Carrollton backs applications for three regional trail grants, pledges later local match review

Carrollton staff on Tuesday presented three regional trail funding opportunities to the City Council and the council approved staff’s request to pursue the grants and indicate city support; formal local-match commitments will be considered only if the awards are made.

John Lee, director of engineering, described the three projects: the TC Rice Trail (approximately 0.8 miles through TC Rice property), the Trade Center Trail section (about 1.5 miles connecting to the Blue Trail/Trinity Mills Station) and several sections of a Silver Line Trail being coordinated by North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) alongside the Silver Line rail corridor. Lee said tentative awards under regional programs could be as large as $10 million for the TC Rice Trail, $10 million for the Trade Center Trail, and about $25 million for the Silver Line Trail package; local-match requirements vary by program.

Lee said the TC Rice funding is tentatively being recommended to the Regional Transportation Council and includes a local match of roughly 20 percent that could be partially covered by transportation development credits. “Some of that 20% will be covered,” Lee said, adding that the final local-match share could range lower as credits are applied. The Trade Center Trail application to TxDOT carries a 20 percent local match with limited transportation development credit availability and a June 20 application deadline. The Silver Line Trail application is for a $25 million package; the firm local match requested from Carrollton for that application is $351,446. City records show the council previously approved $260,920 toward the Silver Line local match in 2019.

Council members asked technical and alignment questions, including whether trail segments would connect to the Blue Trail at Trinity Mills Station and whether right of way would be required. Lee said alignment details remain preliminary; some segments may require additional right of way while other portions would be on-road or trail-in-roadway.

Council approved the staff requests as part of the consent agenda. The consent motion to approve multiple consent items (items 7–9 and 11–13) was made by Councilmember Tim Klein, seconded by Councilmember John Palacios, and passed unanimously with Councilmember Palomo absent. Staff emphasized that no binding local match commitment was being authorized at this meeting; if awards are made staff will bring specific match commitments back to council for approval.

Why this matters

The grants would bring regionally funded trail segments into Carrollton’s master trail network, improving pedestrian and bicycle connectivity to regional transit stations and neighboring municipalities. The scale of potential funding ($10M–$25M per project package) could permit construction of multi-mile segments that the city would otherwise find difficult to fund solely from local capital.

Clarifying details

- TC Rice Trail: estimated length ~0.8 miles; potential funding up to $10,000,000; tentative local match ~20% before transportation-development-credit adjustments; RTC consideration June 12 (tentative). - Trade Center Trail: estimated length ~1.5 miles; funding application to TxDOT with 20% local match; TxDOT application deadline June 20. - Silver Line Trail: regional package seeking about $25,000,000; Carrollton local-match request shown in application is $351,446; council previously approved $260,920 toward match in 2019.

Next steps

If awards are confirmed, staff will return to council with exact local-match amounts and agreement terms. Engineering staff said detailed design and right-of-way assessments are still required for final alignment and cost estimates.