Photo courtesy of Jeff Kitner.

About 300 people showed up to the groundbreaking ceremony for the extension of the Northaven Trail this weekend.

The event, held May 8 at 11231 N. Central Expressway, included speeches by District 11 City Councilman Lee Kleinman, who was also the master of ceremonies; Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson; Texas Department of Transportation Commissioner Robie Vaughn; county commissioners Theresa Daniel and J.J. Koch; District 13 City Councilwoman Jennifer Staubach Gates; Park Board President and District 13 Representative Calvert Collins-Bratton; and District 11 Park Board Representative and Friends of Northaven Trail President Jeff Kitner.

“We were thrilled to break ground on the Northaven Trail bridge this weekend,” Kitner says. “It was wonderful to see so many friends and trail supporters as we get started on this project, which will significantly enhance pedestrian and bicycle connectivity for our city.”

Current and former members of the Friends of the Northaven Trail board were among the attendees, and anyone who wanted to take a photo shoveling dirt was able to do so.

The ceremony was the first step in construction of the bridge, which will cross the highway to connect the Northaven Trail to other trails east of U.S. 75, including the Cottonwood, White Rock Creek and SoPac trails. Officials at TXDOT approved construction of the bridge in late February and early March.