Two-minute impact
If approved, the court order would have authorized an interlocal agreement with the North Central Texas Council of Governments, providing funds for the trail’s second and third phases of construction. County staff requested the agreement be pulled before the commissioners voted on the agenda's court orders.
The Cotton Belt Trail is a proposed 57-mile trail running along the proposed Silver Line Regional Rail. The trail will link several cities, including Grapevine, Coppell, Richardson and Plano, according to the NCTCOG’s website.
A closer look
The overall project is split into three phases. Dallas County is planning to commit about $5.9 million to the project's second and third phases of construction, according to the court agenda. About $1.8 million is due in 2024 for the trail's second phase. About $4.1 million is due in 2025 for the trail's third phase.
Phase 2 construction on the trail is expected to begin this fall, according to the NCTCOG’s website.
Zooming out
Dallas Area Rapid Transit oversees design and construction for the Cotton Belt Trail and Silver Line Rail projects between Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Plano. In 2018, the board approved a contract with Archer Western Herzog for design and construction of both.
The Silver Line Rail will extend 26 miles and connect several cities across Collin, Dallas and Tarrant counties, according to its website. Service is expected to begin in late 2025 or mid-2026, according to DART's website.
