Farmers Branch details $5.9 million DART ILA projects, warns of tight deadlines

City engineer Danielle Ricks told the Farmers Branch City Council at its July 11 budget workshop that the city expects $5,900,000 in disbursements under the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) interlocal agreement and has identified several large transportation and utility projects for the funds.

Ricks said the city already has preliminary approval from DART for most proposed projects and must submit final project lists by Jan. 31, 2024; contracts for eligible projects must be awarded by Feb. 28, 2025; and all reimbursement requests must be submitted by Apr. 30, 2026. "Those are pretty tight time constraints when you're talking about projects of the size that we're looking to accomplish," she said.

The projects Ricks described include reconstruction and utility replacement along Denton Drive (from Pike Street to the southern city limit), roadway and utility work on Valley View Drive (from Denton to Tom Field), and related trail extensions toward Hoya and Tom Field. Ricks said the proposal would pair the DART funds with other grants and local funding sources (including Regional Transportation Council, or RTC, money) to replace subsurface utilities beneath Valley View and continue roadway reconstruction and trail work.

Ricks described specific drainage work that the plan would address, including adding a parallel 60‑inch storm line to relieve an existing 60‑inch/42‑inch system that receives flow from Valley View, Mustang Stationery and other tributaries. "We're looking to add a parallel 60 inch line to tie their 42 into and offer some relief to Valley View and the drainage coming off of B Street and Goodland," she said.

Council members asked about design elements and whether the Denton Drive south segment would be widened. Ricks said engineers will study right‑of‑way constraints and the trail alignment; removing a sharp curve and addressing drainage are priorities, and a widened cross section may not be possible in constrained locations. "The curve has been identified as an issue right there," she said, noting past accidents.

Staff said the $5.9 million figure represents the DART allocation (projects on slides shaded yellow); other nearby projects shown on the city map use RTC or other funding and together the program of work is larger than $5.9 million. Staff also told council the city may request up to 40% of the DART disbursement up front; finance staff said the plan is to request as much up front as permitted to support contractor mobilization.

Council members asked for continued project coordination and for staff to return with design and procurement timing given the DART deadlines.