Highland Village staff say FM 407 trail alignment looks promising for grants; residents and board press for safety and community engagement

City staff told the Highland Village Community Development Corporation that preliminary work with consultant Half & Associates on a FM 407 trail alignment and grant funding assessment is progressing and that the project appears well-positioned for grant sources.

Phil (city staff) briefed the board on three meetings with Half & Associates: a kickoff to confirm scope and grant positioning, a field walk on April 3 that covered priority corridor areas and lateral connections (including Barnett Boulevard and Highland Village Road), and a subsequent meeting with Half’s engineering team to review preliminary alignment and how the work aligns with the city’s comprehensive master plan.

Why it matters: FM 407 is a priority corridor for Highland Village’s active-transportation network. Staff said the consultant work covers most priority list areas (except the Doubletree Drive bike lane segment) and that early grant-screening indicates the project “is looking really good for grant funding.” City staff also said the consultant will present to the CDC and the Parks Board as the design and grant strategy mature.

Safety, engagement and design questions

Board members and residents raised safety concerns about trail users inadvertently entering the roadway on FM 407 and asked whether visual barriers or other design elements would be included. Phil and other staff said safety is a priority, design standards mitigate risks, and Half has experience with trail design across the region; staff also confirmed that wayfinding and safety signage are under consideration and could be incorporated into the project scope.

One board member asked whether the consultant-led process will include hands-on community workshops rather than being consultant-driven. Phil said public engagement is part of the schedule and that staff will share task-level engagement details following the meeting.

Crash and response data

Staff reported pedestrian- and bicycle-related crash response numbers for priority areas based on police (data available since 2020) and fire (data since 2022). The combined counts reported for the priority corridors in the staff summary were:

- Briar Hill Boulevard trail area: 3 pedestrian/bicycle-related crash responses (police/fire combined since the stated reporting windows). - Barnett Boulevard trail connection to District Trail: 0. - Highland Village Road to Unity Park trail connection: 3. - Doubletree Drive on-street bicycle lane: 0.

Staff said police and fire provided only the aggregated counts and could not supply incident-level detail during this briefing; Phil said the city will follow up with more specific engagement and that Half will consider lighting, signage and other safety features in design recommendations.

Tour and schedule

The board discussed a proposed trail tour; staff recommended scheduling when the absent members can attend. Phil said staff plans to share the public-engagement schedule and the consultant’s community-input tasks in a follow-up communication. Phil also relayed that some elements of the overall FM 407 work are likely to be phased and could be included in future bond initiatives (staff referenced a possible 2027–2028 bond phase for larger park projects such as Copper Branch Park improvements).

Ending

Staff said they are pleased with the consultant’s progress so far, that Half’s work appears to align with the city's trail master plan and that the next steps will include presentations to boards, public engagement events and grant application activity. The CDC asked staff to circulate the engagement schedule and community meeting details when available.