DFW Trails

[Columbus Civil]

I did a search on White Rock Trail and came across this cool site. Someone has probably posted this before, but I missed it.

Community Trails (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dallas/trails/whiterock_trail.html)

[monogodo]

Cool.

I've been wanting to get back on my bike, and knowing where the trails are (other than just around WRL) will help immensely.

Thanks.

[texman]

I didn't know a creek passed under US75 south of LBJ. Wow, I should go bike that.

[drumguy8800]

It's a creek-turned-drainage ditch, unfortunately (at least near Forest Ln).. there's a pretty big park to the west of Park Central in between the road and the creek - soccer games and such.

[Lakewooder]

This will connect with the trails going from the southern end of the lake -Tenison Park/Lakewood Country Club to downtown...

[Insidetheloop]

Here are some other places to ride off-road in the area:

http://www.dorba.org/cgi-bin/trails/index.cgi

The Northshore trail at Grapevine Lake is the nicest in Dallas County, Rowlett Creek and LB Houston are fairly close to and are well suited to beginners.

There are also a few bridal trails in Lake Highlands at Harry Moss Park and Norbuck Park since you seem to be from those parts. Worth checking out as long as they are not muddy. Never ride a muddy trail.

[rantanamo]

muddin'

[Geaux Tigers]

Back when the wife and I lived in far north Dallas, we used to go over to Arbor Hills and hike the trails there. Nice hills, nice trails. A lot of bikers!!!

[RobertB]

I didn't know a creek passed under US75 south of LBJ. Wow, I should go bike that.
Warning: the following post is not suitable for those afflicted with claustrophobia.

If you ride to just north of Forest Lane, stash your bike, and scout out the creek, you'll see where it becomes more natural. That's cool, but even better is the 6-foot storm drain pipe! It's pretty easily accessible, and doesn't have much flow, so it's perfect for a little amateur urban cave exploration. Bringing a light would be cheating, of course. Go in until you can't see at all, then wait about 5 minutes for your eyes to adjust to the darkness. Then go further, lather, rinse, repeat. You should at least be able to get as far as the drain from the road that parallels the creek, unless you wimp out. Oh, and don't forget to take a stick with you, to clear out the cobwebs as you progress.

... I suppose this post needs some sort of legal disclaimer, so let's just pretend I didn't suggest anything, alright? The last time I and the kids went "exploring" in urban areas was before the nation went on Terror Alert Level Beige. Now that we live in the sticks, there are fewer storm drains, but more interesting sights -- today, they took to school several skulls and misc bones from the land behind our pasture.

[tamtagon]

Oh, and don't forget to take a stick with you, to clear out the cobwebs as you progress.



And vampires, some with hooks instead of hands.

[rantanamo]

spiders. I've just been eliminated.

[Fobulous]

Nice pic of Boulder park.

[Columbus Civil]

Where's Boulder Park?

[US75Guy]

Just did White Rock Creek Trail for the first time this past weekend. It was great! The trail itself is very well maintained and when spring comes, is going to be a nice getaway. Quite a bit of trash along the creek, but I guess that's from when the water gets high.

Enough people where it wasn't a lonely experience, but no traffic jams like the Katy. I think its a good sign that people are using the trails so heavily....any politician worth his salt should want to improve the ones we have, and look into building more.

[Columbus Civil]

I'm going to check the White Rock Creek Trail out very soon.


any politician worth his salt should want to improve the ones we have, and look into building more.

Agree! I was walking along the Katy Trail last week and noticed how under-utilized the trail along Turtle Creek is. Hopefuly it will get fixed up soon.

[texcolo]

A couple of times I've ridden from LBJ down around White Rock and all the way back. That's about 26 miles. I've even walked it once.

[tamtagon]

I'm so anxious for the day when a bike/pedestrian trail circulates uninterrupted from Uptown's Katy Trail to White Rock Lake, through the Trinity Forest, marking the spine of the Trinity Park and back into Uptown.

[Insidetheloop]

I'm so anxious for the day when a bike/pedestrian trail circulates uninterrupted from Uptown's Katy Trail to White Rock Lake, through the Trinity Forest, marking the spine of the Trinity Park and back into Uptown.
It's an easy bike ride from White Rock Lake to the Katy Trail. The best way is to take Williamson road(SW corner of the lake) to Bob-o-Link. Bob-O-Link, with a short jog over 1 street turns into McCommas and it deadends into the Katy Trail. I like riding through that neighborhood because there is very little traffic.

On the south end of the Katy Trail, it's not very far from the levee trail system. When you get to the little circular plaza at Baby Does, look out to the west and you'll see a yellow sign on a distant building that says "Lofts for Rent"or something. It's only a few blocks. Take Victory West under Stemmons and head towards that building. I forget the names of the little streets in that area, but once you cross Irving Blvd, the levees are just right there. The levee roads will take you all the way to Irving or south to Rochester Park.

Soooo.......good routes are already there, you just need to get out and ride them!

I like the Katy Trail as a nice slow ride and usually use it as a cool down after a few punishing laps around White Rock Lake. I enjoy the odd assortment of people that frequent the Katy Trail in the evenings. Usually I'll run into a few people I know and some others that I wish I knew(ultra hot foreign chicks, those SMU Coeds etc).

[Insidetheloop]

Got this via email. I think the EastDallas Veloway Phases III & IV is probably the most interesting since it will create a viable commuter route.


-----
URGENT: Letters of Support Needed for Over $30 Million in Dallas Area Bike and Trail Projects


In a call to action announced today, the City of Dallas is seeking support from individuals, businesses, organizations, clubs and other interested parties.

Local bike and trail projects are up for funding known as 80/20 project funding. What that means in a nutshell is that the city provides 20% of the funding, and TxDOT provides the other 80% through state and federal programs.

However, in order to obtain and keep this funding, a show of support is needed in the form of letters. These letters will be taken to TxDOT to show public support for these projects. LETTERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 24th

Letters should be on company, individual or group letterhead when possible, should appear professional and should be snail mailed to:

PM Summer
Transportation Alternatives Coordinator
Public Works and Transportation
1500 Marilla, L1B-S
Dallas, Texas 75201


If you wish you may send an electronic copy of your letter instead, but it must be in either PDF or MS Word format, sent as an attachment, and emailed to:

PM Summer

Your letter may be written in support of one,several or all of the following local projects:

Chalk Hill Trail:
The Chalk Hill Trail will create a multiuse bicycle-pedestrian path from Chalk Hill Road at Pinnacle Park to the Westmoreland Avenue along the abandoned BN RR rail corridor. The proposed trail links Pinnacle Park, Calumet Community Center, two affordable single family home developments, the Texas National Golf Club, and Mountain View College to the Westmoreland DART Light Rail Station. Cost estimate includes purchase price of right of way.

EastDallas Veloway Phases III & IV:
Following the DART owned inactive Union Pacific rail corridor, Phases III and IV of the EastDallas Veloway will fill in two major gaps in this major spine trail system.
Veloway Phase III will begin at Lakewood Drive at the terminus of the Phase I and II trail (Tenison Trail and Santa Fe Trail from Fair Park to White Rock Lake Park) and will continue north to Mockingbird Lane where it will link to the Katy Trail connection to the White Rock DART Light Rail Station. Phase III will accomplish grade separated crossings of Mockingbird Lane and Northwest Highway (Loop 12).
Veloway Phase IV will continue north along the abandoned Union Pacific line to McShan elementary school. This phase will create grade separated crossings of Abrams Road and Skillman Avenue.

Elm Fork Trail:
The Elm Fork Floodplain Management Study identified this trail as a major natural interpretive opportunity linking proposed major recreational enhancements with in the Elm Fork Greenbelt. This first phase of trail would provide linkage to the City of Irving's Campion Trail along Royal Lane and from California Crossing.

Five Mile Creek Greenbelt Trail:
The Five Mile Creek Greenbelt Trail will be the major east-west trail in southern Dallas, stretching approximately 15 miles from southwest Dallas to Southeast Dallas. This trail is a critical link in the NCTCOG's Veloweb and the City of Dallas Trail Network Master Plan. The proposed project is approximately 2.5 miles and will link an existing portion of the trail at Glendale Park eastward through Arden Terrace Park, College Park and PaulQuinn College.

Trinity Forest Trail:
Identified as one of the major components in the Great Trinity Forest, the Trinity Forest Trail will provide a "spine"/link to other trail networks, neighborhoods, parks, and other recreational facilities along the Trinity River Corridor. These first phases will link a major DART Light Rail Station at Lake June to the new Trinity Equestrian Center, the new Trinity Interpretive Center and Dallas County's Mc Commas Bluff Park. The bluff provides a spectacular view of "Lock and darn No. 1". Phase 1 would be from the Trinity Interpretive Center to the Trinity Equestrian Center. Phase 2 would be from the Trinity Equestrian Center to the Lake June DART Station. Phase 3 would be from Trinity Interpretive Center to Mc Commas Bluff Park.

Cedar Crest Trail:
The Cedar Crest Trail will link the Morrell Light Rail Station and the Monroe Shops development to the DART Corinth Station, Moore Park and the Santa Fe Trestle Trail over the Trinity River, providing an eventual pedestrian/bicycle connection to Fair Park. Districts 4, 7

Northaven Trail:
The Northaven Trail will be the first phase of an east-west pedestrian/bicycle trail linking the Stemmons Corridor to the North Central Expressway Corridor. Phase I will extend from Highway 75 to Hillcrest Road, with a linkage to the White Rock Creek Trail. Districts 11, 13

[RobertB]

Who will be responsible for security on these trails, when complete? I like the definition of "security" given by someone in the Woodall Rodgers Park thread: "would a woman by herself be willing to go there?"

I really like the southern sector plans, but only if there's a strong plan in place to make them safe. Done right, the trails would be an island of safety that would eventually lead to better security in the surrounding neighborhoods, as those bent on illegal activities move elsewhere. But do it wrong, and the trails will have just the opposite effect: provide a quick getaway for bad guys, attracting the criminal element to the area.

If you can't provide real security -- not just cameras -- along a route like the 15-mile Five Mile Creek proposal, then the corridor would be better used for DART Rail.

[Insidetheloop]

Who will be responsible for security on these trails, when complete? I like the definition of "security" given by someone in the Woodall Rodgers Park thread: "would a woman by herself be willing to go there?"



Just like other hike/bike paths that would fall to the police. I saw two sets(4) DPD officers on bikes last night. One at WRL and the other on the Katy Trail. No area is immune to violence.Even Lakewood had an illegal alien serial rapist a couple of years ago that was knocking female joggers over the head with logs and bricks at White Rock. He was caught.

Most girls won't walk into Reverchon Park or down into the Turtle Creek bottoms because of the shady people and the homeless that live under the bridges.

Crime is largely absent from area jogging paths because athletic types rarely make good marks for criminals. Other than an Ipod or a wedding ring there is nothing worth stealing.

[monogodo]

JCrime is largely absent from area jogging paths because athletic types rarely make good marks for criminals. Other than an Ipod or a wedding ring there is nothing worth stealing.
And an in-shape person is harder to catch & rob.

[darkblood]

Back when the wife and I lived in far north Dallas, we used to go over to Arbor Hills and hike the trails there. Nice hills, nice trails. A lot of bikers!!!

Arbor Hills has a lot of biking / hiking paths, just watch out for the bikers as they sometimes can't see you around the wooded curves. There are also hidden pathways towards the back of the park that bikers wouldn't travel on, due to the threat of smashing their face on some jagged steep rocks. However, it's great for hiking, and really works your legs.

http://www.planoparks.org/sub_parks/arbor_hills.htm

[Insidetheloop]

Arbor Hills is unique in that it's one of the only parks in the United States where cyclists have the right-of-way on dirt trails when dealing with folks on foot. Usually peds have the right-of way but not at AH. On your left! Bird watcher lady!


The City of Plano just about ruined Arbor Hills a few years ago when they paved much of the park. It was outrageous what they did.

[BigD5349]

The link for trails has been updated.

http://www.dallasnews.com//s/dws/spe/2003/trails/

[Insidetheloop]

It will be interesting to see how the Katy Trail will make it over Central Expressway, Skillman, Abrams. Maybe it will run down the DART right of way.

Article Below:



Local walkers, bikers win on new trails

After 12 years of stalls, work will begin on the East Dallas Veloway


09:28 PM CDT on Saturday, August 12, 2006

By GRETEL C. KOVACH / The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/081306dnmetwhitetocktrail.19b43f7.html

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5264/0813trailox0.jpg


Hikers and bikers have been revving for the East Dallas Veloway since the city began pushing for the urban trail extension 12 years ago.

Finally, the project is getting in gear.



Construction of the first two phases – the Santa Fe and Tenison trails – should begin early next year, linking Fair Park and Deep Ellum to North Dallas via the White Rock Lake area trails.

At the same time, the Katy and Cottonwood trails are being extended to connect central Dallas near American Airlines Center to the Preston Ridge Trail (which also is growing). That route will eventually run about 35 miles to Richardson and Plano, the project's boosters say.

The thought of it is making calves burn in anticipation all across North Texas.

"Oh, wow, isn't it cool?" said Jim Hoyt, a cycling advocate and owner of Richardson Bike Mart.

"I'm a Texan and, boy howdy, I love my cars. But I also ride my bike 6,000 miles a year," he said. "As our city grows, it's going to be easier to get around."

Randy Rogers, president of Mirage, one of the largest cycling clubs in the area, said he's excited that the wait is over.

"Anything to get us off the roads here," he said. "Not that Dallas is not cycling friendly. It's just not as nice as in Colorado and other places that have been built with cycling in mind."

The first phases of construction on the $10 million Veloway should take one to two years. A few years after that, the remaining portions along the old Union Pacific rail line from White Rock Lake past the Katy Trail extension to Royal Lane should start rolling ahead.

Eventually, the system could tap into the Trinity River area and the Dallas Zoo.

"Within 10 years, the city of Dallas will have, without a doubt, the best trail system in Texas and one of the best in the nation," said P.M. Summer, Dallas' transportation alternatives coordinator.

Dallas is paving the way to a comprehensive urban trail network. But it's been a long time coming.

Trail plans were stalled for years as city, county, state and federal agencies – and subagencies – coordinated with neighborhood and business representatives to raise funds.

"When you're dealing with so many different entities, it moves slowly," Mr. Summer said. "These are all projects that have been inching forward for about the last 10 years and are just now coming online."

The new trails will provide a tree-lined alternative to streets clogged with motor traffic for joggers, cyclists, dog walkers and commuters.

But the trails also are expected to spur development and revitalize surrounding neighborhoods.

Bruce McShan's father opened McShan Florist on Garland Road in 1948.

White Rock Lake is the jewel of Dallas, but the southern approach and the entire Garland Road corridor needs work, he said.

"This bike and hike trail will help it greatly," Mr. McShan said. "It forms a community and neighborhood feeling. It draws the White Rock, cycling, rowing and hiking interests together."

The Veloway trails could do for Old East Dallas what the Katy Trail has done for Cole Avenue, said Mary Phinney, Dallas County trail and preserve program administrator.

"Trails connect neighborhoods to commercial areas to schools. They connect people," she said. "In the past, highways and toll roads divided neighborhoods. Railroads did, too. The trails will provide the cohesiveness for city dwellers that has been missing for generations."

Already, condo developers are touting the unbuilt Santa Fe Trail, said Mary Poss, a Lakewood resident and former mayor pro tem.

"More and more people appreciate an urban pedestrian environment where they can live and walk to many services," she said.

As it stands, the southern approach to White Rock Lake is marked by a tangled intersection, a dilapidated railroad bridge flagged for demolition and several liquor stores.

Improvements to the area in recent years included dredging the lake, replacing several bridges, dam improvements and the first sliver of the Veloway, a half-mile stretch of path running alongside Winsted Drive.

But a plan formulated in 1998 to create a welcoming urban gateway to the lake has been largely unrealized.

Removing the rusted railroad bridge lined with graffiti that crosses Garland Road to install a more attractive one for the Veloway may become a catalyst for improving the area, said City Council member Gary Griffith.

"It is an important gateway to what I call Dallas' lake and garden district. The lake is a part of it; the parks are part of it. But you've got the arboretum, and you've got some wonderful residential areas that work hard to be green and lush," he said.

The Forward Dallas! 30-year plan for the city classifies the spillway area as an urban neighborhood primed for townhouses and condos interspersed with traditional homes, boutiques and sidewalks built for strolling.

"We're trying to promote better transit use and better pedestrian and bicycle access in areas that have on average higher density," said Peer Chacko, a long-range planning manager for the city.

The 1998 spillway design plan did not make it into the current city bond program, but the Dallas Northeast Chamber of Commerce and others will push for it again in 2009, said Pete Oppel, the chamber's executive director.

"It would be nice if we brought back those vibrant neighborhoods to the city of Dallas," he said.

With hike and bike trails, Dallas has had to backtrack. But the reliance on using abandoned rail lines has also been a boon – the wooded corridors are more attractive than many traditional bike lanes.

"We're building it in reverse," said Mr. Rogers of the Mirage cycling club. "But the Veloway is a pretty nice afterthought.

[tamtagon]

That's great!

Just wondering, is anyone working on a "trail" through Deep Ellum, the Central Business District and Victory connecting the Sante Fe and Katy trails? I would also consider The Peak-Haskell Corridor to be another excellent opportunity for a quality of life improving veloway.

[Lakewooder]

Beating my Mill Creek drum again: Imagine the 'daylighted' Mill Creek and an accompanying trail connecting Cityplace to Deep Ellum / Fair Park and the East Dallas Veloway -- and a trolley down Haskell/Peak...

[RobertB]

But a plan formulated in 1998 to create a welcoming urban gateway to the lake has been largely unrealized.

Removing the rusted railroad bridge lined with graffiti that crosses Garland Road to install a more attractive one for the Veloway may become a catalyst for improving the area, said City Council member Gary Griffith.
Argh! Yet another example of Dallas scrapping the historic and unique with the "modern" and indistinguishable. Granted, I don't know the bridge in question, so maybe it's beyond hope, but consider:

* How does ripping it out help with the graffiti? It'll simply reappear on the new bridge unless there's a change in policing.

* Even if it's the ugly solid-sided style of bridge, it can be turned into a "welcoming urban gateway" by the same folks who brought you the Deep Ellum Tunnel (wish it could be saved, but I understand why it has to go). Or does that not match the hoity-toity idea of "urban" held by those who came up with the "Dallas' lake and garden district" concept?

* Are we dealing with an unlimited budget? I doubt it. Surely it would be cheaper to refit the existing bridge for pedestrian/cyclist use than to build an all-new "signature" bridge? Or maybe the ideal urban gateway is two uniform beams of prestressed concrete?

If you ever go to Tulsa, check out the old railroad bridge across the Arkansas River. They turned it into a bike route by running the path through the inside of the steel structure -- it's way cool!

http://www.bridgepix.com/listing.php?bridgeID=2483
http://www.bridgepix.com/bridge_images/large/7435_l.jpg

[Lakewooder]

I feel the same about the old bridges, but this one has become too much of a safety hazard -- click on the story to see the pics:

Garland Road trestle coming down

For truckers, it's a bridge too low


07:11 AM CDT on Friday, August 11, 2006

By GRETEL C. KOVACH / The Dallas Morning News

How many wrecked semis does it take to tear down a railroad bridge spanning a busy Dallas road?


MILTON HINNANT / DMN
Clearance under the railroad trestle on eastbound Garland Road near White Rock Lake is less than the average 18-wheeler height of 13 feet, 6 inches. Authorities don't know exactly how many 18-wheelers have crashed into the rusted trestle crossing Garland Road near the White Rock Lake spillway.

But it's too many. The bridge is coming down.

The city could remove it when construction begins early next year on the long-awaited East Dallas Veloway, a $10 million expansion of the city's hike and bike trails.

Or Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which owns the abandoned trestle, might pay to do the job sooner because of the wrecks.

"We are now looking at tearing down the bridge," said DART spokesman Morgan Lyons. The agency is assessing costs and could reach a decision in a few weeks.

DART had thought three bright new "Low Clearance" warning signs nearly a quarter-mile apart would solve the problem. The signs were installed about a year ago after the agency discovered that road resurfacing had further reduced clearance under the trestle, Mr. Lyons said.

It didn't help. Two trucks in two days battered the bridge last week. In June, at least three trucks hit the trestle.

Warren Houser, a commercial real-estate developer who lives in nearby Casa Linda, photographed three trucks that smashed into the trestle in one week in May. Before that, two trucks hit the bridge within an hour.

Safety concerns
Mr. Houser and others – residents, business representatives and politicians – have lobbied DART for months to remove the bridge.

"When the top comes off an 18-wheeler and you're driving 30 or 40 miles an hour, it could kill someone easily," he said. "This is a serious public safety issue."

Metal roofs are ripped off like the lids on sardine tins. Truck trailers are smashed flat in the middle. Cargo is strewn across the road, sending drivers swerving.

Adriaan and Alley Dirks, managers of the nearby White Rock Self Storage, can hear screeching at night when truckers stomp on the brakes to avoid colliding with the bridge.

Ms. Dirks saw a trucker step out of the cab beside his ruined trailer, drop to his knees in the road and cry. Others kick and scream.

"It's devastating to the truck drivers," Ms. Dirks said. "I'm tired of seeing them suffer. It's heartbreaking.

"Their whole livelihood is in there."

The Texas Motor Transportation Association, a state trucking group, is urging local authorities to act promptly.

"There's a toll on the trucking industry and a toll on truckers who are actually hitting that bridge. But this is not just an issue for trucking; this is an issue for the safety of commuters in that area," said John Esparza, the association's president.

For years, trucks have been hitting the bridge, which DART acquired in 1988 but has no plans to use. An insurance agency in the area used to put up a sign at the end of the year with the tally: "Trucks 27, Bridge 0."

Officials ask why?
Transportation officials with the city, DART and the state said they were flummoxed about why truckers keep hitting the bridge and why the accidents seem to have become more frequent in recent years.


BRAD LOPER / DMN
In May, two trucks smashed into the Garland Road trestle in less than an hour. The ripped-off tops of the two trailers were moved to a nearby parking lot. More trucks appear to be using Garland Road to cut across the city, instead of circling it on nearby interstates, city staff said.

Distracted drivers have to shift gears and abruptly change lanes before the bridge to avoid traffic merging from Gaston Avenue.

Some truckers may be confused by the difference in clearance of nearly a foot and a half on either end of the trestle. Most trucks traveling away from the lake pass easily under the trestle, where the posted height of 14 feet, 3 inches is well above the average height of most 18-wheelers – 13 feet, 6 inches.

In the other direction, toward the lake, the lanes are now posted with a clearance of 12 feet, 10 inches.

Dallas police responded to three crashes at the railroad bridge in 2004. The number more than doubled in 2005 to eight, Lt. Paul Thai said.

But those numbers reflect just a fraction of the collisions, which occur about once a week, many nearby residents said.

'We've just been lucky'
City Council member Gary Griffith wrote the president of DART in April asking him to remove the bridge immediately instead of waiting for the trail project to proceed.

"It has worried me for some time that a truck could hit that bridge and lose control, not just get stuck or rip off the top," he said. "We've just been lucky."

P.M. Summer, the city's alternative transportation coordinator, said: "We're going to tear it down regardless. The sooner it's out of there, the better. Everyone agrees with that."

Alma John, a psychic and tarot card reader, has a front-row view of the trestle from her shop on East Grand Avenue.

"Every day, I see an 18-wheeler stop and try to turn around, backing up traffic for 20 minutes. The smart ones stop," she said.

Her 22-year-old son, Tony Alma, said: "The other day we thought the roof was coming down. It was the loudest noise. It sounded like a big bomb."

But the railroad trestle will be torn down soon, Ms. Alma predicted. It's in the cards.

"Definitely. Unless they want to see a few people die," she said. "That bridge – it's useless."

E-mail gkovach@dallasnews.com


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Online at: http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/lakewood/stories/081106dnmettrestle.18e7d26.html

[RobertB]

I feel the same about the old bridges, but this one has become too much of a safety hazard -- click on the story to see the pics:
See, there you go, ruining a perfectly good rant with your meddlesome facts!

RobertB sheepishly moves the Garland Road bridge into the same mental bucket as the Deep Ellum Tunnel

[Insidetheloop]

That's great!

Just wondering, is anyone working on a "trail" through Deep Ellum, the Central Business District and Victory connecting the Sante Fe and Katy trails? I would also consider The Peak-Haskell Corridor to be another excellent opportunity for a quality of life improving veloway.

I don't think anything is in the works for Deep Ellum. Eventually, the Santa Fe trail is supposed to link up with the Great Trinity Forest system but I don't know where or how that would happen.

The issue is that the city did some studies with A&M's help in 1996-1997 regarding traffic accidents and bike/ped paths in Dallas. The study found that it was far too dangerous to use street level crossings at many intersections. At some intersections like Greenville and Royal an average of one person a year was killed trying to cross the street. The result was a revamped path that goes under Greenville and avoids traffic alltogether. The relevance to this and Deep Ellum is that unless an old railroad ROW can be found with protected street crossings then the city is unlikely to pull the trigger on a bike path there.

[Insidetheloop]

Below is the Cottonwood Creek Trail through the High 5 mixmaster. Often called "The Trail To Nowhere". It's somewhat difficult to get to as the last sections on the tail ends have yet to be completed. To get there I rode up the White Rock Creek Trail to the Urban Reserve, cut through Hamilton Park and then rode up the creek bottom.

It's interesting being down there because you are in the center of it all, yet totally alone. The workmanship on the pillars and columns of the High 5 really stands out. The support columns are massive and I felt dwarfed walking around among them. I would imagine that once the trail is fully completed that this area will become an interesting and noteworthy part of Dallas. If only because there is nothing else like it. I have ridden many bike paths and this section in the High 5 is first rate. Best one I have ever seen.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/7380/high2ny9.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/4891/high3tq8.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/1397/high4mm1.jpg

http://img209.imageshack.us/img209/2206/high5fr2.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/7893/high9be0.jpg

http://img291.imageshack.us/img291/1774/high8nw6.jpg

[sasquatch69]

Thanks for the photos, ITL - I have seen this while speeding by overhead, and wondered when it would be connected.

I realize the southern connection is a ways from completion, but is it already connected to the trail that runs south from Spring Valley through the apartment area? Last time I rode that, it petered out just short of the southbound Central service road.

[tamtagon]

I have ridden many bike paths and this section in the High 5 is first rate. Best one I have ever seen.


From the pictures, it looks like a really cool stretch to experience and your top rating is very encouraging.

[Hannibal Lecter]

Beating my Mill Creek drum again: Imagine the 'daylighted' Mill Creek and an accompanying trail connecting Cityplace to Deep Ellum / Fair Park and the East Dallas Veloway -- and a trolley down Haskell/Peak...
I hope that don't Daylight too much of it -- apparently I live right on top of it.

[Insidetheloop]

I realize the southern connection is a ways from completion, but is it already connected to the trail that runs south from Spring Valley through the apartment area? Last time I rode that, it petered out just short of the southbound Central service road.

The south section needs to be built out to the creek(about 300 yards), then cross the creek via a bridge. The section through Hamilton Park has already been completed. I had not been to Hamilton Park in 15 years, they have built an entirely new facility there. Looks nice.

The north section deadends in a parking lot and is blocked by a fence and around 40-50 small piles of human feces left by the hermit homeless that call the southbound US75/635 westbound entrance ramp home. They have some cozy digs down there including a TxDOT Square D electrical box that they have jerry rigged to pirate electricity for a TV.

The Cottonwood Trail through Richardson and North Dallas is OK, but since it follows a series of TXU ROW's it's short on scenery and quite boring.

[dfwcre8tive]

Making tracks to the Katy Trail
Urban path is an amenity that developers are rushing to incorporate into plans
09:48 AM CST on Friday, December 22, 2006
By STEVE BROWN / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/bus/stories/122206dnbuskaty.30b2e2f.html

Winston Capital Group's Uptown development site faces Carlisle Street just a couple of blocks from McKinney Avenue.

But the big appeal for this high-rise residential tract is behind the property: Dallas' popular Katy Trail.

"We have always felt like the trail and connecting to it was an important aspect of the development," said Winston Capital's Stewart Bul.

While the developer hasn't decided exactly what will be built on the tract, it will definitely have access to the pedestrian route. "The trail adds a great piece to the project," Mr. Bul said.

Up and down the Katy Trail, which extends for more than three miles, developers are scrambling to tie their projects into the public right of way.And it's no wonder. On sunny weekends, the pathway is packed with Uptown residents.

Builders say having a project on the Katy Trail, which runs along an old railroad line, has become money in the bank.

Some builders say there is a "25 percent premium for having their product back up against the Katy Trail," said Phil Brosseau, part of the team developing the Residences at Hotel Palomar on Mockingbird Lane.

The Palomar developers are working with the city of Dallas to extend the Katy Trail from where it ends, near Glencoe Park, to their project about two blocks away. The builders are betting buyers in their high-rise condo project will like stepping out the back door and walking the trail to Knox Street, Turtle Creek Park and beyond.

"It used to be considered a negative, having that railroad track there," Mr. Brosseau said. "Now, it's a premium."

The Katy Trail got its start in the late 1800s when the Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railway built its line from St. Louis through North Texas. For decades, the rail right of way was a major transportation corridor linking Dallas with cities to the north.

When the railroad abandoned the line in the 1980s, transportation planners considered putting a commuter route along the Katy path. But nearby neighborhoods raised a ruckus, and ultimately the DART line tunneled under North Central Expressway.

In 1993, the Dallas City Council voted to turn the abandoned rail spur into a pedestrian trail.

Skeptical reception

Some residents still didn't like the idea, predicting that the trail would give criminals access to their neighborhoods.

Proponents knew the critics would come around.

"We felt that when it got strong enough, people would be tearing down their fences to get access," said architect Philip Henderson, who's worked on the project since its inception. "When the railroad was there, it was like Oak Lawn and Uptown were separated by a wall.

"Now we have a linear park," Mr. Henderson said. "We think 13,000 to 15,000 people a week use it." More than 300,000 people live within a mile of the trail.

Today, the benefits of the Katy Trail are a hot topic in the real estate business.

Developer Gables Residential – one of the largest apartment builders in Uptown – has several projects in the works along the trail. Gables is building the Villa Rosa apartments across the street from where the trail crosses Cedar Springs Road. And a few blocks away, the developer is planning a new residential project to replace aging apartments that back up to the trail near Hall Street.

"I think the Katy Trail is going to play a big role in how development is done in that area in the future," said Gables senior vice president Doug Chesnut. "Your project almost has to have two front doors, with one of them on the Katy Trail."

Dallas' Victory complex anchors one end of the trail, and its developers have funded improvements to the walkway.

'Huge benefit'

"It's an unbelievable amenity for our project," said Jonas Woods, president of developer Hillwood Capital. "We've donated land for it and over $1 million.

"The fact that it begins at Victory is a huge benefit to us."

Dallas real estate executive David Griffin has been working on the capital campaign for the Katy Trail and recently moved his offices to a building overlooking the pedestrian route.

"I hear developers say that any property that is adjacent to the trail can generate a better return than something that is even a block or two away," Mr. Griffin said. "The builders all want to maximize access of their developments to the trail and make the trail an intrinsic part of their design."

As the Uptown area becomes more dense and urban, the trail will play an even bigger role, Mr. Griffin predicts.

"It will be like having a park view," he said. "The Katy Trail is the closest thing we have to a central park, and it runs through one of the most densely populated areas of the city."

Mr. Griffin said the $23 million capital campaign will provide money for landscaping and other improvements along the trail. Construction is also under way on a ramp that will connect the trail directly to Reverchon Park. Future plans will link the Katy with the planned Trinity River trail system.

"Any time you have a great public space and an area where people can walk, it adds to the quality of life," Mr. Griffin said. "It will also add to the value of businesses and residences that are located along the trail."

E-mail stevebrown@dallasnews.com

[gshelton91]

Has anyone seen any designs for the extention across Central and Mockingbird?

I have heard of one idea that would continue the trail on the West side toward the new Bush site then do a Calatrava type bridge across Central hooking into Mockingbird Station... by-passing the issue of crossing Mockingbird on the east side of Central.

An Architect was excited by the idea... saying that in many ways that freeway resembles a river... and a bridge like that would be perfect crossing it...

[US75Guy]

And let's not forget about the White Rock Creek trail! 10 miles winding through parkland in North Dallas all the way down to the lake. I hope this "trail fever" includes upgrades and beauification for this well-used path as well. I've been surprised more development hasn't sprung up along this pathway.

[shaun3000]

And let's not forget about the White Rock Creek trail! 10 miles winding through parkland in North Dallas all the way down to the lake. I hope this "trail fever" includes upgrades and beauification for this well-used path as well. I've been surprised more development hasn't sprung up along this pathway.
Much of the White Rock Creek trail runs through flood plains for the creek. I think most, if not all, is park land, anyway. There isn't really any development that can be done...

[Insidetheloop]

The Urban Reserve north of Royal is there as a result of access to the White Rock Trail. I don't believe it would be there otherwise.

The White Rock Trail was built in 1985 or1986, I think. Most, if not all of what you see along the trail in terms of development was there before that. The asphalt path around the lake was built in the late 70's.

The only two retail stores that really even acknowledge the White Rock Trail are Dallas Bike Works that is just off the trail at Skillman/Abrams and the Starbucks at Forest/Park Central. Unlike the Katy Trail, the White Rock Trail is more of a medium for getting somewhere else, not a destination itself.

[RobertB]

Posting here, because the article at least mentions connecting to Dallas.

Project connects trail between Arlington, GP
Now, hikers, skaters and cyclists can say they exercise in two cities
08:55 AM CST on Sunday, January 7, 2007

By KATHY A. GOOLSBY / The Dallas Morning News

Benedicto Avalos runs the trail alongside Fish Creek Linear Park every day.

Starting near his Arlington home just southwest of State Highway 360 and Interstate 20, he jogs east for about 1.5 miles to Starrett Elementary School, then retraces his steps back along the creek.

Until this week, Mr. Avalos, 53, didn't realize that as soon as he passes under the highway bridge, he's in Grand Prairie.

"I run in two cities," said Mr. Avalos, laughing. "I only came here three months ago. I didn't know."

By month's end, everyone using the Fish Creek Linear Park trail near the bridge will know.

A large metal medallion similar to a manhole cover will be embedded in the trail under a metal archway at the city limit line.

It will feature logos for both cities split by a wavy line representing the creek.

The project – dubbed "A Trail of Two Cities" by officials – marks the first time hike and bike paths in Arlington and Grand Prairie have connected to another city's trail system.
Ok, as you can see, the article suffers from a serious case of the cutesies. But for additional details (no map, strangely), here's the linky (http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/city/southwest/stories/DN-twocities_07met.ART0.West.Edition1.3e354a8.html). One interesting note: the medallion and archway cost almost $35,000 bucks. And will likely be removed by copper thieves within the week. :(

[dfwcre8tive]

From the KATY TRAIL (http://www.katytraildallas.org/site/PageServer?pagename=fkt_adopt_with_thermometer) Website:

Adopt-a-Tree

Did you know that the best time of the year to plant a tree is right now? That's right. Trees are mostly dormant during the winter months, so the ideal time to plant a tree ensuring its growth for the spring is in January and February.

The Friends of the Katy Trail needs you to help by adopting a tree on our Trail. The Meadows Foundation has generously offered a matching gift for this effort, but we need your help today to reach our goal of $128,000 by January 31, 2007. If we have enough donations before the end of January, our new native and hardy trees will have the opportunity to put down their roots in the prime planting season.

The Katy Trail is about the community. More than three miles of trail run through the most densely populated areas of Dallas and connect not only those between SMU and Victory, but the community at large. Please support your Katy Trail today.

[Insidetheloop]

^ many of the trees that are already there look headed to the wood chipper. Quite a few are tagged for removal. I wonder if the Katy Trail folks are under the same regulations for tree removal and replacement as a private construction firm.

They removed quite a few trees during the Pedestrian Lane expansion down near the Hole on Cole. I think that shocked a few people.

[dfwcre8tive]

Local walkers, bikers win on new trails
After 12 years of stalls, work will begin on the East Dallas Veloway
09:28 PM CDT on Saturday, August 12, 2006
By GRETEL C. KOVACH / The Dallas Morning News

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/081306dnmetwhitetocktrail.19b43f7.html

http://img228.imageshack.us/img228/5264/0813trailox0.jpg

Construction of the first two phases – the Santa Fe and Tenison trails – should begin early next year, linking Fair Park and Deep Ellum to North Dallas via the White Rock Lake area trails.

At the same time, the Katy and Cottonwood trails are being extended to connect central Dallas near American Airlines Center to the Preston Ridge Trail (which also is growing). That route will eventually run about 35 miles to Richardson and Plano, the project's boosters say.

...

Has any construction work started on these projects yet?

[Insidetheloop]

Nothing new has started.

A meeting was held last month about bike paths and sidewalks along the new 635 corridor. Here is the powerpoint:

http://www.nctcog.org/trans/sustdev/bikeped/Presentations/charette_lbj_presentation.pdf

It's topical to proposed and current bike paths in North Dallas. They are still taking public input if you have suggestions to make.

[dfwcre8tive]

Tarrant County trails offer exercise, scenic views and a touch of history
By JESSICA DeLEÓN
Star-Telegram Staff Writer
http://www.star-telegram.com/226/story/47683.html

Eastern Tarrant County residents have an escape from stress that's just miles -- and sometimes yards -- away from their homes.

They're city trails, perfect for walkers, runners, inline skaters and bicyclists.

The Star-Telegram has produced a list, by no means complete, of trails residents might want to visit.

Euless and Keller have long trails. The Cottonbelt Trail stretches through North Richland Hills and parts of Colleyville and Grapevine, and will eventually connect to Hurst.

And Arlington's River Legacy Parks trails include an 8.2-mile paved trail that follows the Trinity River from Fort Worth to Grand Prairie.

Most of the trails -- such as the Big Bear Creek Greenbelt in Keller -- have wooded areas, with songbirds and native plants, many of which are labeled.

"It gets you away from the city," Keller Parks and Recreation Director Dona Roth Kinney said.

The Bob Jones Park and the Walnut Grove trail system in Southlake, near Lake Grapevine, is filled with wildflowers and about 200 species of birds.

"It's a huge natural area that can't be developed," said Julie Dove, Southlake's parks project coordinator. "It's just beautiful to walk in."

The C. Shane Wilbanks Trail offers views of Lake Grapevine and hard surfaces through forests and fields.

"It's a very popular trail for people exercising, riding their bikes and walking their dogs, which we strongly encourage to be kept on a leash," Grapevine Parks and Recreation Assistant Director Joe Moore said.

Most trails have unique or unusual features. The Cottonbelt Trail parallels the Cotton Belt railroad tracks that Grapevine's steam train uses to take passengers to and from the Fort Worth Stockyards.

At the Preserve at McCormick Park in Euless, users can read plaques that detail the history of trees. More than 30 historical trees have been planted, including the Elvis Presley sweet gum that was grown from a seed gathered at Graceland in Memphis.

At the Village Creek Historical Area/Bob Findlay Linear Park in Arlington, monuments tell about the Indians who settled in the area and the Battle of Village Creek fought between Indians and Republic of Texas soldiers.

Pedestrians and riders may find another welcome feature along the North Electric/Walker's Creek trails in North Richland Hills, said Vickie Loftice, the city's director of parks and recreation.

"There's a snow cone" shop, Loftice said.
Jessica DeLeón, 817-685-3932 jdeleon@star-telegram.com

MAP OF TRAILS IN EASTERN TARRANT COUNTY (http://www.star-telegram.com/226/story/0324_INSETStrails_online%20(2).pdf)

[dfwcre8tive]

This is exciting! I'm glad they are finishing the connection. It's a nice hiking trail.

Corps ready to resume plans
07:08 AM CDT on Monday, May 7, 2007
By Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe / Staff Writer
http://www.dentonrc.com/sharedcontent/dws/drc/localnews/stories/DRC_trails_0507.448aa822.html

CORINTH — Volunteers who look after the Elm Fork and Pilot Knoll trails are concerned about increasing erosion on the bluffs around Pinnell Pointe as they try to finish the construction of a 10-mile hiking and equestrian loop.

The bluffs were already prone to damaging run-off, and torrential spring rains have cut deep ruts into the hillsides, sending more soil into Lewis*ville Lake. Volunteer Phil Shelp said some ruts in the shoreline trail measured 30 inches deep before the April 24 deluge; now several measure more than 40 inches.

“We can no longer get a mower across the trail without getting people to lift and carry it,” Shelp said.

Since the trail around Pinnell Pointe is still under construction, it is not officially open from Kensington Estates to Sycamore Bend Park, according to Tim McAlister of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

But the corps is ready to move ahead with plans to finish the trail, now that they have an agreement with Double Oak-based Kerr Real Estate, Mc*Alister said. Kerr agreed last month to pay the corps $630,000 for damage in the area as the company was preparing to build homes there. The lion’s share goes to ameliorate the destruction of acres of valuable wildlife habitat, although Kerr did not admit liability in cutting timber in Lewisville Lake. Other terms of the agreement address insufficient storm drainage structures that Kerr built for a new subdivision on the bluffs.

In accordance with the agreement, Kerr built better drainage structures.

“That corrected a few issues,” McAlister said. “Now I can manage a constructive fix [of the erosion].”

Because erosion on the bluffs was already problematic, the corps is considering several ways to shore up the hillsides and make it safe for trail users, McAlister said.

The agreement also includes public access to the trail on the south side of Oak Bluff Drive, so the next step would be to negotiate an agreement with Corinth, he said.

As land around the lake has developed, the corps has entered into agreements with many other cities in order to encourage use of the public lands, but still protect and maintain them, he said.

Volunteer June Tyler was among those who helped build the trail leg from Old Alton Bridge to Kensington Estates, which opened in 2002. She was concerned that Corinth’s interest in the area would be shortchanged.

“Part of the $630,000 settlement needs to be used to correct the storm water drainage problems and reconstruct the Elm Fork Trail,” Tyler said.

The corps’ agreement specifies that Kerr pay $30,000, minus the actual cost, specifically for repair of storm water drainage damage.

Moreover, Corinth spokesman Frank Lott said that the city’s attorney was not only reviewing the agreement, but the city’s own ordinances, to determine whether Kerr violated city rules in the construction of the development.

PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-566-6881. Her e-mail address is pheinkel-wolfe@dentonrc.com .

http://www.dentonrc.com/s/dws/img/drc/05-07/0507erosion.jpg

[dfwcre8tive]

Trail route upsets shore homeowners
The Colony: Officials back using federal land for public view of lake
12:00 AM CDT on Saturday, May 12, 2007
By MARISSA ALANIS / The Dallas Morning News
malanis@dallasnews.com
http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/tv/stories/DN-shorelinetrail_12wes.ART.North.Edition1.43851aa.ht ml

The city by the lake, as The Colony is often called, wants to offer prime views of Lewisville Lake with its proposed Shoreline Trail.

[Click image for a larger version] JUAN GARCIA/DMN
JUAN GARCIA/DMN
The Colony's plan to route a trail on public land behind residences along Lewisville Lake has those residents up in arms. They've formed an opposition group and say the shoreline route will create privacy and security issues for them.

But development of the 3.5-mile trail has hit a bump.

Residents in the Stewart Peninsula neighborhood oppose routing a portion of the trail along a narrow shoreline that borders their back yards along the southeastern portion of the lake.

The residents – who have formed a group called Lake Lewisville Wins – cite security, privacy and trail maintenance costs.

"You'll be having dinner with your family, and you'll have to close the blinds when you see people walking by," said Ralph Kreissl, whose house sits on the shoreline. "It's a bad idea. ... I don't mind the trail. However, it's just really too close to our houses here."

City park development manager Keith Helms said he doesn't blame the group for having concerns.

"I think part of their concerns just come from fear of the unknown," Mr. Helms said. "They've had a pretty nice thing, having that view to themselves out from the lake, even though it's public land. And now we're going to take advantage of that for the general public."

The City Council will hold a special session Monday night to vote on the alignment for the first phase of the trail. It is slated to start at Stewart Creek Park, run along the perimeter of Lewisville Lake and end at Ridgepointe Park.

The Shoreline Trail is part of a master trail plan that the council approved in 2004. Preliminary estimates put the price tag for the first phase at $1.9 million.

The city's Parks and Recreation Department will maintain the trail, which is expected to cost $30,000 annually. Funding will primarily come from city sales tax revenue.

The trail would sit on land that belongs to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The corps and the city entered into an agreement this year that allows the city to develop and manage the trail.

Tim MacAllister, the corps' manager for Lewisville and Ray Roberts lakes, said part of the corps' mission is to give the public access to the land, especially when a city such as The Colony proposes a trail system that will allow people to enjoy natural resources.

"We're all for that because it allows other people to enjoy the area and not just a select few," Mr. MacAllister said.

Lake Lewisville Wins is composed of about 29 homeowners who live along the shoreline. Some members say they realize that the federal land is for public use. But a developed trail will attract too much traffic, they say.

They have asked the city to reroute the portion behind their homes using one of two alternative paths along North Colony Boulevard.

The trail segment at issue is about two-thirds to three-quarters of a mile long.

The city's community development corporation rejected the alternative routes last month and is recommending that the City Council stick to the trail's original shoreline path.

Cindy Atanasoff, who is part of Lake Lewisville Wins, said its members "are not snobs."

"We're arguing about our homes, privacy and personal lives and the stakes at risk and the exposure and vulnerability to people being up in our face," she said.

Residents can't erect a privacy fence between their yards and the proposed trail because it's against the homeowner association rules.

Trail supporters said it will bring an indirect economic benefit for the city.

"People who come into your town do tend to leave money here and there," said Tom Tvardzik, who lives in Stewart Peninsula and belongs to Friends of the Shoreline Trail, which supports the original route. "Go to the gas station. Go to the convenience store. They buy bottled water to take on their walk. ... It's a wonderful amenity to the citizens of The Colony."

Ms. Atanasoff said it'll take more resources than the city realizes to maintain the trail.

"If the citizens were a little bit more aware [of] the drain on this city that this is going to take and what other projects will be sacrificed – because this will consume a lot of city resources – then it's not maybe the shoreline trail that the people think they were asking for," she said.

City Council member Allen Harris said the Shoreline Trail would set The Colony apart from neighboring cities that don't have a lake.

"I see this eventually being a great amenity for the folks along the shoreline who may be opposed to the location today," he said.

"I have a feeling that they may be the greatest proponents and users of it as time goes by."