Progress on Dallas Trinity Strand Trail

By BJ Austin

Dallas – The Trinity Strand Trail, in the Dallas Design District, is off the drawing board. "Turtle Creek Plaza", the first trailhead, was dedicated Tuesday morning.

Gail Whitcomb, Trinity Strand Board member, says Phase 1 of the trail will run "behind" the Anatole Hotel, through the Design District to Stemmons Expressway. That's along what's called the "old meanders", the Trinity River's route before the levees.

Whitcomb: We'll be doing some ecology friendly plantings. You see we've already started to see some wildflowers coming up. We think it's going to be a great commute trail for people going downtown and a bike-hike trail for recreational use.

Phase 1 will be completed next year. Phase 2, east of Stemmons, will eventually connect Medical District Drive to Harry Hines and the Katy Trail. The eight mile "loop" will cost about 20 million dollars in public and private funds.