City of Denison Awarded Federal Funding Grant for Katy Trail Phase Two

Denison, Texas (November 6th, 2023) – The City of Denison has been awarded $2,822,653 from the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) Texas Transportation Commission for construction on Phase Two of the Katy Trail. The Katy Trail Phase Two project will construct a 12-foot-wide shared-use path along the abandoned Union Pacific railway corridor. It will begin at Loy Lake Road and will continue south for approximately 1-mile to Spur 503. The project will also include lighting, new signage, and other amenities for trail users.

"We are thrilled to receive this federal funding grant for Phase Two of the Katy Trail. This project exemplifies our city's continued commitment to creating amenities that enrich the lives of our citizens and guests, providing a safe and accessible pathway for outdoor recreation,” said Director of Parks and Recreation, Justin Eastwood, "As industry leaders, we recognize the economic benefits this project brings to our city. The Katy Trail Phase Two not only enhances our community's quality of life, but also signifies our proactive approach to bolstering the local economy through strategic infrastructure investments."

The Texas Transportation Commission (the Commission) approved funding for 83 Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA) Program projects from across the state valued at approximately $345.1 million.

“The Texas Department of Transportation's Public Transportation Division (PTN) manages TxDOT's statewide TA program and wants to congratulate the City of Denison on your TA project that was authorized to receive federal TA funding (100% maximum for construction due to Transportation Development Credits eligibility) by the Commission,” said Noah Heath the Transportation Alternatives Program Manager.

Next steps for City of Denison staff include:

• Attending a virtual workshop to discuss general project initiation and development timelines with TxDOT.
• Participating in a project kickoff meeting with the TxDOT District and Public Transportation Representative.
• Coordinating with the TxDOT District and Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to begin the process to list the project in the local Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) document and then the Statewide TIP.
• Determining the project manager and will develop a project development and construction letting schedule.

There is not an official timeline set for construction to begin on the Katy Trail Phase Two Project.