DART Green Line rail project heading into final stretch
Bolstered by the receipt of $78.4 million in ARRA funds, the Green Line rail project is headed for on-time and on-budget arrival at four new stations on Sept.14, 2009.
Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson speaks at a press conference at the future Fair Park Station as DART Board Chairman Randall Chrisman and DART President/Executive Director Gary Thomas look on.
[IMAGE]DART-station-2-full.jpg[/IMAGE]Bolstered by the receipt of $78.4 million in funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Green Line rail project of is headed for on-time and on-budget arrival at four new stations on September 14, 2009.
The first section of the $1.8 billion Green Line will extend from Pearl Station on the east side of Downtown Dallas to Deep Ellum Station, Baylor University Medical Center Station, Fair Park Station (at the intersection of Parry and Exposition) and the MLK Station, adjacent to the J. B. Jackson Jr. Transit Center on the east site of Fair Park. It restores rail service to a neighborhood that 50 years ago was home to up to four rail lines. Daily service to Victory Station will also begin September 14.
The remaining 25 miles of the Green Line, scheduled to open in December 2010, will extend southeast to Pleasant Grove and northwest from Victory Station to the Dallas Market Center, the Southwestern Medical District, Love Field Airport and downtown Farmers Branch, and Carrollton. Construction of the Green Line, the longest light rail project under construction in North America, has produced more than 2,200 construction jobs.
Major funding for the Green Line comes from a $700-million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) from the Federal Transit Administration. The FFGA was first awarded in July 2006 at the start of Green Line construction. The funds awarded under the ARRA are part of DART’s FFGA.
Construction is also under way on the first nine miles of a new Orange Line that will branch from the Green Line in northwest Dallas to serve the city of Irving in 2011. The line will be extended to DFW International Airport by 2013. DART also is building a five-mile extension of the Blue Line from Garland to Rowlett that will open in 2012.
These lines are earning national attention as well. The Orange Line is among the first projects slated to receive funds – more than $61 million – under the ARRA. Altogether, the Green, Orange and Blue line projects are expected to add 60,000 weekday passenger trips, nearly doubling ridership on the DART Rail System.
More Rail
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 →
California Selects Team for Nation’s First True High-Speed Rail Track and Systems Contract
The board action follows completion of track installation at the 150-acre southern railhead in Kern County, which will serve as the staging and distribution hub for high-speed track and systems installation.
Read More →
Seattle's Sound Transit Launches New Sounder Railcars into Service
Alstom manufactured all the cars under a $46.5 million contract and came into service in anticipation of summer crowds for soccer and baseball.
Read More →
Alstom Partners With Universities to Build Rail Talent Pipeline
The partnerships include a new engineering scholarship fund at Alfred State College in Western New York and collaborations with transportation centers at the University of Pennsylvania and New York University.
Read More →
Chicago's NITA Act Moves Into Next Phase as Service Improvements Begin
Rider-focused improvements will begin rolling out across the system immediately as CTA, Metra, and Pace increase service this summer in the six-county region.
Read More →
Seattle’s Sound Transit Adopts Updated ST3 System Plan
The updated system plan incorporates cost savings across the agency, including new revenue sources and financial policies, to set the agency on a sustainable path for the future.
Read More →
Inside Look: EMBARK Expands Fare-Free Transit Program Through New Public-Private Partnership
The OKC transit agency says sponsorship helps subsidize the Third Friday Free initiative while reducing barriers for first-time riders and boosting ridership across buses, streetcars, and river cruises.
Read More →