WESTERN EXPANSION

Imagine biking to all of Preston Hollow’s eateries, or even directly into Irving’s expansive park system from White Rock Creek Trail. It’s a reality we could see as soon as 2018, if all the bureaucratic wheels involved continue to turn together.

Plans already are underway to add more than 7 miles to the Northaven Trail, which winds through Preston Hollow between Preston Road and Valleydale Drive. That includes a pedestrian bridge over Central, which will connect to both the White Rock Creek and Cottonwood trails.

“We’ve got the funding in place, which is the biggest hurdle,” says Jeff Kitner, president of the Friends of the Northaven Trail.

And bridges don’t come cheap. The 1-mile expansion over Central will cost $14 million, which is being split evenly between the city and county. Since most of its land has been incorporated into cities, the county is using more of its roadway money on trail projects.

“They said if the city comes up with the money, we’ll match it,” says Lee Kleinman, District 11 councilman and longtime trail supporter.

TxDOT stepped in to design the bridge, as it does on many projects that involve highways. Kleinman says “there’s an outside shot” the connection could be complete by 2018, creating a lit and paved path from East Dallas west, versus the current option that takes devoted cyclists down a muddy makeshift trail under Central.

On the west side of Northaven, construction of an $8 million plan is already underway that will stretch the trail from Preston Road to the Walnut Hill/Denton DART station. Also a project of the city and county, the 6.25-mile expansion should be complete by 2018.

The city has considered an even larger expansion that would link Northaven to Elm Fork Trail at the Moneygram Soccer Park, which connects into the Campion Trail in Irving that loops through a variety of scenic parks. But funds for that addition have not yet been secured, making it part of the 300-mile trail dream that has yet to be fully realized. —EMILY

CHARRIER

TRAIL TROUBLES: PUPS, POKÉMON AND MORE

Despite this summer’s rash of latenight Pokémon Go robberies, in which players were targeted for their cellphones, the city’s nearly 150 miles of trails are pretty safe says Park and Recreation Community Program Coordinator Shana Hamilton.

So what’s the biggest issue? It’s not illegal cutting or people planting marijuana along the trail — something she’s heard about but “never had to deal with” — it’s much closer to home.

“The most common problem is dogs not being on a leash or people not picking up after their dogs. Especially during the summer.”

Increased activity during summer months means that a lot of first-time users or out-of-towners hike the trails without knowing all of the rules. Whether you believe them or not, Hamilton says some offenders claim they don’t know there is a city ordinance requiring dogs to be leashed. That, combined with the loose dogs that have become a major issue throughout the city, makes canines the top-priority problem along the pathways.

Beyond that Hamilton says she deals with basic rules and safety. The mobile game Pokémon Go, for example, has been a double-edged sword for the Park Department. While they encourage users to explore parks and trails using the app, it must be done thoughtfully, and never late at night.

“Just knowing the park curfew is important when you’re trying to be safe on the trails,” Hamilton says.

That’s why the department has been including the curfew hours — 11 p.m.5 a.m. — as many places as possible, including social media posts. The department also partners with Dallas police to help enforce the curfew and keep crime on the trail to a minimum. Hamilton says officers regularly patrol some of the trails on bicycle. —STEVE

DICKERSON

See the very fun happytrailsdallas.com for safety tips from local celebs and more.