Dallas' Orange Line wins FTA award
Established as a best practice for other transit agencies to use, the award recognizes exemplary efforts in preparing effective and practical environmental documents consistent with prevailing requirements and expectations while achieving the objective of paperwork reduction.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit's (DART) Northwest Corridor to Irving/DFW Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) is the recipient of the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Outstanding Achievement Award for Excellence in Environmental Document Preparation.
The FEIS provided the environmental clearances for the first nine miles of the Orange Line extending from Bachman Station in northwest Dallas to Belt Line Station near DFW International Airport.
DART is only the second winner of this FTA award, which will be presented in Orlando, Fla. at the annual October meeting of the American Public Transportation Association.
Established as a best practice for other transit agencies to use, the FTA award recognizes exemplary efforts in preparing effective and practical environmental documents consistent with prevailing requirements and expectations while achieving the objective of paperwork reduction.
Construction is currently under way on the first nine miles of the new Orange Line that will branch from the Green Line in northwest Dallas through Irving to Las Colinas in 2011 and Belt Line Station in 2012. The line will be extended to DFW International Airport by 2013.
The Orange Line is part of largest light rail project currently under construction in North America. Along with the completion of the 28-mile Green Line in December 2010 and the five-mile Blue Line extension from Garland to Rowlett in December 2012, DART is on pace to nearly double its light rail network to 90 miles by 2013.
More Rail
DOT: Brightline Corridor Incidents Fall 30% Following Federal Safety Upgrades
Safety improvements funded through a $25 million federal investment are credited with reducing trespassing and train-vehicle collisions along the Brightline Florida corridor.
Read More →
D Line Expansion Fuels Growth Across LA Metro's Rail System
Weekend rail ridership was especially strong, soaring 18% as riders embraced expanded access to jobs, entertainment, dining, and cultural destinations, said the agency. Total system ridership for May, including bus and rail, was 26,966,657.
Read More →
Southern California's Metrolink Debuts Contactless Fare Payment Pilot
Customers traveling between Redlands and Los Angeles can now tap their preferred payment method, including a credit or debit card, mobile wallet, or wearable device, at station validators before boarding and again while exiting.
Read More →
California's BART Approves FY27 Budget While Maintaining Service Levels
The budget covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, a period when pandemic emergency funds run out, the District faces a structural deficit of $375 million, and a regional transit funding measure may appear on the November ballot.
Read More →
Penn Station Transformation Advances with Design Unveiling
The historic redesign will transform the busiest transit hub in the Western Hemisphere from the tracks to the street level, creating a more efficient, cleaner, and functional experience for more than 600,000 daily commuters and millions of visitors.
Read More →
Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 Advances into Major Construction Stage
New York Governor Kathy Hochul joined leadership from the MTA, elected officials, and Harlem community leaders to break ground on the major construction stage of the transformative Second Avenue Subway Phase 2 project.
Read More →
The Invisible Infrastructure of Passenger Flow
What a seat reservation system on Austria’s Railjet trains reveals about the future of rider experience, and why U.S. agencies should pay attention.
Read More →
Caltrain Board Approves FY27 Budget, Endorses Efficiency Measures
The move ensures Caltrain service will continue operating as usual in the near term, but long-term financial challenges remain for the rail agency absent a new revenue source.
Read More →
Alstom Acquires Delaware Site to Support Amtrak NextGen Acela Fleet
The company is investing more than $55 million to acquire and improve the property and will employ approximately 100 people at this site once it is operational.
Read More →
When Routine Fails: How Public Transit Must Adapt for the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will test transit agencies’ ability to manage unpredictable travel patterns, making real-time data and operational flexibility critical to moving millions of visitors efficiently.
Read More →