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Memorial Drive (Houston, Texas)
Encyclopedia
Memorial Drive is an arterial road in the western half of Houston
, Texas
, United States
. It runs from Interstate 45 west to State Highway 6, a distance of approximately 20 miles (32 km), although a 1 miles (1.6 km) section goes through several predominantly higher-income residential neighborhoods in the cities of Houston, Bunker Hill Village, Piney Point Village, and Hunters Creek Village. In addition it goes through Memorial Park
. Memorial Drive was named in the memory of the men who served in Camp Logan
.
. Despite the explosive population growth in the Houston area in recent decades, the heaviest traffic on Memorial Drive was in the early 1960s. Nearly 47,000 vehicles per day traveled on the section at Waugh Drive in 1960. When the Katy Freeway
opened in 1968, the road's importance as a high-speed corridor decreased. In contrast to its earlier days, between 30,000 and 36,000 vehicles per day traveled along this section in 2001.
Houston City Council member Palm Holm announced in May 2007 that a large portion, roughly one fourth of the Memorial's length, will be expanded and beautified. The stretch of road from George Bush Park
eastward to Gessner Road, about 6.2 miles (9.9 km), will be renovated to meet the population boom in the west Houston area. The first part of the expansion was slated to begin in 2009.
The full path of Memorial Drive, highlighted in red.
. There is an underpass at Heights Boulevard/Waugh Drive with a large cloverleaf interchange
. There are also exit and entrance ramps at Shepherd Drive. Motorists can enter Memorial Drive from northbound (by way of the I-45 northbound/Pease Street distributor ramp) or southbound Houston Avenue, Prairie Street, and Capitol Street. Motorists exit either to I-45 southbound and Pierce, Jefferson and Bagby Streets (by way of the Heiner Street distributor elevated ramp), Rusk Street, or Texas Avenue. Most of this parkway is three lanes in each direction.
This section of Memorial Drive hugs the north bank of Buffalo Bayou
, crossing over it twice near Glenwood Cemetery
, while Allen Parkway
follows the south bank of the Bayou. There are continuous bike paths and jogging trails along the road, which passes by Buffalo Bayou Park, Cleveland Park, Spotts Park, and the Houston Police Officers' Memorial.
Houston Marathon
is held on this section of Memorial Drive each January.
, the road slowly winds north, through wooded but densely populated neighborhoods. The road later turns south through three of the Memorial Villages: Hunters Creek Village, Piney Point Village, and then Bunker Hill Village. The Memorial Villages are upscale neighborhoods, populated mainly by corporate executives, and feature some of the more expensive homes in the Houston area. For all but the westernmost edge of Bunker Hill Village, the road is only two lanes wide. Between Gessner Road and State Highway 6, Memorial Drive has four lanes.
borders this segment. This segment also passes through the northern portion of the Energy Corridor management district. The western end of Memorial Drive is at Highway 6, at the edge of a large earthen dam on Barker Reservoir, next to George Bush Park
.
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It runs from Interstate 45 west to State Highway 6, a distance of approximately 20 miles (32 km), although a 1 miles (1.6 km) section goes through several predominantly higher-income residential neighborhoods in the cities of Houston, Bunker Hill Village, Piney Point Village, and Hunters Creek Village. In addition it goes through Memorial Park
Memorial Park, Houston, Texas
Memorial Park, a municipal park in Houston, Texas, is one of the largest urban parks in the United States. Opened in 1924, the park covers approximately inside the 610 Loop, across from the neighborhood of Memorial. Memorial Drive runs through the park, heading east to downtown Houston and west to...
. Memorial Drive was named in the memory of the men who served in Camp Logan
Camp Logan
Camp Logan was a World War I-era army training camp in Houston, Texas. The site of the camp is now primarily occupied by Memorial Park where it borders the Crestwood neighborhood, near Memorial Elementary School. Some chunks of concrete, many building foundations, and extensive trenches used for...
.
History
In the 1940s and early 1950s, Memorial Drive was originally intended to be one of ten freeway spokes extending outward from Downtown HoustonDowntown Houston
Downtown Houston is the largest business district of Houston, Texas, United States. Downtown Houston, the city's central business district, contains the headquarters of many prominent companies. There is an extensive network of pedestrian tunnels and skywalks connecting the buildings of the district...
. Despite the explosive population growth in the Houston area in recent decades, the heaviest traffic on Memorial Drive was in the early 1960s. Nearly 47,000 vehicles per day traveled on the section at Waugh Drive in 1960. When the Katy Freeway
Interstate 10 in Texas
Interstate 10 is the major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. In the U.S. state of Texas, it runs east from El Paso, near the border with New Mexico, through San Antonio and Houston to the border with Louisiana in Orange, Texas....
opened in 1968, the road's importance as a high-speed corridor decreased. In contrast to its earlier days, between 30,000 and 36,000 vehicles per day traveled along this section in 2001.
Houston City Council member Palm Holm announced in May 2007 that a large portion, roughly one fourth of the Memorial's length, will be expanded and beautified. The stretch of road from George Bush Park
George Bush Park
George Bush Park is a city park in Houston, Texas in the United States. It is the sixth largest city park in the nation, covering . It was previously known as Cullen-Barker Park.-History:...
eastward to Gessner Road, about 6.2 miles (9.9 km), will be renovated to meet the population boom in the west Houston area. The first part of the expansion was slated to begin in 2009.
Path
Parkway section
This limited-access portion of Memorial Drive was opened to traffic in early 1956. The 2.3 mile (3.7 km) portion between Houston Avenue and Shepherd Drive is a limited-access parkwayParkway
The term parkway has several distinct principal meanings and numerous synonyms around the world, for either a type of landscaped area or a type of road.Type of landscaped area:...
. There is an underpass at Heights Boulevard/Waugh Drive with a large cloverleaf interchange
Cloverleaf interchange
A cloverleaf interchange is a two-level interchange in which left turns, reverse direction in left-driving regions, are handled by ramp roads...
. There are also exit and entrance ramps at Shepherd Drive. Motorists can enter Memorial Drive from northbound (by way of the I-45 northbound/Pease Street distributor ramp) or southbound Houston Avenue, Prairie Street, and Capitol Street. Motorists exit either to I-45 southbound and Pierce, Jefferson and Bagby Streets (by way of the Heiner Street distributor elevated ramp), Rusk Street, or Texas Avenue. Most of this parkway is three lanes in each direction.
This section of Memorial Drive hugs the north bank of Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou
Buffalo Bayou is a main waterway flowing through Houston, in Harris County, Texas, USA. It begins in Katy, Fort Bend County, Texas and flows approximately east to the Houston Ship Channel and then into Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico...
, crossing over it twice near Glenwood Cemetery
Glenwood Cemetery (Houston, Texas)
The Glenwood Cemetery is located at 2525 Washington Avenue in Houston, Texas. It was the first cemetery in Houston to be professionally designed and opened in 1871. The cemetery is situated between Washington Avenue on the North side and Memorial Drive on the South side, the latter overlooking...
, while Allen Parkway
Allen Parkway
Allen Parkway is an arterial road west of Downtown Houston, Texas. It has a distance of approximately 2.3 miles , running from Interstate 45 west to Shepherd Drive, where it becomes Kirby Drive...
follows the south bank of the Bayou. There are continuous bike paths and jogging trails along the road, which passes by Buffalo Bayou Park, Cleveland Park, Spotts Park, and the Houston Police Officers' Memorial.
Memorial Park
Memorial Drive is the only major road in Memorial Park (except for a short section of Woodway Drive) and the only road that traverses the entire park. Like the parkway section, there are many bicycle and jogging trails along the road. The annual ChevronChevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
Houston Marathon
Houston Marathon
The Houston Marathon is an annual marathon held every January in Houston, Texas. With thousands of runners and spectators, it is the largest single day sporting event in the city. It is run concurrently with a half marathon and a 5 km race...
is held on this section of Memorial Drive each January.
Memorial Villages
After passing under Interstate 610Interstate 610 (Texas)
Interstate 610 is a freeway that forms a forty-two-mile loop around the downtown sector of city of Houston, Texas. Interstate 610, colloquially known as "The Loop", "Loop 610", "The 610 Loop", or just "610", traditionally marks the border between the inner city of Houston and its surrounding areas...
, the road slowly winds north, through wooded but densely populated neighborhoods. The road later turns south through three of the Memorial Villages: Hunters Creek Village, Piney Point Village, and then Bunker Hill Village. The Memorial Villages are upscale neighborhoods, populated mainly by corporate executives, and feature some of the more expensive homes in the Houston area. For all but the westernmost edge of Bunker Hill Village, the road is only two lanes wide. Between Gessner Road and State Highway 6, Memorial Drive has four lanes.
West end
West of Beltway 8, Memorial Drive is considered a major road in the area, making its way through numerous residential neighborhoods on the westside and usually bordered by retail shops and strip malls, many of them serving the surrounding higher-income residential population. The upscale shopping center Town & Country VillageTown & Country Village (Houston)
Town & Country Village is an upscale shopping center in Houston, Texas, USA. It is located along Beltway 8 between Memorial Drive and the former Town & Country Mall.-History:...
borders this segment. This segment also passes through the northern portion of the Energy Corridor management district. The western end of Memorial Drive is at Highway 6, at the edge of a large earthen dam on Barker Reservoir, next to George Bush Park
George Bush Park
George Bush Park is a city park in Houston, Texas in the United States. It is the sixth largest city park in the nation, covering . It was previously known as Cullen-Barker Park.-History:...
.