The overview
Board members with the 1093 Rails to Trails project seek to develop 31 miles of a former rail line west of Houston, alongside FM 1093, into a multiuse pathway promoting green spaces and tourism. This summer, project members will release a master plan and launch committees to push the project toward the construction phase.
The project is managed by the 1093 Rails to Trails Local Government Corp., a group of local governments, made of members from the cities of Fulshear, Eagle Lake, Wallis and Weston Lakes as well as Austin County. The Fort Bend County Toll Road Authority, Houston-Galveston Area Council and National Park Service are also involved, according to the project website.
Zooming in
The project will transform a section of the railroad’s right of way into a hub of connectivity between suburbs and more rural areas, creating an area where visitors and residents can explore the area without ever having to get into a vehicle, said Belinda Halfin, 1093 Rails to Trails project president.
The project will be completed in six phases, with the first phase—focusing on planning and design—set to begin soon.
Funds for the trails project will be collected through grants, corporate contributions and donations. Although, a finalized cost has not been determined, Halfin said.
The backstory
The FBCTRA acquired the segment of the abandoned railway from the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County in 2015, according to the project website.
Since its inception, Rails to Trails members have worked to begin planning what the trails could look like as well as hosted public meetings and surveys to gather what the community would like to see from the project. A master plan is expected to be released in June with the overall vision and input from community sessions, Halfin said.
“The results kind of spoke for themselves; people want a place to get away, to walk, to have some kind of nature but yet be a part of the community,” she said.
Get involved
Project leaders are now creating steering committees comprised of volunteers who can share their expertise and skills to help lay out final plans, including:
- Community engagement
- Social media support
- Fundraising initiatives
- Volunteer coordination
- Advocacy and outreach
- Environmental stewardship
- Cultural and historical preservation
- Accessibility and safety
Looking ahead
The group will need to establish committees before beginning fundraising this summer, Halfin said.
Though if community members wish to donate now, they can do so here.
