Project Overview
Five local governments--Austin County and the cities of Eagle Lake, Fulshear, Wallis, and Weston Lakes--have joined together as a local government corporation to plan and build a 31-mile shared-use trail along a former rail line west of Houston. Together, these municipalities envision a shared-use trail that is safe and accessible for cyclists and pedestrians. The trail would run alongside FM 1093 from Fulshear to Eagle Lake, connecting several Texas towns along the way.
Project Goals
The local governments, in partnership with the Fort Bend Toll Road Association, the National Park Service, the Houston-Galveston Area Council, and stakeholders along the proposed trail, have 3 major goals for the 1093 Rails-to-Trails project:
An important outcome of this project is the creation of a linear greenspace that serves as a tool for conservation as well as transportation. Now is a critical time to build this trail to reserve space for pedestrians and bicyclists before future highways along the corridor are considered. Trail design goals include:
- Engage members of the community and local and county governments throughout the planning process;
- Form and maintain an organization to champion the project and raise funds for eventual construction of the trail; and
- Construct the trail in phases as funding becomes available.
An important outcome of this project is the creation of a linear greenspace that serves as a tool for conservation as well as transportation. Now is a critical time to build this trail to reserve space for pedestrians and bicyclists before future highways along the corridor are considered. Trail design goals include:
- Design a high-quality, attractive, and safe trail;
- Design a trail that minimizes maintenance requirements; and
- Develop a trail route and layout that encourages economic development and promotes tourism in communities that desire it.