City Council Receive Trails Update, Emphasize Connectivity
Following the swearing in of three new members, the Denton City Council received a presentation on Tuesday from Parks & Recreation Director, Gary Packan, regarding the Trails Master Plan update. The update has been ongoing since 2019 with hopes it will go through final approval this year.
Packan showed a draft map that has been created to identify potential trail routes and crossings of major roadways where the trail will likely need to pass below or above. Planned trails will include paddling and equestrian trails in addition to hike-and-bike trails.
Draft trails map.
Packan briefly displayed the trails currently being planned, designed, or constructed:
McKenna Park Trail (Under Construction)
Southwest Park Trail (Master Planning)
Rayzor Ranch Property Trail (Completed)
Bowling Green Park Trail (Master Planning)
Villages of Carmel Property (Master Planning)
Mountain Bike Trail (Under Construction)
Quakertown/Young Park Trail (Lighting)
Vintage Trail (Under Construction)
Bonnie Brae Trail (Design/Under Construction)
McKinney Trail (Mills Property to Loop 288)
Mayhill Trail (US380 to Landfill)
University Trail (Loop 288 to East City Limits)
New trail construction at McKenna Park.
The mountain bike trail near Hartlee Field Road is still in progress using primarily volunteer hours. Berms are under construction. Depending on weather and number of volunteers, the trail could be opened by the end of June or sooner.
Update on mountain bike trail.
Staff also presented updates they’ve made to the Trails webpage on the city website, which now has improved maps, links to apps and a new interactive story map to help users explore the trails around town. View interactive map
New interactive ArcGIS story map tool.
The long-range vision is that Denton trails and parks will eventually be connected to each other through a network of trails and on-street paths. For now, these tools can help users figure out how to walk, ride, or roll from one park or trail to another.
New council member, Alison Maguire, emphasized to staff the importance of connectivity between these trails so that these routes can be used for both recreation and transportation. Another new council member, Brian Beck, agreed with Maguire about the importance of connectivity. He further suggested that staff identify and map dangerous points along and between trails so users can make informed decisions about whether that route is appropriate for them until the city is able to resolve those traffic issues.
Staff will continue to refine the Trails Master Plan and Parks Master Plan updates as they prepare to bring the plan to the City Council for approval sometime this year.
