Nearly $4.2M Rowlett Trail Extension Project moves forward in Allen

The city of Allen’s trail system is set to expand through an approximately $4.2 million project.

Allen City Council unanimously approved a contract with Garret Shields Infrastructure for the Rowlett Trail Extension Project at an Aug. 11 meeting.

The big picture

Phase 1 of the one-year construction project will add 1.67 miles to Allen’s trail system, Director of Parks and Recreation Kate Meacham said.

The north section of the project will connect Bolin Park to The Trail at the Woods, and the south portion of the project will connect the existing Rowlett Trail to Watters Trail and continue to the Bluebonnet Trail in Plano, per city documents.

“This, by far, is our most requested segment,” Meacham said.

Phase 1 also includes two bridges, city documents state. Phase 2 of the project will include a trailhead on the McDermott Park property, according to Meacham’s presentation.

In anticipation of this project, the southern part of Watters Trail was extended and completed in May.

Diving deeper

Phase 1 of the project will be funded entirely through grants, Meacham said.

Although the city received a total of $4.5 million from several grants, the project is under budget at just under $4.2 million, city documents state.

The city also received approximately $3.2 million from the Allen Community Development Corp., which will be used for Phase 2 of the project, Meacham said.

Both the Collin County Regional Trail Plan and the Allen Trails and Bikeways Master Plan list eliminating trail gaps and developing long-distance, continuous trail routes as top priorities, city documents state. The Rowlett Trail Extension Project meets both of these goals, Meacham said.

“This is a key connector between the city of Plano through Allen to the city of McKinney,” she said.

Looking ahead

Meacham said construction of Phase 1 is expected to take one year and city staff members expect that Phase 2 construction will begin immediately after Phase 1 is completed.