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Through a partnership with the City, Harris County Precinct One, and the Houston Parks Board, a master plan has been completed that will assist in creating a continuous 21-mile recreational trail across Pearland. The Clear Creek Trail Master Plan helps to realize the long-term vision of the City’s 2007 Trail Master Plan by incorporating trail amenities into the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) drainage improvements to the Clear Creek Watershed.

Once completed, the Clear Creek trail will be a signature recreational amenity, spanning 21 miles and running the length of Pearland from its western boundary at FM521 to near the city’s eastern boundary, ending at Dixie Farm Road, all while running abreast of Clear Creek.

Currently, 8.5 miles of the trail are completed, under construction, or have funding in place. Once the trail, which spans through Fort Bend, Brazoria, and Harris counties, is complete, it will provide approximately 220,000 residents access to an additional 60 miles of trails throughout the region, connecting communities and people to parks, employment centers, civic amenities, and schools. A few of the connections along the 21-mile trail include Shadow Creek Ranch Sports Complex, Tom Bass Regional Park, EL Franco Lee Park and the UHCL-Pearland campus.

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Earlier this year, the City of Pearland completed the Green Tee Terrace trail phase of the greater Clear Creek Trail, highlighted by the installation of a new 250-foot pedestrian bridge over Clear Creek. Two other Clear Creek Trail phases are currently under construction that will connect the Shadow Creek Sports Complex and Nature Trail to the Lower Kirby District and include another bridge over Clear Creek with connection to shopping and business areas and the new library that will be located on Shadow Creek Parkway.  

The master plan divides the 10-foot concrete trail into five sections into five sections, with each section approximately three to five miles in length, and 10 feet in width.

• Section One: FM 521 to SH 288 (approximately 4.2 of 5.3 total miles are existing or under construction)
• Section Two: SH 288 to Stone Road (approximately 0.6 of 4.1 total miles are existing or under construction)
• Section Three: Stone Road to Mykawa Road
• Section Four: Mykawa Road to Pearland Parkway (approximately 1.8 of 3.6 total miles are existing or under construction)
• Section Five: Pearland Parkway to Dixie Farm Road (approximately 1.7 of 5.0 total miles are existing or under construction)

Project History and Joint Partnerships

The project is a partnership effort between the City of Pearland, Harris County Precinct One, and the Houston Parks Board, in coordination with Harris County Flood Control and Brazoria County Drainage District No. 4. Coordination with each of these entities is key to ensure consistency in trail layout, design, and construction. Proactive coordination between the partners will ensure that the project resolves potential conflicts while in the design phase, promoting efficiency and fostering reliability with community members and stakeholders.

The impetus for the more detailed development of the Clear Creek Trail master plan, however, is due to Harris County Flood Control District’s partnership with the USACE. With the USACE’s announcement in 2018 that funding for drainage and water improvements to the Clear Creek watershed would be provided, the opportunity arose to capitalize on the existing work the USACE would be completing with the joint effort to install the Clear Creek Trail. Taking advantage of the work already being completed by the USACE will allow for coordination of the site grading, right-of-way acquisition and environmental studies. This significantly reducing monetary and time requirements on future trail phases and mobility projects within the corridor.   

The Clear Creek Master Plan aligns with the City of Pearland’s Parks & Recreation Department’s vision of building a healthy, connected, and vibrant community that enriches lives through exceptional experiences.

Visit the Clear Creek Master Plan page here.