAM GAVE LIFE TO THE
MEMORIAL PARK MASTER PROJECT BY
LEARNING ABOUT THE CITY AND ITS
PEOPLE.
THE SPIRIT OF THE DESIGN, HE
SAYS, COMES FROM THE LAND ITSELF.
>> IT WILL NOT LOOK LIKE A GOLF
COURSE.
IT’S A COMPLEX, LIVING,
BIOLOGICAL SYSTEM. IT’S AN INCREDIBLY RESILIENT
IT’S AN INCREDIBLY RESILIENT
ECOSYSTEM.
IT’S WHAT WAS ON THE TEXAS
PRAIRIE FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS
AND IT TOLERATED FIRE AND FLOOD AND DROUGHT.
AND DROUGHT.
>> SIMILAR LAND BRIDGE CONCEPTS
CAN BE FOUND ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
INCLUDING DALLAS AND SAN
ANTONIO.
WHEN IT COMES TO THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF HOUSTON’S
SCOPE OF HOUSTON’S
TRANSFORMATION, THIS TUNNEL
SYSTEM IS IN A LEAGUE OF ITS
OWN.
>> I THINK THOSE OF US IN
HOUSTON, WE FORGET HOW EXTRAORDINARY IT IS TO HAVE A
EXTRAORDINARY IT IS TO HAVE A
PARK THE SCALE OF MEMORIAL PARK,
REALLY AT THE CENTER BELONGING TO ALL HOUSTONIANS.
TO ALL HOUSTONIANS.
>> ALTHOUGH IT WON’T BE OPEN
UNTIL 2022, THE EASTERN GLADES HAS PROVEN TO BE A BIG HIT.
HAS PROVEN TO BE A BIG HIT.
SOME OF WHOM VOLUNTEER TO KEEP
THIS LUSH SPACE LOOKING ITS
BEST.
>> AS SOON AS IT’S DONE, WE ARE GOING TO FEED THINGS IN THESE
GOING TO FEED THINGS IN THESE
SPACES WE ARE CREATING.
>> ALL IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE
MEMORIAL PARK REMAINS THE CROWN
JEWEL OF HOUSTON. >> UNLIKE A LOT OF CITIES THAT
>> UNLIKE A LOT OF CITIES THAT
STARTED WITH A PARK PLAN,
HOUSTON IS TRYING TO THREAD ITS
WAY THROUGH.
BUT IT’S DOING PHENOMENAL WORK. >> ISN’T THAT SOMETHING?
>> ISN’T THAT SOMETHING?
>> IT IS.
>> TRAFFIC SHOULD BE FLOWING
THROUGH THE NEW TUNNELS BY LATE
NOVEMBER AND COMPLETION OF THE PROJECT IS SCHEDULED FOR OCTOBER