Katy Trail expansions set to begin in October

A number of expansions to the Katy Trail are in the works.

The 12-foot-wide concrete trail, which begins at Victory Park, provides pedestrians and bicyclists with access to shopping centers and recreation facilities. The trail runs northeast for 10 miles, connecting to the DART White Rock station.

Construction will begin in October on an extension to connect the Katy and Santa Fe Trails. The East Dallas Veloway Phase 3 project will extend the 14-foot-wide concrete hike and bike trail from Lawther Drive north of Mockingbird Lane at Trammel Drive. An extension will connect the YMCA property to the Santa Fe Trail, replacing the existing railroad bridges as part of the proposed trail design. Construction should last 18 months.

Expansion of the trail from Ellsworth Avenue to Worcola Street is also set to begin in October, adding hike and bike trails from Glencoe Park to Worcola. The expansion will include a 1,100 foot cable-stayed bridge, approach structures over Mockingbird Lane and a 74- foot bridge spanning the DART Red Line retaining walls.

Construction is underway on the trail from Skillman Street to the Northwest Highway DART Station. Completion of the 2.5 mile trail with four 12 foot-wide wide pedestrian bridges at Skillman Ave., Abrams Road, Rush Creek, and the Veloway connection is scheduled to be finished in November.

The final phase of the trail expansions will begin at Ellsworth Avenue and Glencoe Park, where it crosses Mockingbird Lane at the Mockingbird Pedestrian Bridge and DART’s Red Line, continuing to Worcola Street.

Because of the proximity of the DART Light Rail tunnel, the conventional bridge foundation could not be used so designers had to plan an alternative bridge design, which is now complete and will begin construction in October, with a completion date of January 2017.