Pearland expands trails and sidewalks to improve walkability From the cover
Major walkways in Pearland
The framework
Sidewalk
Trail
From a morning run to an evening stroll, or alternate modes of transportation, the city of Pearland has made strides to make walkability and access to trails more convenient for residents, city officials said. As of February 2024, Pearland has over 615 miles of sidewalks across the city, as previously reported by Community Impact . As a result of those efforts, projects for trail systems, such as the Shadow Creek connector trail to Clear Creek, are underway, city officials said. This project entails a 21-mile Clear Creek trail, with 8 miles currently built. Paved trails also exist across Pearland, including Shadow Creek Ranch and Green Tee Terrace. Carry Capers, director of Pearland’s Parks and Recreation Department, said the city focuses on trail and sidewalk connectivity “for a couple of different reasons.” “One is health and wellness,” Capers said. “But then also making sure that we have great connections to all of our schools, to our retail centers, to where … you can use a different form of transportation.”
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11
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SHADOW CREEK P
MCHARD RD.
BUSINESS CENTER DR.
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Pearland
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521
W. BROA D W A Y
4 5
518
WALNUT ST.
8 7
M AGNOLIA PKWY.
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BAILEY AVE.
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MCKEEVER RD.
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MAP NOT TO SCALE
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Landmarks
2351
1 Buc-ee's
5 Walmart Supercenter
9 Costco Wholesale
2 West Pearland Library
6 Silverlake Village
10 Glenda Dawson High School
MORRIS AVE.
Manvel
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3 West Pearland Community Center
7 Pearland Town Center
11 Barbara Cockrell Elementary
4 H-E-B plus!
8 Shadow Creek High School
12 Pearland High School
SOURCE: CITY OF PEARLAND/COMMUNITY IMPACT
The funding source
What the experts say
In 2023, Pearland voters approved a roughly $181 million bond package—including more than $26 million for streets, bridges and sidewalks, which included over $15 million for sidewalk gap infill and replacements. Another portion of the bond allocated $33 mil- lion for parks and recreational improvements that include trail and sidewalk connections, according to city documents. Since the bond’s approval, officials have addressed sidewalk hazards and are now focusing on filling gaps near schools, trails and shopping centers, Pearland’s Public Works Director Lorenzo
Rapid suburban growth can make walking between homes, shops and services difficult, but revitalized town centers and historic downtowns can help, said Mandi Chapa, a lecturer at the Rice University School of Architecture. Pearland’s Old Town revitalization plan, adopted in September, will add nearly 8 miles of sidewalks and shared-use paths, Community Impact previously reported.
Wingate said. Large trail projects, such as the Clear Creek trail, rely heavily on outside funding, Wingate said. Outside funding can consist of grants the city applies for, partnership funds with the state and counties, such as Harris County, and congressional dollars, Wingate said. “There’s always a funding challenge,” Wingate said. “Sometimes we have to dedicate some funds to sidewalks, sometimes that goes to streets … and we let [City] Council … help us determine what direction we go in whenever we make those decisions.”
“Fast growth can leave cities disconnected, mostly because developments are coming up in different parts of the city, and that rapid growth oftentimes doesn’t allow cities to … think through different transportation networks.” MANDI CHAPA, LECTURER, RICE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE
Funding for major trails in Pearland
Remaining balance/contingency
Funding from other sources
$2.3M $189.9K
Shadow Creek Ranch trail Shadow Creek Ranch trail, Phase 2 Green Tee Terrace trail Clear Creek trail
$2.2M $4.9M $10.8M
$60.6K
$1.7M
$1.8M
SOURCE: CITY OF PEARLAND/ COMMUNITY IMPACT
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