At its Oct. 6 meeting, the Frisco City Council approved an amendment to the existing professional services agreement with engineering firm Freese & Nichols, adding $378,119 for additional design work on the planned Iron Horse Hike and Bike Trail, according to Community Impact.
The Iron Horse Trail is an unpaved nature corridor that currently spans 3.1 miles across 38.6 acres of restored Blackland Prairie. City planners also envision a 3.5‑mile segment along a Stewart Creek tributary that will link the future Grand Park site and the existing Big Bluestem Trail with Beavers Bend Park, B.F. Phillips Community Park, and the 1135 Wetlands.
The supplemental funding is earmarked for services that ensure the project complies with local, state, and federal environmental requirements. Specifically, the work includes redesigning portions of the trail to avoid remediation areas tied to the former Exide property, updating surveys, and conducting additional environmental compliance tasks.
Frisco originally approved a $1.08 million contract in January 2024 for the trail’s design and bid preparation. The new amendment raises the total engineering contract to approximately $1.46 million, with the added cost drawn from park dedication funds, the city documents state.
City officials say the extra design work is essential to protect the prairie ecosystem and to keep the trail’s route viable as the surrounding area continues to develop. By addressing potential environmental constraints now, the city aims to avoid costly delays later in the construction phase.
What’s next: The revised designs will be incorporated into the next phases of the Iron Horse Trail project. Frisco will continue to work with Freese & Nichols on the updated plans before moving forward with construction bids and eventual trail construction.
Sources: communityimpact.com
