The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) has started construction on the Lewisville Hike and Bike trail, which is the second phase of the agency’s rail trail project. DCTA is working with the city of Lewisville on its Long Range Planning for Vision 2025, which incorporates the DCTA Rail Trail that will help provide access to recreational opportunities and other municipally owned trails and provide a safe, affordable transportation alternative for local travel. This week marks the first time DCTA is breaking ground on Phase Two of its rail trail.
In October 2012, DCTA was awarded funding through the Statewide Transportation Enhancement Program sponsored by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for Phase Two – the Lewisville portion of the DCTA Rail Trail. The agency is currently working on the first 3.3-mile portion of the Lewisville Hike and Bike Trail, which runs from the Hebron Station to Mills Street in Old Town Lewisville.
DCTA is seeking alternative funding to finish the remaining 3.2 miles of Phase Two which will run from College Street to the Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station. Phase Two of the DCTA Rail Trail project (Lewisville Hike and Bike Trail) is estimated at $6.3 million and will consist of 6.5 miles of trail in total.
“Our work to complete the trail from the Hebron Station to Downtown Denton demonstrates DCTA’s commitment to all modes of travel and a truly comprehensive system,” said Jim Cline, DCTA president. “We are committed to serving Denton County and improving both the environment and overall quality of life; and look forward to the project’s completion.”
The DCTA Rail Trail is part of the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ (NCTCOG) regional Veloweb trail system, a 1,728-mile network of existing and planned off-street, shared-use paths (trails) designed for use by bicyclists, pedestrians, and other non-motorized forms of active transportation in the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area.
There are three phases for the entire DCTA Rail Trail:
- Phase One – Complete the trail from Eulene Brock Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC) to Swisher Road in Lake Dallas (Denton Branch Rail Trail – 8.1 total miles)
- Phase Two – The first portion is currently in construction and will run from the Hebron Station to the Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station (Lewisville Hike & Bike Trail – 6.5 total miles)
- Phase Three – TxDOT will start construction in a few months on the portion of the trail that will run from Swisher Road in Lake Dallas to Kelton Road in Hickory Creek, connecting and completing the entire rail trail (construction and maintenance funded by the Texas Department of Transportation – 8 total miles)
DCTA expects to complete its entire Rail Trail project by late 2017, which will total 22.6 miles. The DCTA Rail Trail will connect each agency section and provide pedestrians and bicyclists a safe opportunity to travel the entire trail or take a break and ride the A-train.
