Trinity Trails
The Dallas County Commissioners' Court adopted the Dallas County Trail Plan on March 18, 1997. The Trinity River Corridor Master Implementation Plan follows the County trail plan, includes an extensive network of trails within the Trinity River Corridor with 3.5 miles of trails that are designed for environmentally sensitive areas, 7 miles of soft surface trails, and 26 miles of hard surface trails with pedestrian bridges across the river.
Proposed hard surface trails located within the Trinity River Corridor will receive $5.475 million in federal funding through the Statewide Transportation Enhancement Program (STEP) as follows:
Great Trinity Trail: $1.40 million federal match – This trail will extend from west of Westmoreland Road to Corinth Street. The project will be coordinated with the construction of the Trinity Parkway and operated by the Dallas Park & Recreation Department. Funding for the $700,000 local match was budgeted from 1985 Bond Program funds. This project has been on hold pending the selection of a locally preferred alignment for the Trinity Parkway.
Trinity Levee Trail: Opened March 19th, 2005, 6.2 miles of primitive trail along the levee top, open to hikers, cyclists, horses.
Click on the map above to see a larger image of the map)
Santa Fe Trestle Trail (formerly Fair Park/Marsalis Trail): $4.075 million federal match – This trail includes the rehabilitation of the Santa Fe Trust bridge and new bridge structure across the Dallas Floodway with connection to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Station at Corinth Street and Moore Park and include on-street routes to Fair Park and the Dallas Zoo. The city received two grants for this project. Funding for the $1,000,000 local matches were approved in the 1998 Bond Program.
In addition to these trails leading directly into the Trinity River Corridor, several other trails are underway.
Katy Trail Phase II: $1.9 million – This trail will extend from Maple Avenue to Lyte Street and from Knox Street to Airline Road. A parallel soft surface-jogging trail is included as part of this project.
Old Trinity Trail Phase I: $1.0 Million – This trail will link Stemons Park to Motor Street along the original Trinity River alignment. This trail includes both concrete and granite trail surfaces. Additional funds will be sought through grants such as CMAQ and STEP.
Previously funded trails that have been completed and are a part of the Dallas County Trail Plan include.
The Bernal Trail from Westmoreland Road to Norwich Street was completed in late 2003 at a cost of $270,000.
Katy Trail Phase I from Maple Avenue to Knox Street at a cost of $750,000.
Additional projects have been proposed for future STEP funding and include an extension of the Trinity Trail to the confluence of the West and Elm Forks of the Trinity River and a linkage between the Trinity Trails to White Rock Lake. Also proposed are connections to the Trinity Trail from other trails and bikeways at Bernal, Continental, Moore Park and Oak Cliff.
Development of an archeological exhibit as a point of interest along the southern leg of the Trinity Trail and the preservation of the prehistoric campsites and bridge remains at Miller's Ferry are also proposed. Funding for these projects is being explored.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is authorized to expend approximately $3.4 million on recreation facilities as 50% match with the City of the Dallas Floodway Extension Project. These recreation facilities will include hard surface trail, natural surface trails, trailhead amenities, and recreational access improvements. The USACE's DFE Project and the Great Trinity Forest Funds will in large part fund the extension of the Trinity Trail from Corinth Street south to IH-20. Potential STEP grant funds may be pursued to supplement this trail system.
Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has authorized $200,000 in federal funds for the construction of boat ramps on the Trinity River at Sylvan Avenue and at Loop 12. The City completed the Sylvan Avenue boat ramp in April 2002 and anticipates the Loop 12 boat ramp to be complete in the Summer 2005. The Plan proposes two additional boat ramps/canoe launches to be located at Moore Park and IH-20.
Project Updates
- City Council approved the Master Implementation Plan for Lake Design and Recreational Amenities within the Trinity River Corridor on August 25, 1999, contingent upon review and approval of the final report by City Council.
- City Council approved the "Balanced Vision Plan" for the Trinity River Corridor Project on December 8, 2003, to be included as a supplement to the Master Implementation Plan as the previous studies including the Elm fork Floodplain Management Study and the Great Trinity Forest Master Plan to guide future planning of the project.
- The Sylvan Avenue boat ramp was completed in April 2002.
- The Loop 12 boat ramp is under construction and anticipates completion by the Summer 2005.
- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department awarded a grant in the amount of $97,000 for the construction of two nature trails in the Rochester Park area. Start of construction of the ADA accessible trail is pending an easement from TXU Energy.