The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) has announced the completion of the A-train Rail Trail, which runs along the commuter rail line and was designed to complement its surroundings and adjacent facilities in Denton County.
With construction now complete, passengers and residents who utilize the trail can now walk, bike or run across the full 19-mile trail from Denton to Lewisville that has amenities, scenic views, connecting city trails and easy transfers to the A-train commuter rail line.
Construction through the years
Phase one of the rail trail project was completed in 2011 and is known as the Denton Branch Trail. It is a nine-mile stretch from the Downtown Denton Transit Center (DDTC) to Swisher Road in Lake Dallas. It was funded with local money in conjunction with the construction of the A-train commuter rail line.
The four miles of phase two from the Hebron station to Mill and Jones in downtown Lewisville was completed in 2016, and the portion of the trail from the Highland Village/Lewisville Lake station to downtown Lewisville was completed at the end of December 2019. Phase two was funded by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grants administered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), Denton County, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and DCTA.
Phase three was the final stretch connecting the Denton Branch Trail at Swisher Road to the Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station, which crosses over Lewisville Lake, and was completed in summer 2018. These phases were funded by local money, Interstate 35E project funds, FHWA grants, Denton County, NCTCOG and DCTA. The final construction cost for the trail was approximately $14 million.
A-train Rail Trail amenities
The rail trail connects Denton County residents to approximately 19 miles of accessible paths spanning from Denton to Lewisville. The concrete paths mixed with scenic views allow residents the ability to walk, run, bike and more with ease. The trail begins at the DDTC and ends at the Hebron Station in Lewisville.
The Lewisville Hike and Bike and Denton Branch Rail Trails (both a part of the A-train Rail Trail) were listed in the top five scenic trails by Dallas-Fort Worth by Only in Your State, a blog dedicated to highlighting hidden gems across the county.
While on the rail trail, there are rest stops with benches and trash cans, as well as safety features such as the Z crossing fence. The Z crossing fence is primarily for cyclists to dismount, look both ways and cross the street, but it’s encouraged for all of those using the trail to stop and look both ways too.
Downtown Denton, the Shops at Highland Village, Old Town Lewisville and many city parks are all easily accessible through the A-train Rail Trail in conjunction with bus and rail services, making it convenient to explore Denton County.
Access to the rail trail is available from five A-train stations (from north to south):
- Downtown Denton Transit Center (604 E. Hickory St. Denton)
- MedPark station (3220 MedPark Dr., Denton)
- Highland Village/Lewisville Lake station (2998 N. Stemmons Freeway, Lewisville)
- Old Town station (617 E. Main St., Lewisville)
- Hebron station (952 Lakeside Circle, Lewisville)
