Highland Village boards review FM 407 trail study, grant readiness and public safety concerns

Consultants from Half and Associates presented a preliminary assessment of trail alignments and grant positioning for the FM 407 corridor at a joint workshop of the Highland Village Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and the Community Development Corporation Board on Monday.

The presentation outlined potential east–west connections along FM 407, nearby spurs and connectors to parks and schools, grant programs that could fund construction, and next steps including more detailed alignment studies and neighborhood meetings. Board members and many residents pressed for clearer timelines, neighborhood outreach and immediate safety measures on existing sidewalks and trails.

"We are here tonight to present to you all the FM 407 corridor and amenities and project update," said Kevin Groll, public works team leader for Half Associates, introducing the consultant team and the scope of work.

James Kindred, Half's senior landscape architect project manager, said the study emphasizes filling gaps between existing trail segments and improving safe pedestrian crossings across busy roadways. "One of the key things that we see is connecting that gap between the east and the West property city limits of the town, to provide safe connections across the roadways for the pedestrians," Kindred said.

Liz Range Pindell, Half's grants and funding lead, reviewed likely funding sources and competitive requirements, telling the boards that the city has about two years before the next major grant cycles and that project readiness is critical. "We have 2 years till the next cycle's open for the grants we're looking at. How can we get them ready if they're not ready yet?" she said.

Half grouped study segments into four corridors for grant consideration: FM 407 itself, a KCS railroad-aligned trail, a Victoria Park connection, and Barnett Boulevard/safe-routes segments. The consultants said some segments are more competitive for state and North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) transportation-alternatives funding and that applicants increasingly need design and property-readiness (often 30–60% design) before applying.

Consultants and staff discussed key constraints: limited right of way in places along FM 407, existing utilities, several railroad crossings (KCS), and the need for property-owner coordination. Half and city staff said letters of support, interjurisdictional coordination (with Flower Mound, Lewisville and DCTA) and evidence of community backing raise a project's grant score.

City staff and consultants warned that including a railroad crossing in a grant application requires advance railroad coordination. Scott (city staff) said that railroad approvals commonly take "6 to 9 months." Consultants advised that projects which depend on railroad agreements should secure letters of support or right-of-entry before submitting certain grant applications.

On funding structure, the consultants said typical competitive grants the city is targeting often fund roughly 80% of construction costs with a 20% local match. They explained that grants are reimbursable and that a successful award still requires months of follow-up (environmental review, procurement, permitting) before construction — a timeline that can mean two to three years from award to construction turnout.

Public commenters raised safety and outreach concerns. Several residents said existing sidewalks and trails feel unsafe for walkers and cyclists and urged immediate measures alongside the long-range planning. "We need more people there during school hours," said Debbie Quisenberry, citing micromobility safety near schools. Mark Solo described a near‑collision on a narrow trail and said the city should prioritize physical safety fixes on corridors where people are already using narrow sidewalks.

Other public remarks suggested low‑cost amenities and local improvements. "For a couple of thousand bucks, you could have 10" exercise stations along trails, said Bob Sanderson, urging consideration of low-cost fitness equipment as part of amenities. Jean Bassinger questioned whether the principal objective should be transportation to transit or neighborhood recreation and urged careful evaluation of costs and community demand.

Multiple residents and several board members requested neighborhood‑level workshops before detailed preliminary alignment work, saying door‑to‑door outreach will be needed to secure community buy‑in. Board members emphasized that the joint meeting was an early-stage step and that the boards and staff will prioritize which segments to pursue before Half produces narrowed preliminary alignments.

Next steps listed by Half and city staff include compiling input from the workshop and the city's Safe Routes to School survey, conducting neighborhood workshops for affected areas, producing preliminary alignment options with opinions of probable cost, then returning for a public workshop on narrowed alternatives. If the boards decide to pursue grant applications, staff and consultants said they will work to advance project readiness (property agreements, design milestones, railroad letters) ahead of the 2027–2028 grant cycles.

No formal votes or motions were taken at the workshop; the meeting was advisory and intended to gather public input and board direction.

Residents and board members asked staff to clarify outreach and timing; city staff said communications staff would continue to post information and called for emails to request additional notices. Hogan Headington, chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, thanked presenters and attendees and both boards adjourned after the public-comment period.