East Dallas neighbors and community partners celebrated substantial completion of the Dallas Veloway/Southern Pacific Trail (SoPac Trail) Phase 3 this month. Representatives from a variety of local organizations attended a ribbon cutting ceremony on the project site, including Friends of the SoPac Trail, the White Rock Neighborhood Association, the White Rock Lake Task Force and Friends of Santa Fe Trail.    

Located in the City of Dallas Road and Bridge District 2, the Veloway/SoPac Trail Phase 3 was selected in the fourth Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP) call for projects in 2006. The project consists of constructing approximately 1.76 miles of hike and bike trail along the abandoned DART right-of-way from approximately 350 feet south of Lakewood Blvd to the Katy Trail Phase 4, approximately 1,500 feet north of Mockingbird Lane. The project includes a 12-foot wide concrete trail, three pedestrian bridges and retaining walls, trailheads, gateways and parking lots.

In 2008, Dallas County, in a joint venture with the City of Dallas, provided funding for implementation of the SoPac Trail. In turn, the County contracted with a consultant to work with a task force of consultants to produce a detailed trail design. Over the coming months, the consultant-planning group met regularly with the task force to coordinate design efforts.

In September of 2009, the task force held a community design charrette with the area communities to gather information and input regarding the SoPac Trail Master Plan and proposed prototypical designs. The consultant then combined public comments with the task force direction, finalizing the SoPac Trail Master Plan.