The Texas Department of Transportation approved a new segment of the Northaven Trail that will connect it to existing trails east of U.S. 75.

“TxDOT is pleased to work with the City of Dallas, Dallas County and the North Central Texas Council of Governments to start the much-anticipated Northaven Trail project this spring. It has been a true collaborative effort to get this project under way. This project will provide a new, improved link in North Dallas’ heavily used trail network, and TxDOT is pleased to be a part of that effort,” says Tony Hartzel, the northeast Texas communications director for the Texas Department of Transportation.

The project, which is estimated to cost $9.3 million, will include a bridge over the highway, connecting the Northaven Trail to the Cottonwood Trail/White Rock Creek Trail. That portion was approved last week, and the department approved yesterday an extension of the SoPac Trail, which will eventually be extended northward to join the new segment of the Northaven Trail.

“The Northaven Trail also illustrates the benefit of agency partnerships that will enhance the quality of life for North Texans. Facilities like the Northaven Trail not only provide transportation options, they enhance safety and support public health. Trails give pedestrians and cyclists valuable commuting and leisure options at a relatively low cost, while also fostering additional business and economic development,” Hartzel says.

Included in the project is a connecting trail that will run along Valleydale Drive up to Northaven Road and turn east toward U.S. 75, where the new segment will be constructed. The new segment of the Northaven Trail is about 0.5 miles in length and is expected to be completed spring 2023.