Houston skyscrapers with Buffalo Bayou riverBy Nichole Crossland

I live in Houston, a city with a longstanding reputation for big trucks, long drives, and traffic jams. I grew up here and left in 2003 to pursue an environmental degree on the West Coast. To my pleasant surprise, when I returned in 2014, I came home to find projects being carried out to improve a bayou running thorough a central part of Houston—Buffalo Bayou.

Buffalo Bayou has always played an essential role in water drainage to mitigate for flooding and has served as a home for wildlife. Unfortunately, this place had its downs in the ‘70s due to toxic water and a reputation for being unsafe. That’s not the case anymore! The City of Houston began turning the area around in the early 2000s, making it a top destination for recreation through implementation of habitat restoration of vegetation and water, construction of trails for biking and walking, and encouraging mixed-use.

With all the great new amenities came the need for more parking and it is exciting to see that the city is in the final phases of this part of project. When new surface lots are completed, they will play a crucial role in contributing to the health and happiness of the Houston community. They will allow commuters to feel comfortable and welcomed by offering an easy place to park. Without parking, this level of accessibility could not be achieved. So there you have it! Just one more way that parking makes everything better!

Nichole Crossland is an operations manager with Winpark.

This post originally ran October 18, 2016.