The state government has awarded nearly $55 million for Dallas’ Cotton Belt Trail, alongside other projects across the metroplex.
The Texas Transportation Commission awarded $25 million for the construction of the Cotton Belt Trail, which will run 26 miles from Plano to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, according to a press release. State officials also awarded nearly $30 million to six other local transportation projects.
“By improving connections to employment, housing, education facilities, and recreational opportunities, these projects help build a stronger, more accessible future for everyone,” said Kevin Kokes, a program manager for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, in the release.
The Cotton Belt Trail will offer biking and walking opportunities alongside 10 stops of Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s new Silver Line, which launched in October after years of anticipation, as The Dallas Express reported.
The commission also awarded $10.9 million for the Trinity Forest Spine Trail in Dallas, $10.5 million for a shared-use trail in midtown Dallas, and $6.4 million for the Southeast Trail in Balch Springs, according to the release.
Additional grants sent $791,200 for Park Row Drive pedestrian improvements in Pantego, $552,800 for King’s Gate and Meadow Place bike lanes in Willow Park, and $440,000 for the City of Azle’s “active transportation plan.”
The Cotton Belt Trail runs along the former St. Louis Southwestern railway corridor – known as the “Cotton Belt Route” – which connected Texas to Missouri.
DART is currently overseeing trail construction, including 11 miles in “phase 2” from Western Addison to the Shiloh Road Station in Plano, according to the release.
The most recent grant will fund “phase 3A” of the trail’s construction, with access to DART stations in Dallas, including Downtown Carrollton, Addison, and Cypress Waters. Officials expect construction on this segment to begin in mid-2027.
“We are deeply appreciative to the Texas Department of Transportation and the Texas Transportation Commission for supporting the Cotton Belt Trail and other initiatives that help expand multimodal travel,” Kolkes said.
NCTCOG is a metropolitan planning organization – or a shadow government – that controls billions in transportation funding across North Texas, as The Dallas Express reported. It chooses its own board members — some elected officials, some appointed bureaucrats — and operates without direct voter accountability.
The Cotton Belt Trail is just part of NCTCOG’s “broader, long-term transportation vision” to connect DFW-area cities with shared-use paths, according to the release. Other examples include the 60-mile DFW Discovery Trail, which connects Dallas, Irving, Grand Prairie, Arlington, and Fort Worth.
“These ongoing projects reflect a coordinated strategy to provide North Texas residents and visitors with more options to travel safely by foot or bike, while also improving regional mobility and quality of life,” NCTCOG officials wrote in the release.
NCTCOG’s Director of Transportation, Michael Morris, who has held office for decades, recently announced retirement plans, as The Dallas Express reported. This comes after The Dallas Express’ interview with Morris in August, when he said he had “not explored retirement.”
During his nearly 35-year tenure, Morris earned titles such as “King of the Roads,” “King of DFW Politics,” and “marriage counselor” between DART and member cities.
Amid long-standing frustrations with imbalances in DART funding, governance, and services, member cities are considering leaving the agency.
As The Dallas Express reported, Farmers Branch, Highland Park, Irving, and Plano will hold withdrawal elections on May 2, 2026 – though Addison recently shot down a measure to send the issue to voters.
