An ambitious vision to create a grid of "bicycle interstates" across Harris County using the idle land under more than 100 miles of power lines moved closer to reality this week.

With the approval Wednesday of the Texas Senate, and earlier passage by the House, a bill allowing hike and bike trails to be built in utility right of way now awaits action from Gov. Rick Perry.

The bill had stalled over questions about how much liability local electric utility CenterPoint Energy should face for opening its land for recreational use. Bill author Rep. Jim Murphy, R-Houston, first filed it in 2007 to mirror the laws of many states that waive all liability for landowners for recreational uses, but he said the measure has improved through compromise.

The bill, which applies only to Harris County, would make CenterPoint liable only for a serious injury or death caused by its "willful or wanton acts or gross negligence." It also would grant the utility expedited appeals and enable it to require partner governments to provide insurance to cover its litigation costs.

North-south trails

"We are really, really pleased to have finally put the ball across the goal line," Murphy said. "Now, we can start building these trails that are sorely needed at a fraction of the cost."

Though CenterPoint spokeswoman Alicia Dixon said there are 923 miles of right of way in the county, including 410 in the city of Houston, Murphy said about 100 miles run under large transmission lines, which make the most sense for trails. Brad Parker, president of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, which helped negotiate the compromise bill, said there are 142 such miles of local right of way available.

"If you think about our bayou system, they run west to east, not a whole lot of north-south," said Mayor Annise Parker. "Using utility easements will allow us to vastly expand the opportunities for hike and bike trails and put some really critical connectors north-south."

Houston voters last fall approved $100 million in bonds to expand the city's trail system along bayous, to be combined with private and grant funds as the $205 million Bayou Greenway Initiative.

'This is the answer'

"What is so important about this is (that) these, along with the bayous, will serve as our bicycle interstates," said cyclist Tom McCasland, director of the Harris County Housing Authority and former lobbyist for the Houston Parks Board. "For those people who don't want us out on the busy roads, this is the answer. Let us ride these, and then we'll jump to the side roads to get to our final destinations."

Houston Parks Board Executive Director Roksan Okan-Vick said the bill would help put under-utilized land to good use. She said there is much to be done, however, from signing agreements with CenterPoint and determining which utility corridors make sense to funding the trails.

County Commissioner Steve Radack has greatly expanded parks and trails in the 24 years he has represented west Harris County. He said it is unclear precisely what CenterPoint will want in its agreements, and whether it will charge for use of its right of way.

"It gives the opportunity, if it all works out, to be able to have an incredible system of trails," Radack said. "Potentially, it could be a great thing, but it doesn't mean it's all going to work out to be the coup that some people think it could be."

Dixon said discussions have envisioned governments agreeing to build and maintain the trails.

Clark Martinson, a cyclist and general manager of the Energy Corridor Management District, said his group's plan for west Houston includes a north-south utility corridor west of Beltway 8 that would go from Brays Bayou all the way into Bear Creek Park.

Safer routes

"There's an amazing number of people that are riding the existing trails. This just opens up safer routes for more neighborhoods," Martinson said. "With these utility corridors, we'll be able to tie in neighborhoods that are north of I-10. It gives closer-to-home, safe routes for families, too, not just the commuters."

Tom Compson, of Bike Houston, said the extension of a trail along a north-south utility corridor that parallels the railroad tracks through Memorial Park and the Galleria would allow a safer route for Galleria bike commuters, keeping him from "taking my life in my hands" in the bike lane on Wesleyan.

"It's very encouraging," Compson said. "I don't think you could find a bike advocate that would be opposed to it."

Though a spokesman said Perry will review the bill when it reaches his desk, Murphy said his staff has been told the governor supports the item.