Coppell staff outlines DART Silver Line items: $1,008,485 ILA amendment, speed limits and trail match

Coppell — Assistant director of public works engineering Aaron Tater updated the Coppell City Council on May 27 about three DART-related items: a first amendment to the interlocal agreement with DART that includes enhancements the city previously approved in concept, a forthcoming ordinance setting passenger-train operating speeds through Coppell, and a planned resolution to support local construction of the Cotton Belt Regional Trail.

Tater said the first amendment covers enhancements already discussed with council and funded from assigned general fund balance. "Fiscal impact of this first amendment to the interlocal agreement is $1,008,485 from assigned fund balance of the general fund," he said. The amendment includes additional quiet-zone crossings at Royal Lane and Freeport Parkway (crossing equipment already constructed), completed bridge and retaining-wall enhancements on BeltLine Road, and enhanced fencing (black-coated chain-link with mesh strip) that is currently being installed.

Tater said DART is finishing segmented testing and preparing end-to-end testing; DART anticipates revenue service to begin in late 2025 or early 2026. A separate agenda item expected in June will propose an ordinance setting lower maximum operating speeds for passenger trains at certain crossings in Coppell; the ordinance text would require trains to be at the stated speed when they "enter the crossing," meaning DART must account for acceleration/deceleration in operations and testing.

Tater also described a proposed resolution supporting construction of approximately 1.5 miles of the Cotton Belt Regional Trail through Coppell. He said the local match for the city would be $250,000, with the remainder of funding expected from federal and regional sources, including a TxDOT 2025 Transportation Alternatives call for projects. The Coppell section would run from South Coppell Road to the Cypress Waters DART station area and east across East Belt Line Road to Grapevine Creek Park, tying into local trail systems.

Tater's presentation was informational; council asked procedural questions about timing, design and the extent of work already completed. No formal council vote on the ILA amendment was recorded in the meeting transcript; staff said the ILA amendment is the agenda item for council action and later items (speed ordinance and trail resolution) are planned for upcoming council agendas.

Staff said funds for the ILA amendment had been designated in the general fund fund balance and that DART has not yet requested reimbursement; once the amendment and reimbursement are processed, the city will pay for the enhancements already under construction.