There are crime concerns on a new Dallas trail before it’s even officially open.
Construction crews are just about done with a two-mile stretch of the Santa Fe trail that connects Hill Street in Deep Ellum to Randall Park near Woodrow Wilson High School. It will open in mid-June.
Eventually, the path will stretch all the way to White Rock Lake. But officials said it will be at least a year before that portion of the project is completed.
The paved path crosses some of the brightest spots in Dallas -- but also some that could use a little work.
"I don’t know if the neighborhood lends itself to safety night and day," said Kathleen Moore, a Dallas resident and runner.
But Dallas police said they are confident they can keep the trail safe.
"We will be out there on our bikes, in our squad cars and on foot," Lt. Andy Harvey said. "We want to have a presence out there to make sure people are safe."
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So far, crimes along the new trail have been limited to graffiti and vandalism, police said.
"I think they can do it and make it safe," Lakewood resident Michelle Davitt said. "They just have to be smart about it."
The group Friends of the Santa Fe Trail said it expects the trail to become even safer once more people start using it.
