The Planning and Development Department received a request to name a portion of the City’s bikeway system in honor of Pat Walsh, who served as Houston’s top planning official for five years, from 2013 until his death in 2018. The Department recommends that the City Council approve a Resolution to designate an existing, high-comfort bikeway along Woodhead Street in the Montrose neighborhood as the “Pat Walsh Memorial Bikeway.”
Patrick “Pat” Walsh (1973-2018) was a remarkable individual who contributed significantly to the Houston community through service and other accomplishments. A native Houstonian, Pat was a father, husband, friend, public servant, dog lover, and pillar of the community. He made significant contributions to the City of Houston, most notably during his five-year tenure as Director of the City’s Planning and Development Department. Some of Pat’s contributions include the creation of Plan Houston, the City’s first general plan, the Walkable Places Committee, a comprehensive revision of the Houston Bike Plan, and opening the Lamar Street Cycle Track, the city’s first two-way on-street protected bike lane. Houston dog owners know Pat as the founder of Paws on Patios where he led a campaign in 2011 to change the City Code to allow four-legged friends on restaurant patios.
The Department presented the bikeway naming request and initial recommendation to the Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) on July 24, 2024, and opened a public comment period on the proposal ending September 8, 2024. Public support was overwhelming, and a summary of the comments and the final scope of the bikeway to be named was presented to the BAC on October 23, 2024.
This Resolution designates the name of ‘Pat Walsh Memorial Bikeway’ for the existing bikeway on Woodhead Street from Vassar Street to West Clay Street. The Traffic Division of Houston Public Works will be responsible for the fabrication, installation, and maintenance of the Honorary Bikeway Markers.
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Vonn Tran
Director
Planning and Development Department