Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) approved a General Mobility Plan and interlocal agreement compromise that they said answers cities’ concerns and provides a path forward for the agency, member cities, and regional partners. 

If adopted by the city councils of all 13 member cities, the plan would provide the requested funding from DART to the cities.

The funding model proposed by DART relies on a mix of DART and Regional Transportation Council funding and seeks future funding initiatives. Under this agreement, DART would send part of its 1% sales tax revenue, which currently funds the agency, to member cities. In year one, each participating city would receive 5%, increasing by 0.5% annually to 7.5% in year six.

“This solution is a victory for North Texans,” said Randall Bryant, chairman of the DART board. “When the DART Board, DART staff, member cities, and regional partners work together to find common ground, we can focus on solutions.”

Funding Transit in Dallas

Recently, the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments approved $75 million to fund transportation-related projects in DART member cities. Combined with DART’s contribution, the total guaranteed city funding would be 10% in year six.

The agreement also creates a list of funding priorities that DART, member cities, and regional partners would work to advance at the state level. These items would include the governance structure along with:

• Transferring management of commuter rail (Trinity Railway Express and Silver Line) to a regional transportation authority.
• Finding additional non-tax-based funding.

“We are seeing positive response to this proposal from all our member cities, not just those with withdrawal elections on the ballot,” said DART President/CEO Nadine Lee. “The compromise benefits all member cities and is truly regional at its core. This provides a path forward and reunites us all toward a common goal: a regional transit system that moves North Texas forward.”

What’s Next?

Cities have until mid-March to rescind elections. DART is hosting a series of community education meetings leading up to a public hearing on March 24. A public hearing is required by law for any major service changes.

If voters in any city elect to withdraw from DART, services in that city would cease immediately after the election is canvassed.