Trails, Mingo Road Proposed for Funding in Denton’s 2023 Bond Election
Denton voters may have the opportunity in November to vote on whether to approve bond funding for new trails and a project on Mingo Road that would add paths for people walking/rolling and biking. City staff included the projects in a $330 million bond package proposed to City Council on Tuesday.
Either project could be removed from the proposed bond package before it gets to voters if a citizen bond committee and council members choose to do so.
Mingo and Ruddell
According to Tuesday’s staff presentation, the proposed $38 million project on Mingo Road and Ruddell Street would include a 10-foot sidepath on one side of the road, a sidewalk on the other side, a continuous center turn lane for motor vehicle traffic, drainage improvements and the installation of Quiet Zones at railroad crossings along the Mingo corridor.
Slide from staff’s 2023 bond presentation to City Council on January 24, 2023.
According to city staff, the Mingo project would be from Bell Avenue to US 380. The Ruddell project would span from US 380 south past the railroad tracks.
Mingo Road from Bell Avenue to US 380 is a two-lane road with no sidewalks or bicycle facilities. Pedestrians must walk in the drainage ditch or along the edge of the roadway. People on bicycles are forced to choose between two dangerous options: the edge of the roadway or in the lane with drivers who might not be paying attention or could become aggressive.
People walking in the grass at the edge of Mingo Road.
Ruddell Street, which runs north and south by TWU’s former golf course, also has no pedestrian or bicycle facilities along most of the street.
N Ruddell Street facing south. To the right is the former TWU golf course.
Trail Funding
City staff are proposing $15 million in bond funding to develop new trails. Denton residents overwhelmingly identified trails as their top priority for Parks in the recently-adopted Denton Parks & Recreation Master Plan.
The funding could be used on both planning and construction of trails.
Projects that could receive trail development funding include Pecan Creek Trail, an extension of Cooper Creek Trail, Hickory Creek Trail and other trail connectivity projects.
Slide from staff’s 2023 bond presentation to City Council on January 24, 2023.
Trail construction projects are eligible for millions of dollars in state and federal funding. Most funding programs require cities to pay at least 20 percent of the total construction cost. To be awarded state or federal money, Denton also has to commit its own money to a project. This bond funding would help the city attract this additional external funding.
Bond Package Still Undecided
Tuesday was City Council’s first time discussing the 2023 bond package proposal. Projects can still be removed or added until council members vote to approve the final list in August. This finalized list is what voters will see on their ballot in November.
During Tuesday’s discussion, council members expressed concern over the $330 million proposed price tag, the largest in city history. Denton’s most recent bond packages were $220.9 million in 2019 and $98.2 million in 2014.
As council members considered how to lower the price tag of the bond package, least one council member identified trail funding as low priority compared to the other projects in the list.
Since adopting its first bike plan in 2012, Denton has never proposed bond funding specifically aimed at improving bicycle mobility and connectivity. Because trails can double as transportation infrastructure for non-automobile travel, this proposition is the closest Denton has come to proposing meaningful bond funding that can improve bicycle mobility and connectivity.
Citizen Bond Committee
Council members will soon create a citizen bond committee that will meet March through June. The committee will discuss options and ultimately recommend which projects the City Council should include in the bond package that Denton voters will see on their November ballot.
Anyone who is a registered voter in the City of Denton and interested in serving on the citizen bond committee should begin reaching out to council members to express their interest. All six council members will nominate multiple citizens to the committee. The exact committee size has not been decided.
Learn More about the Proposed 2023 Bond
For a full overview of all proposed projects for the 2023 bond package:
Recording of the Denton City Council work session on January 24, 2023.
