DALLAS — Dallas Area Rapid Transit will receive $25 million in state funding to help build the next segment of the Cotton Belt Trail, a planned shared-use path that will run alongside DART’s newly opened Silver Line and expand walking and biking access across North Texas.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Regional Transportation Council announced the award on December 18, and said the Texas Transportation Commission approved the grant to support construction of phase three of the Cotton Belt Trail. The money will be issued through the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside Program, part of a statewide push to expand “active transportation” options like sidewalks and bike lanes.
DART’s funding is included in a broader $55 million package for North Texas projects aimed at improving mobility and expanding trail connections. The Transportation Commission is also directing $30 million to six other trail projects across the Metroplex, including the Trinity Forest Spine Trail and the Midtown Dallas Shared Use Trail.
Supporters have promoted the Cotton Belt Trail as a 26-mile east-to-west corridor stretching from Plano to Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport, tracking the route of the Silver Line, which opened Oct. 25. Backers say the trail is designed to link multiple communities and give riders a safer option to bike or walk between stations and nearby destinations, an approach transit agencies nationwide are using more often to strengthen “first-mile, last-mile” connections.
Work is already underway on phase two, which focuses on an 11-mile section from western Addison to the Shiloh Road Station in Plano. The newly funded third phase is expected to extend walking and biking access into Addison, downtown Carrollton, and Cypress Waters, while tying into three stops along the Silver Line.
Kevin Kokes, a program manager for the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Land Use and Mobility Options team, welcomed the state’s support in a statement. “By improving connections to employment, housing, schools and recreational opportunities, these projects help build a stronger, more accessible future for everyone,” he said.
Construction on phase three is scheduled to begin by mid-2027. Transportation officials say the next steps include finalizing plans and getting the project ready ahead of the planned start date.