Cotton Belt trail design in Addison draws questions from council over alignment, tree impacts and DART coordination

Addison councilors pressed staff July 1 about the Cotton Belt regional trail alignment where it passes through town and about plans to remove and replace an existing curved pedestrian walkway on Arapahoe Road. Janet Tippel (Parks and Recreation) and other staff described the trail as part of the regional design tied to the transit/light‑rail project and said portions must meet AASHTO safety standards for multi‑use paths, including clearance and curvature limits that may not permit the existing curved path.

Why it matters: the Cotton Belt trail is a high‑profile, regional shared‑use corridor that will change pedestrian crossings and trail geometry through Addison. Councilors said the town should press DART/rail partners on alignment choices that affect town‑owned sidewalks, tree canopy and local amenities.

Staff explanation: Janet said the running surface now on Arapahoe is narrower than required for a regional trail (not 10 feet with required clearance and radii); for safety the corridor will be rebuilt to meet design standards. Staff also said some lighting poles will be relocated to preserve trees where possible, and that a pedestrian bridge over Midway is part of the project concept; staff offered to provide the council copies of prior funding applications and planning documents to clarify alignment and the reasons certain segments require reconstruction.

Council questions: members asked whether the town will get final design approvals or whether the project is already in construction; staff said much of the project design has been done for years with DART (the trail alignment accompanies the rail), funding and project phases have evolved, and some construction activity has already begun in places. Council members asked staff to obtain the design record showing why the trail cannot remain on the existing curved sidewalk and to confirm which trees will be affected.

Next steps: staff said they will provide more project documentation and are available to coordinate further with DART and with council; members asked staff to bring the alignment/design file to a future work session for more detailed review and for a discussion of whether the town should push for adjustments or mitigation measures to preserve trees and the existing character.

Ending: council did not change prior resolutions supporting trail funding but asked staff for additional detail to determine whether design changes or local mitigation should be pursued.