DART News
Dallas section of Cotton Belt Trail near DART Silver Line finds funds
DART Train silver line
A trail in the works for north Dallas has received an infusion of cash: The Cotton Belt Trail, located northwest of Dallas and planned as a regional trail corridor, will receive federal funds from the Regional Transportation Council (RTC).
The trail currently stretches 19.84 miles, stretching between North Richland Hills and Grapevine, with two additional sections in North Richland Hills and Carrollton. There are currently gaps between Grapevine and Carrollton, and another gap between Carrollton and Richardson, across Addison and north Dallas.
The funding was originally supposed to be funded city by city, says Dallas City Council member Carah Mendelsohn.
“We were told each city along the Silver Line would have to fund its portion of the trail project, but we worked together to get funding,” Mendelsohn says. “This RTC funding saves the City of Dallas approximately $7 million and helps complete a vision years in the making. We now have funding for the final unfunded segment of the Cotton Belt Trail in District 12, as well as the missing link of the Marni Kaner Trail needed to complete the North Dallas Triangle."
The North Dallas Triangle is a 4-mile urban trail circuit linking the Preston Ridge, Cotton Belt, and Marni Kaner Trails. When complete, this amenity will provide seamless access, enhanced further by upgrades to Preston Green and Campbell Green Parks, and the new Davenport Trailhead.
With design already underway and construction beginning next month, this 26-mile trail will follow the path of the Silver Line rail from Plano to DFW Airport, ultimately linking to Tarrant County and extending to Fort Worth.
The Cotton Belt Trail follows the former St. Louis Southwestern Railway, nicknamed the Cotton Belt Line, which began running in the late 1800s and was discontinued in the 1970s.
