New pedestrian bridge installed across Central Expressway in Dallas
DALLAS - People who travel on the U.S. Highway 75/Central Expressway in North Dallas will notice something new – a graceful arch spanning across the busy freeway just north of Royal Lane.
The Texas Department of Transportation installed the new Northaven Trail Bridge over the weekend.
The arch was lowered into place in one large piece between Saturday night and Sunday afternoon, which involved closing part of the freeway. It’s now being held up by 64 steel cables.
The pedestrian bridge will soon connect the Northaven Trail on the west side of the Central Expressway to a couple of trails on the east side of the freeway including White Rock Creek and Cottonwood Creek.
The goal was to make some of the city’s more scenic areas a lot more accessible for those not in a car. It’s especially welcomed by bicyclists, as well as runners and walkers.
The bridge is not complete yet. It still needs to be connected to the approaches on each side.
There’s no timeline for when it will open to the public, but there is a ribbon-cutting ceremony set for mid to late October by a nonprofit that supports Dallas bike trails.
Funding for the $9.3 million bridge mostly comes from the city of Dallas and Dallas County.