Plano approves interlocal agreement, funds $1.7 million for Cotton Belt Trail
Published: Wed, 11/15/23
Plano approves interlocal agreement, funds $1.7 million for Cotton Belt Trail
The Cotton Belt Trail will run alongside DART's Silver Line project.
(Michael Crouchley/Community Impact)
Community Impact
By Connor Pittman
Updated
An interlocal agreement between Plano and the North Central Texas Council of Governments that will pave the way for future Cotton Belt Regional Trail construction was approved by Plano City Council.
As part of the interlocal agreement approved during the Nov. 7 meeting, Plano is providing a local match of a little more than $1.7 million, which will be transferred to Dallas Area Rapid Transit, the project’s overseer.
To be eligible for improvements funded through the Cotton Belt Regional Trail, Plano is required to provide the local match funding. Based on estimates included on a council memo, the city is set to receive nearly $24 million in trail improvements.
The Cotton Belt Regional Trail is a component of DART’s proposed Silver Line project, which is an almost $2.1 billion commuter rail project covering a 26-mile track between Plano and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport set to enter service between late 2025 and mid-2026. The trail is planned to run alongside the Silver Line track in most cases.
Per the memo, funding is budgeted in the city’s parks improvement allocation for the current fiscal year and will be returned to the city March 1, 2025, if a construction contract has not been awarded. Any remaining funds from the city’s contribution will also be returned if they are not expensed.
The details
The proposed improvements in Plano span between the President George Bush Turnpike and Shiloh Road and include:
- At-grade trail segments
- Signals
- Crossings
- Pedestrian bridges at Plano Parkway and Jupiter Road