The Loop Plaza is a great investment in Dallas’ future as a walkable city

Every great establishment deserves an impressive “front door,” and the 50-mile circuit of trails being constructed throughout Dallas will soon get one with The Loop Plaza.

Located on Houston Street near the American Airlines Center, the Plaza is a well-planned addition to The Loop, and it will help make Dallas a more pedestrian-friendly city.

The Plaza will be the capstone of The Loop project and a true Dallas destination. “Our main trailhead and front door is the Loop Plaza,” Circuit Trail Conservancy chairman Jeff Ellerman said.

Once complete, the plaza will feature a bridge continuing the Katy Trail at an upper level, passing over a ramp that leads down to the street level where walkers and cyclists can continue to the Hi Line through crosswalks on Houston Street.

Currently, the trail effectively cuts off at American Airlines Center, but The Loop Plaza will provide a throughway for walkers and cyclists in the area to get to other trails in the city.

The plaza will include elements modeled after natural North Texas limestone, large art sculptures, and native, drought resistant plants, Philip Hiatt Haigh, executive director of the CTC, said.

“We want it to feel like North Texas,” Ellerman said.

That’s a goal we should continue pursuing as urbanization accelerates in Dallas. The high-rises and parking lots aren’t enough to make a great city. We need this ongoing devotion to great public spaces that connect us and give us ways to get around without getting in the car.

Historically, the route between the Katy and the Trinity Strand trails has been treacherous for pedestrians and cyclists, forcing them to travel beneath Interstate 35E, through many streets and over DART light rail tracks. The Hi Line connector makes the route more direct and much safer.

The Plaza will also have ample lighting for safety at night, and The Loop Dallas has community partners that provide security patrols in the area, according to Hiatt Haigh.

Safer trails will mean more foot traffic, and that translates to better commerce in the area.

Building the plaza will cost around $10 million. The project has benefited from a city grant through its TIF district and a $5 million dollar donation from a private benefactor who will be named later this year, according to Hiatt Haigh.

That means this improvement to city-owned land doesn’t come at a direct cost to Dallas taxpayers even as it enhances the value of the land around it. That’s a good deal considering the Katy Trail saw 2 million visitors last year, according to Hiatt Haigh.

The design phase of the plaza is expected to be completed by the end of the year. By early next year, five out of the six trails needed to connect The Loop will be complete or under construction, Ellerman said. This plaza is slated to be under construction by then as well, Hiatt Haigh said.

Trails are a public good for everyone. We could all use a little more time outdoors, and The Loop Dallas is working to provide that for Dallasites now and for generations to come.

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