Dallas City Council approves a bid for funds to create a pedestrian and bike path on Wright Street.
DALLAS — Wright Street is nowhere near quiet. But it’s what you don’t see on the West Oak Cliff Street that is making all the noise.
“If you come from the DART station in this direction, the sidewalk just stops,” said Hayden Bernstein, an Oak Cliff resident. He owns a home in the neighborhood.
“Just going from where we’re standing to the light was probably the most stressful part of my commute on my bike,” said Bernstein.
With no stop signs or speed bumps, residents say Wright Street attracts speeding drivers.
“Cars will crash into houses on Hampton all the time,” said Bernstein.
He and other residents wrote letters to the Dallas City Council expressing their frustration.
“It’s a very, very much a patchwork kind of street that’s not used as a neighborhood connector, but a lot of people drive through it,” said Chad West, Dallas City Council District 1.
West took further efforts. On Wednesday, the city council approved an application for TxDOT’s Transportation Alternative Funds. If granted, the money would be used to create the Wright Street Trail, a pedestrian/bike path between West Illinois and South Edgefield Avenues.
“You could theoretically walk on this trail and not have to get off of it for anything,” said West.
It is a two-mile stretch accessing three DART stations and connecting neighborhoods and parks in an area that many say is often underserved.
“I grew up in North Dallas, so by comparison, I would say the infrastructure is not as well maintained,” said Bernstein.
“It’s a priority for this neighborhood, and now we’re hoping the state will help us as a city put our money where our mouth is and support these neighbors,” said West.
It would be a $5.9 million project.
“I would love to see the change happen for this neighborhood,” said Bernstein. “Every little bit counts.”
The deadline for the application is June 20, 2025.