Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

[DrLan34]

Great pics. Dallas is doing great with their light rail... i am envious.

Thanks for the pics!

Are they actually building the rail in the ditch? Interesting.

[ricco67]

Great pics. Dallas is doing great with their light rail... i am envious.

There is no doubt that they are expanding it a great deal, but you also have to remember, they have had a several year head start and no interference from Tom Delay either.

I'd like to see the comparison on the the dallas and Houston lines (in 10 yrs) for a bit of perspective. With the different layouts of the two cities, it will be interesting to see what it would look like.

[dfwcre8tive]

Thanks for the pics!

Are they actually building the rail in the ditch? Interesting.

What do you mean "in a ditch"? There are long stretches of elevated rail on the Green Line, but that's because it passes over and beside several freight lines leading to industrial areas. The DCTA A-Train will use the freight track from Denton to Trinity Mills Station (and eventually to Downtown Carrollton on its way to DFW Airport). The Northwest segment is not very attractive with lots of run down industrial areas, but since the line follows IH-35 it should be popular with commuters. This corridor will be interesting to watch in future years; many of the stations have ambitious land use plans for surrounding mixed-use development; hopefully the next construction boom will bring transformation and help the region add density. The Orange Line (also under construction but DART hasn't posted photos yet) will be very different, snaking in and around built-up residential/commercial areas through Las Colinas.

[ricco67]

What do you mean "in a ditch"? There are long stretches of elevated rail on the Green Line, but that's because it passes over and beside several freight lines leading to industrial areas. The DCTA A-Train will use the freight track from Denton to Trinity Mills Station (and eventually to Downtown Carrollton on its way to DFW Airport). The Northwest segment is not very attractive with lots of run down industrial areas, but since the line follows IH-35 it should be popular with commuters. This corridor will be interesting to watch in future years; many of the stations have ambitious land use plans for surrounding mixed-use development; hopefully the next construction boom will bring transformation and help the region add density. The Orange Line (also under construction but DART hasn't posted photos yet) will be very different, snaking in and around built-up residential/commercial areas through Las Colinas.

If you look at the 7th picture from the bottom, it seems like it is being built OVER a ditch or trench. Sorta' like what our Richmond rail's maintanence yard is going to be like, that's all I'm wondering about. I had assumed that was rail traffic right nearby it and figured that was probably the best/cheapest way to use the land.

Can be fascinating during flood events, though.

[dfwcre8tive]

If you look at the 7th picture from the bottom, it seems like it is being built OVER a ditch or trench. Sorta' like what our Richmond rail's maintanence yard is going to be like, that's all I'm wondering about. I had assumed that was rail traffic right nearby it and figured that was probably the best/cheapest way to use the land.

Can be fascinating during flood events, though.

Sorry, I thought you were referring to the Green Line. Yes, there are some low lying areas (MAP) between Garland and Rowlett where the Blue Line extension passes over a creeks and flood land. I suppose it was cheaper to bridge the length rather than create a new embankment.

[KinkaidAlum]

I like the right of way that DART has and some of the stations look nice, but it's easy to see from these pictures why METRO has much higher ridership numbers per mile of track. The majority of these stations look like they are built in the middle of friggin' nowhere, even in the so-called "downtown" stations. I guess that is why every station is surrounded by concrete parking slabs? Now, I know these are suburban locations, but still, wouldn't these places be better served by commuter rail than light rail?

It's a pretty system and all, but damn, that thing is going to drain money for decades.

[Trae]

I was thinking the same thing. fthats what happens when you build your light rail system like a commuter rail system. I think Metro's plan is better, since light rail will only be used in the inner city, with commuter rail bringing in the suburban commuters. Those stations, though nice in design, fit what the commuter rail stations on the Galveston line, for example, will (most likely) look like.

[dfwcre8tive]

DART light rail does serve much like a commuter system, especially outside of Dallas' core; that's one of the reasons why implementing a modern streetcar lines in the central city is so important.

The DART light rail lines are mostly along old freight ROW and pass through suburban areas that have been overlooked by urban development; stations without parking (in and around the downtown area) serve their neighborhoods much better. DART and the suburban cities see new stations as future dense TODs, where the parking lots and fields of today will be the urban development of tomorrow. Carrollton, for example, has detailed plans for each of its 3 stations (LINK). Farmers Branch has something similar (LINK). In Dallas the new Parkland Hospital will surround the Southwest Medical Center/Parkland station and integrate it into their expansion plans. Time will tell if this is successful since only a handful of TODs have materialized around DART stations so far.

[Mister X]

The system in Houston will not be as dependent on future TODs because it will be serving existing, already well established developments, universities, employment centers, and mega-malls. This is why the Main St line has had high ridership numbers from day one. Any TODs that are developed later will be like icing on the cake.

Midtown would be such a perfect area for a TOD, especially where the Main St. Line will intersect with the University Line. I know I've seen renderings for something very cool that was planned at one time for the Wheeler Station.

[C2H]

Maybe i'm a little slow, but i thought some 3 or 4 years back that the idea for commuter rail to Houston was shut down. It would have been perfect to put it along side the Katy Freeway, that way it would connect the new upcoming Regency Square with developments like cityCentre and such to downtown. Now, its only talking about connecting it with the Northwest corridor. Furthermore, Sugarland seems to be left out of the equation.

So when and where is this commuter line planned for? I haven't seen any concrete plans.

[Spades]

I like the right of way that DART has and some of the stations look nice, but it's easy to see from these pictures why METRO has much higher ridership numbers per mile of track. The majority of these stations look like they are built in the middle of friggin' nowhere, even in the so-called "downtown" stations. I guess that is why every station is surrounded by concrete parking slabs? Now, I know these are suburban locations, but still, wouldn't these places be better served by commuter rail than light rail?

It's a pretty system and all, but damn, that thing is going to drain money for decades.

The DART system reminds me very much like the DC system outside of downtown of course. In fact, it would be the very same if DART built heavy rail instead of light rail. DC plopped many of it's stations in the middle of nowhere and now many of those stations are home to some of the best TOD's in the nation (Rosslyn, Ballston, Friendship Heights, Bethesda, Silver Springs, etc.). Now, DC has the 2nd highest ridership in the nation and it will probably remain so when the Silver Line opens. DART, Dallas, and the surrounding suburbs are counting on the same thing to happen. In fact, dfwcre8tive just affirmed that. This is why I believe neither Metro or DART are better than the other. They are just building their systems differently. Now I will point out that the Metro is having financial problems and that's probably for the very reason you stated.

[KinkaidAlum]

There's a BIG difference between heavy rail and light rail though and that difference is SPEED. Light rail to the far-flung suburbs isn't going to cut it if the top speed is lower than the average driving speed and there are multiple stops along the way. That simply wont entice people to give up their cars. Additionally, the TOD's in Maryland and NoVa are also surrounded by dense and largely pre-WWII communities. Heck, Bethesda makes the densest parts of DFW look barren.

[citykid09]

Can't DART's light rail eventually be switched over to heavy rail?

[TheNiche]

It would have been perfect to put it along side the Katy Freeway, that way it would connect the new upcoming Regency Square with developments like cityCentre and such to downtown.

Regency Square is not very conveniently-situated for any sort of future rail service and has not been seriously discussed as an opportunity. And the expanded Katy Freeway is a poor candidate for rail because it is not congested or otherwise inconvenient enough that it requires any parallel alternative that doesn't already exist. Servicing west Houston via the Westpark ROW is a far more attractive option for METRO, particularly given the higher density and relatively low affluence of the population living and working closer to that alignment.

So when and where is this commuter line planned for? I haven't seen any concrete plans.

The discussion about commuter rail is ongoing, however realistic implementation is probably a decade away. And the truth is, it doesn't matter much and METRO knows it. Park & Ride serves the same function at a lesser cost, besides which, if you considered existing P&R ridership relative to the ridership of just about any commuter rail system, it's absolutely mindboggling. METRO set the gold standard on that one, so there's not much of a rush to fix what isn't broke.

Political feasibility is a separate problem. METRO's service area is not large enough to effectively implement commuter rail in some of the corridors in which it might be physically feasible. For instance, the route between Houston and Galveston would have to entail a partnership between METRO and Island Transit, (requiring legislative authorization in all likelihood) or intervention by TXDoT or the Gulf Coast Rail District (possibly also requiring legislative authorization).

[wernicke]

Honestly, DART is 50 miles of track. Metro is 7 miles of track (and goes from DT to TMC). There's really not much of a comparison. If Metro ever gets enough funding to head to the burbs, as Dallas has done, then the stations would look barren as well.

Also, DARTs most established line (red) has spawned two fairly nice ($100s of million) mixed-use TOD in Mockingbird Station and Park Lane. The Metro? Houston pavillions...

I rode the Metro light rail everyday for four years, but Metro's lack of grade separation makes DART far superior.

[TheNiche]

Honestly, DART is 50 miles of track. Metro is 7 miles of track (and goes from DT to TMC). There's really not much of a comparison. If Metro ever gets enough funding to head to the burbs, as Dallas has done, then the stations would look barren as well.

Also, DARTs most established line (red) has spawned two fairly nice ($100s of million) mixed-use TOD in Mockingbird Station and Park Lane. The Metro? Houston pavillions...

I rode the Metro light rail everyday for four years, but Metro's lack of grade separation makes DART far superior.

I'd argue that each of these developments were oriented more to subsidy than by transit. I agree completely with your other comments, however.

[Trae]

Only part I agree about is Metro needing to have more grade separations over busy roads. The comment about Metro only being 7 miles is mute, since it's under expansion currently.

[Mister X]

Honestly, DART is 50 miles of track. Metro is 7 miles of track (and goes from DT to TMC). There's really not much of a comparison. If Metro ever gets enough funding to head to the burbs, as Dallas has done, then the stations would look barren as well.

Also, DARTs most established line (red) has spawned two fairly nice ($100s of million) mixed-use TOD in Mockingbird Station and Park Lane. The Metro? Houston pavillions...

I rode the Metro light rail everyday for four years, but Metro's lack of grade separation makes DART far superior.

Unless you want to take rail to a football game, a baseball game, a theatre, a museum or a zoo - then Houston's light rail is far superior.

You can get where you want faster in Dallas by freeway than by Dart rail. That's why no one uses it. What good are 50 miles of unused slow light rail even if there is grade separation. Dart is slowly going broke and won't even be running enough trains to do anyone who would want to take it any good.

Just because it looks good on paper, doesn't make it good in real life. DART rail has many flaws.

[dfwcre8tive]

Can't DART's light rail eventually be switched over to heavy rail?

Because of the numerous grade crossings and stations it would be a lot of work to switch the system to heavy rail (and not economical); it serves more of a medium-capacity role. However with its grade-separated alignment DART could easily add more vehicles and run trains more frequently. The current stations have been built to accommodate 3-vehicle trains in the future (currently only served by 1 or 2 vehicle trains). The downtown D2 line would need to be completed before this could happen.

[dfwcre8tive]

DART budget to include no layoffs in 2011; Orange Line may be restored in 20-year plan

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/08/dart-budget-to-include-no-layo.html

DART board members appear set to tentatively embrace a 2011 budget that will not include any layoffs in 2011, a spokesman for the transit agency said.

In addition, DART staff now says it has found a way to restore the Orange Line's final leg to the Dallas / Fort Worth International Airport on track. The 20-year financial plan, which will also be considered by the board today, would keep all three legs of the Orange Line rail service in the plan, though completion of the airport leg would be delayed from 2013 to 2014.

The board will vote today at 4 on whether to send a draft 2011 budget, and a 20-year financial plan, to each of its 13 member cities for comments. A final vote on the budget and financial plan will take place in September.

Here are the highlights of what the draft budget and financial plan will include:

No layoffs in 2011, though positions will be cut by attrition. This is not a surprise, nor does it mean DART employees are out from under the prospect of losing their jobs. DART leaders have said for weeks the the deepest cuts in payroll will not come until 2012.

Bus changes. The 2011 budget will be anticipate some of the changes to the bus systems previously discussed by DART leadership, including the phasing in of an approach that will consider fewer than 30 routes as "core routes" and reduce and modify service on many of the other routes that are among the 130 or so that comprise the DART system. FInal changes on the routes are still likely months away. Some of the non-core routes are likely to be served by smaller vehicles -- akin to the large vans or minibuses DART now uses on some of its special routes.

Orange Line. The 20-year financial plan will also likely include the Orange Line completion to the D/FW International Airport. The project, which DART chief financial officer David Leininger had said was no longer affordable, appears likely to remain in the plan, though its completion date will be pushed back from 2013 to 2014.

...

[dfwcre8tive]

I'd argue that each of these developments were oriented more to subsidy than by transit. I agree completely with your other comments, however.

I agree that some of the TOD projects have more hype than substance. Victory Park shunned the Green Line by limiting its alignment to the exterior of the project. Park Lane fails to recognize the DART station outside of its marketing literature (the pedestrian bridge that was supposed to connect the development to the station was never constructed).

But there have also been successful smaller-scale TOD projects at Baylor Station, Spring Valley Station, Downtown Plano Station, Downtown Garland Station and Galatyn Park Station. Sure, the land may have been developed without DART's presence into big box retail or garden-style apartments, but the rail stations have influenced these developments in a positive way. They may have influenced the developers to think "outside the box" to include a mix of uses that are pedestrian friendly and less vehicle-reliant (good for the region).

It will be interesting to watch future land-use around the Green and Orange line corridors, along with some TODs currently under development (Lake Highlands Town Center). I'd like to see each station have its own identity and surrounding TOD; with the regions's population growth (and growing traffic congestion) it should happen eventually.

[Mister X]

I'm most impressed with this station. I love the surrounding landscape. I bet the developers are standing in line to build a cool TOD on this great piece of real estate.

[dfwcre8tive]

I'm most impressed with this station. I love the surrounding landscape. I bet the developers are standing in line to build a cool TOD on this great piece of real estate.

It could happen; in Dallas we're starting to see formerly industrial areas make the switch to mixed-use/residential (yes, currently the area along Denton Drive/Harry Hines is very unappealing).

[Mister X]

It could happen; in Dallas we're starting to see formerly industrial areas make the switch to mixed-use/residential (yes, currently the area along Denton Drive/Harry Hines is very unappealing).

That was before the recession. Let's get real. Those barren looking stations along the majority of the DART line are going to remain that way for decades to come. If anyone wants to go to anywhere in Dallas, they drive.

[Trae]

Because of the numerous grade crossings and stations it would be a lot of work to switch the system to heavy rail (and not economical); it serves more of a medium-capacity role. However with its grade-separated alignment DART could easily add more vehicles and run trains more frequently. The current stations have been built to accommodate 3-vehicle trains in the future (currently only served by 1 or 2 vehicle trains). The downtown D2 line would need to be completed before this could happen.

Not to mention you have to completely rip up the rails, as heavy rail uses a third rail, that light rail doesn't use. Would be a LONG process.

[Spades]

There's a BIG difference between heavy rail and light rail though and that difference is SPEED. Light rail to the far-flung suburbs isn't going to cut it if the top speed is lower than the average driving speed and there are multiple stops along the way. That simply wont entice people to give up their cars. Additionally, the TOD's in Maryland and NoVa are also surrounded by dense and largely pre-WWII communities. Heck, Bethesda makes the densest parts of DFW look barren.

That wasn't my point though. I know the differences between light rail and heavy rail. But my point is that both Metro in DC and DART are both commuter based systems. They are also hub and spoke systems and not every station that is currently there was surrounded by dense communities. Such as Franconia, All the Orange Line stations of Virginia outside of Arlington. You have Rockville on the Red Line and Largo on the Blue Line in PG County. But Ballston, Rosslyn, Crystal City, heck even the Hoffman Town Center in Alexandria, are what they are today because they surround a metro station.

[TheNiche]

That wasn't my point though. I know the differences between light rail and heavy rail. But my point is that both Metro in DC and DART are both commuter based systems. They are also hub and spoke systems and not every station that is currently there was surrounded by dense communities. Such as Franconia, All the Orange Line stations of Virginia outside of Arlington. You have Rockville on the Red Line and Largo on the Blue Line in PG County. But Ballston, Rosslyn, Crystal City, heck even the Hoffman Town Center in Alexandria, are what they are today because they surround a metro station.

I worked for an apartment developer at one point that involved itself in the D.C. area. I examined these areas for acquisitions and development. And yeah...I read into your comments in precisely the same way that KinkaidAlum did. And frankly, your revised examples still kind of suck or are insignificant in the grander scheme of things.

[TheNiche]

It could happen; in Dallas we're starting to see formerly industrial areas make the switch to mixed-use/residential (yes, currently the area along Denton Drive/Harry Hines is very unappealing).

Even the new projects are not especially urbane. Look at the one in the foreground of your photo. And the one in the background. They suck! Soviet-era apartment blocks have more character.

[dfwcre8tive]

The extension to DFW Airport is back on, along with the extension to UNT Dallas.

DART uses new financial assumptions to revive D/FW airport rail plan

07:16 AM CDT on Wednesday, August 11, 2010

By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER / The Dallas Morning News

mlindenberger@dallasnews.com

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/localnews/stories/DN-dart_11met.ART.State.Edition1.3585d08.html

Just six weeks after telling board members that it couldn't be done, DART executives on Tuesday presented their bosses with a 20-year financial plan that keeps the Orange Line rail service on track to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

They also presented a $1.25 billion budget for 2011 that cuts 87 jobs next year but will delay, for a year at least, layoffs.

The 20-year plan would allow room for a second major rail project, an extension of the Blue Line to southern Oak Cliff by the end of this decade. That's a possibility that promised to draw a fight, or at least a debate, from some board members who think the agency should save its money to build a long-promised second downtown Dallas rail line that is now on hold.

The draft budget for 2011 calls for trimming 87 full-time jobs at DART, few enough to be handled by attrition. It also anticipates some reduced bus and rail services, including having light-rail trains run through downtown every 15 minutes instead of every 10.

...

In addition to the basic assumptions about sales-tax revenue growth, the new 20-year plan assumes a host of other factors that were not part of the plan Leininger presented June 22. Among them:

• The agency will begin tolling high occupancy vehicle lanes within a few years.

• It will begin charging at least some drivers to park at a number of station lots.

• DART will find $100 million or so in unexpected funds, either from federal grants or other sources, to help pay for the extension to Oak Cliff.

• Passenger revenue will rise again, despite having fallen significantly since 2008.

Downtown line

If the bets are well-placed, one big payoff could be the Oak Cliff extension of the Blue Line. But several DART board members said they were eager to hear from Dallas officials about the DART staff's proposal to give that project a higher priority than the second downtown line. The downtown line has been seen as a way to accommodate the extra trains anticipated once the full Green Line service, between Carrollton and Pleasant Grove, opens later this year and Orange Line trains begin arriving from Irving in 2012.

Mark Enoch of Rowlett said DART might be better off saving the money it would spend on the Oak Cliff extension until it finds the rest of the money needed for the second downtown line.

"I am concerned that we are limiting our ability to grow as a system," Enoch said. "We can't clog downtown Dallas."

But other board members, including Pamela Dunlop Gates of Dallas and Irving's John Carter Danish, said the southern extension of the Blue Line is just as important to the development of southern Dallas as the completion of the Orange Line is to Irving.

"If we are stretching ourselves to pay for the Orange Line on the basis of its economic development potential to Irving, then I think we should also stretch ourselves to make this happen for south Dallas," Gates said.

...

[Trae]

DART has some nice coverage and all, but light rail at that large of a distance doesn't work, in my opinion. A subway/heavy rail system would though. Light rail runs too slow for someone in say, Plano, to want to go to DFW or Love Field airports. The only thing it saves is money. DFW is easier to drive around.