On Friday, Oct. 2, 2026, the contractor for the South Hillsborough Pipeline closed the paved trail just east of the FishHawk Ranch West community. The project's estimate for that closure is "approximately 6-8 months." Counting from Oct. 2, that puts a reopening somewhere between early April and early June 2027.
The holiday calendar is much shorter. FishHawk Ranch's posted events for the rest of the year run from a movie night on Nov. 6 to a holiday market on Dec. 6, and the first-Sunday market season continues through May. Every one of those dates falls inside the construction window. If you live in Ranch West, this season's events have fixed dates, but the walking and biking routes around FishHawk Boulevard will keep changing until spring.
The Trail and the Sidewalk, Closed at the Same Time
The project's Oct. 1 update says the trail work includes "tree trimming, site prep, excavation, installation and restoration," with crews on site from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
The same update closed the sidewalk on the north side of FishHawk Boulevard between FishHawk Ridge Drive and the western edge of the FishHawk Sports Complex. The project gives the reason plainly. Construction there involves "excavating a 40-foot-deep pit near the sidewalk" with dump trucks, excavators and cranes moving around the work zone, and the closed sidewalk "runs through the middle of this dangerous construction activity."
For FishHawk Ranch residents heading east on foot, the posted detour from the South Hillsborough Pipeline project has three steps:
- Use the crosswalk at FishHawk Ridge Drive to reach the south sidewalk.
- Continue east along the south side of FishHawk Boulevard.
- Cross back to the north side at FishHawk Crossing Boulevard.
People walking from the west to the FishHawk Sports Complex follow the same south-side route, cross north at FishHawk Crossing Boulevard, and then walk back west to the complex. There is also a short detour on the south sidewalk itself, just west of Julestarz Dance Academy, where safety fencing marks a path around the work area.
What the Machinery on FishHawk Boulevard Is Building
The 40-foot pit is a microtunnel shaft. Crews began mobilizing on Monday, Oct. 19, on the south side of FishHawk Boulevard just east of FishHawk Ridge Drive. From there they will tunnel the pipeline under the boulevard instead of cutting across it. A week later, tree and brush clearing started along the south side of the road. The project's schedule page gives the limits as east of Hometown Lane to east of FishHawk Ridge Drive.
| Work item | Start | Hours | Expected length | Traffic outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trail just east of FishHawk Ranch West | Oct. 2, 2026 | 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon. to Sat. | About 6 to 8 months | Trail closed |
| Microtunnel pit east of FishHawk Ridge Dr. | Oct. 19, 2026 | 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Mon. to Sat. | About six months, weather permitting | Brief truck delays, no long-term road closures anticipated |
| South-side tree clearing | As early as Oct. 26, 2026 | Not stated | About one week | Possible slowdowns from trucks, no major sidewalk or road closures anticipated |
The clearing should be finished about a week after it began. The two longer items, the trail and the tunnel shaft, last into spring. Six months from Oct. 19 is mid-to-late April 2027, and the trail's six-to-eight-month range runs at least that long. The Osprey Observer reported that residents should expect more construction noise and activity during working hours. Work on Saturdays means the noise continues on the weekends when many of the season's events take place.
A Sept. 29 project update traced the pipeline route south from FishHawk Boulevard just east of Hometown Lane past Watercolor Drive, Quintessa Lane and Lambert Bridge Lane to Boyette Road. It said open-trench work would continue east on Boyette Road toward the River Oaks Treatment Center and Wickerwood Court through early November, weather permitting. The project's interactive map shows the route in blue and the tunnel sites in orange. It also notes that the map doesn't show easements and that the route may still be refined.
The Holiday Dates, Fixed and Spread Across Three Venues
The holiday calendar comes from the Fishhawk Ranch CDD, and its events are spread across three of the district's venues. Here is what's posted from publication day through the first week of December:
| Date | Event | Venue | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri., Nov. 6 | Family Movie Night @ Dusk | Park Square | Listed for dusk |
| Sat., Nov. 14 | Fishhawk Ranch Food Truck Rally | Osprey Club, 5721 Osprey Ridge Dr. | 5 to 8 p.m. |
| Fri., Dec. 4, and Sat., Dec. 5 | Bedtime Stories with Santa & Mrs. Claus | The Palmetto Club, 17004 Dorman Rd. | 4 to 8 p.m. |
| Sun., Dec. 6 | Fishhawk Ranch Holiday Market Day | The Palmetto Club, 17004 Dorman Rd. | 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. |
The December market is held somewhere other than usual. The district's October newsletter describes the regular market as a first-Sunday event at Cross Park from October through May, with "handmade, homemade, local, and artisanal" vendors. Dec. 6 is the first Sunday of December, and its event page lists The Palmetto Club instead of Cross Park. If the first-Sunday pattern holds in the new year, the next markets would fall on Jan. 3, Feb. 7, March 7, April 4 and May 2, 2027. The pipeline estimates put the trail and the tunnel shaft in use through at least the April market. The newsletter lists [email protected] for market questions and vendor applications.
The district's other recurring programs are spread across the same venues. Tae Kwon-Do and the Monday WWDanceYoga group meet at the Osprey Club. Youth art, yoga and the Music Together children's classes meet at the Starling Tennis Club. The pickleball group plays at the Hawk Park Pickleball Courts. Also on the regular schedule, the district's pools close at 7 p.m.
Ranch West's Own Calendar Runs Out of the LakeHouse
The district that runs those venues isn't the one that meets in Ranch West. The FishHawk Ranch IV Community Development District holds its board meetings at the Lake House at FishHawk Ranch West, 6001 Village Center Drive. The next two are Thursday, Nov. 5, and Thursday, Dec. 3, both at 10 a.m. The larger Fishhawk Ranch CDD, which runs the holiday events above, meets at The Palmetto Club on Dorman Road.
The LakeHouse is also home to the FishHawk Ranch West HOA office, the Game Room, the fitness center and the resident community center. It has a heated adult lap pool and a children's play pool in one facility. The HOA site says the fitness center is open to residents 24 hours a day, every day. Its homepage also has a "2026 Pool Renovation" section with a pirate-themed teaser, "Ahoy Matey's! Be your own Pirate!" The HOA calendar sorts its listings into amenity closures, clubs, LakeHouse reservations, meetings and social events.
One New Stop on the Boulevard
There is one new business on FishHawk Boulevard this fall. The Osprey Observer reported that Chipotle opened on Sept. 22 at 16509 FishHawk Blvd., with a drive-through pickup lane. The same paper's June roundup listed Little Fins Pediatric Dentistry as recently opened at 16637 FishHawk Blvd., Suite 105.
On the project's current estimates, the microtunnel and the trail work continue into April 2027 or later. Until then, people walking east from FishHawk Ranch West to the Sports Complex or to FishHawk Crossing Boulevard will use the south sidewalk and cross at FishHawk Ridge Drive. Schedule changes are posted on the South Hillsborough Pipeline schedule page, which the project says is "subject to change."
If you're thinking about a spring sale in FishHawk Ranch West, the timing of this work may affect your plans. The pipeline schedule suggests the trail may reopen sometime between April and June 2027. The Brenda Wade Team can help you decide on a listing date and present your home well with the construction schedule in mind.
