July 7, 2026 

PROJECT NAME: Waugh Drive Pedestrian & Bicycle Connections Project – Professional Engineering Services
City of Houston, Texas. (TXDOT is involved  on this one) (State Funds)

RFQ STATUS:  "PENDING AWARD." Must be Approved by the Houston City Council. 

*Update*: Please see our web page, which is loaded with new information. We ask that everyone take the short survey. This Saturday, we will conduct a bridge traffic count.  Volunteers are needed in one-hour shifts. Our goal is shifting due to the RFQ now out to study better pedestrian and bike bridges for Waugh Avenue. Part of the $1.6M  study will study whether our old bridge can be retrofitted to comply with ADA standards.  Talk of a new bridge on the far side of Sprotts Park is great (see graphic in RFQ). We support MORE access across Memorial and the Bayou,  but not at the expense of the city removing our old bridge in Cleveland Park. This would be a terrible thing for Magnolia Grove property values, bike commuters, fitness meetups, all of the 1300 apartment residents adjacent to the current bridge.  In the event our bridge were to be removed, it would require us to the very dangerous Memorial/Sheperd intersection or walk/bike down Feagan to Sprotts Park to cross over there.  

 Our bridge is a vital link that was given to us in 1986 by philanthropist Tom Fatjo Jr. It is rusting away at a fast pace. It fails to meet ADA standards. The bridge's width is too narrow to permit safe passage for pedestrians, dogs, and cyclists but  those who use it have very few problems.  The chain link cage and cement are deteriorating in several places, posing safety hazards. This bridge is more than a path; it is our main access to Buffalo Bayou Park, Downtown, the Johnny Steele Dog Park, and  Montrose. We ask that you conduct a traffic study to affirm what we know - the bridge is super busy for pedestrians and bikers and heavily used every day.   

For forty years the bridge has been enhancing the quality of life for all residents in our neighborhoods. Help us reclaim this vital community asset and ensure it continues to serve future generations of Houstonians. As key stakeholders for any new or retrofitted bridge we hope that input from current bridge users is welcomed to influence the features, design, and architecture of a new bridge. 

We ask that SN22, civic clubs, businesses, and nonprofits in the area help  by submitting a letter of support to the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority/Tirz5.  We urge you to sign this petition and join us in our mission to prompt TIRZ5 to to commence the renovation of the vintage Jackson Hill Pedestrian & Bike Bridge #1 in Cleveland Park.  For additional information, the history, photos, and more, go to https://friendsofclevelandpark.net/saveourbridge-1

Thank you for your advocacy and support of this important project.

*Donations to the Friends of Cleveland Park are tax-deductible. We are a Texas nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization advocating for Cleveland Park.

HPW - This bridge needs a paint job! We can help bring in volunteers.