The Loop Plaza: A New Connection Between the Katy Trail and the Design District

Dallas is becoming more connected, one mile, one trail at a time.

At Victory Avenue and Houston Street, The Loop Plaza transforms a former dead end into a new gathering place—and creates a more inviting connection between the Katy Trail and the neighborhoods beyond it.

Now open, the plaza links the Katy Trail to the Hi Line Connector, providing a route toward the Design District and the Trinity Strand Trail. For anyone who enjoys exploring Dallas on foot or by bike, it’s a meaningful addition to the way the city fits together.

A Connection Worth Understanding

Dallas has distinctive neighborhoods. Moving comfortably between them without a car has often been the challenge.

The Loop Plaza helps address one of those gaps. At the southern end of the Katy Trail, it connects the elevated trail to the street level below, where the Hi Line Connector leads beneath I-35 toward the Design District.

The result is a clearer connection between places that are geographically close but have long felt separated by highways and infrastructure. Victory Park becomes a starting point for exploring farther west, while the Katy Trail gains a welcoming gateway to a broader network.

Designed for More Than Passing Through

Designed by TBG Partners, the plaza makes use of a challenging site with two different elevations.

An elevated pedestrian and bicycle bridge carries the Katy Trail above the public space, while an accessible ramp connects the two levels. Architectural metalwork draws inspiration from the exposed escarpment along the trail and the exterior of the nearby Perot Museum of Nature and Science.

Together, those elements give an overlooked piece of infrastructure a new purpose: a place to pause, meet someone, or continue exploring.

One Piece of a Larger Dallas

The plaza is part of The Loop Dallas, the initiative working to connect existing trails into a continuous 50-mile network.

The full system remains a work in progress. Projects like this one show why the individual connections matter: each helps make the trails more useful for recreation and everyday movement between neighborhoods.

For residents considering Victory Park, Uptown, or the Design District, that connectivity adds another dimension to neighborhood life. Access to a trail becomes access to more of the city.

The Dallas Curated Perspective

When we talk about development in Dallas, new towers, hotels, and restaurants tend to command attention. Public spaces and trail connections deserve a place in that conversation, too.

They shape the experience of living here: where an afternoon walk can take you, how easily you can explore beyond your immediate neighborhood, and whether the journey itself becomes part of the pleasure.

The Loop Plaza is a small place with a larger purpose. And it’s worth taking a different route to see.

Explore The Loop Plaza and its trail connections →