Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) rail service is marking a notable milestone, with 20 years in since its debut on June 14, 1996. It launched that year with an 11-mile network of Red and Blue lines that extended from Pearl Station in the north, through downtown Dallas to 8th and Corinth Station where the two lines separated. The Blue Line continued mostly due south to Illinois Station and the Red Line went south and southwest to Westmoreland Station, all within the Dallas city limits. Today, DART Rail is 90 miles long and has 62 stations in eight cities.
DART is still growing. In late October, the southernmost section of the Blue Line will be extended three miles, adding greater connectivity in the education corridor, from an updated Ledbetter Station to the new UNT Dallas Station — and a Camp Wisdom Station in between. Separately, DART planners are still developing a second rail alignment through Downtown Dallas that is scheduled to open in 2021.
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DART Rail Numbers
More than 360 million passenger trips
90 miles of rail (longest system in the country)
$8 billion in economic impact
$5 billion in private transit oriented development at or near rail stations.
The still-growing rail network "is changing the way the region grows and how North Texans live," DART President/Executive Director Gary Thomas said. "DART Rail is delivering new development in every community we serve. Dallas is enjoying a renewed downtown, new destinations, and better access to healthcare. Carrollton, Farmers Branch, Garland, Irving, Plano, Richardson and Rowlett each have new, vibrant transit-oriented communities that are gaining national attention," he added.
More than one anniversary The Trinity Railway Express commuter rail line, jointly owned by DART and the Fort Worth T, also marks 20 years of operation in 2016. The first 10 miles of the 35-mile line debuted on Dec. 30, 1996, running from Union Station to what is now Downtown Irving/Heritage Crossing Station.
The two anniversaries will bookend a six-month customer celebration highlighting the improvements brought to the region by the two rail networks. On the 20th of each month, until December, customers will be invited to join in the celebration. Complimentary one-day local passes will be up for grabs during a GoPass promotion that will run from June to December. "Street Teams" will be out on the system during the celebratory period. Customers spotted wearing a yellow or red T-shirt on the 20th of each month just might receive a promotional give-away. Customers also are encouraged to share their "DARTable" moments on social media.
Amtrak will open grant applications March 23 for community projects near the Frederick Douglass Tunnel alignment in Baltimore as part of a $50 million investment tied to the B&P Tunnel Replacement Program.
The Denmark Station $2.3 million construction investment project includes a new 280-foot concrete boarding platform, built eight inches above the top of rail, for improved accessibility for passengers with disabilities and families with small children and much more.
Caltrain and its partners have implemented safety improvements at specific locations in response to known risk conditions, operational needs, and available funding since the agency’s founding.
On a recent episode of METROspectives, METRO Magazine’s Executive Editor Alex Roman sat down with Ana-Maria Tomlinson, Director of Strategic & Cross-Sector Programs at the CSA Group, to explore a bold initiative aimed at addressing those challenges: the development of a National Code for Transit and Passenger Rail Systems in Canada.
Competitive FTA grants will support accessibility upgrades, family-friendly improvements, and cost-efficient capital projects at some of the nation’s oldest and busiest transit hubs.
The 3.92-mile addition will soon take riders west beyond its current Wilshire and Western station in Koreatown, continuing under Wilshire Boulevard through neighborhoods and communities including Hancock Park, Windsor Square, the Fairfax District, and Carthay Circle into Beverly Hills.
Under the plan, all long-distance routes will transition to a universal single-level fleet, replacing today’s mix of bi-level and single-level equipment.
