Take North Street east from Houston Avenue and you will come upon the North Street bridge crossing I-45N. Like the Cottage Street bridge, I’ve always wondered why TxDOT elected to construct bridges connecting relatively minor neighborhood streets. Not surprisingly, it turns out that they have a history tied to the early days of Woodland Heights.
Photo used courtesy Texas Freeways - https://www.texasfreeway.com/houston/houston-historic-photos/
Before the interstate was constructed, smaller wooden bridges (in those approximate locations) crossed Little White Oak Bayou so farmers could move their goods from farm to market. During the 1960’s, these routes were maintained with updates to I-45.
Approaching North Street Bridge Heading NE
Our personal use of the North Street bridge is an occasional auto crossing but mostly to check out the highway when it floods or when we walk to catch a show at White Oak Music Hall. I imagine with local neighborhood decline and gentrification over time that the bridge traffic has been used for purposes both good and bad.
July 8, 2024 - Flooded I-45 looking NW from North Street Bridge
TxDOT proposes to remove the bridge when I-45 improvements begin in our area. They plan to replace it with a pedestrian bridge that either goes over or under the new highway section. There are pros and cons to both options and a slightly more detailed explanation of the options can be found on the COH Planning Department website and on TXDOT's website.
Photo courtesy TxDot - Proposed design change: pedestrian bridge
Personally, I tend to favor its removal so long as some connection to the north side neighborhoods is maintained. A quick note on where and how to learn more about our neighborhood’s history. There are several very knowledgeable contacts in our neighborhood who hold a wealth of information including Louise Moss, Pat Rutledge, and Debbie Hall (please forgive me if I have missed others). Also, there is an amazingly researched book about our neighborhood written by Omar Holguin, Jr. entitled Recollections: A History of the Woodland Heights and Surrounding Communities. I purchased my copy on Amazon.