[L41A]

Originally Posted by electricron

Maybe DART isn't present where the riders are, but DART is present where the riders might want to go. I can only think of one major destination area in Dallas, specifically the Galleria, where the light rail trains don't go. Many neighborhoods surrounding DART light rail stations are going through regeneration process, more densely packed apartment buildings are sprouting up, and through this process DART will be where the riders are too.
When comparing rail systems with others nationally, you got to give the real estate developers time to do their magic. It took MARTA, I mean Atlanta, 30 years to densify, give Dallas that same 30 years.

MARTA trains have been carrying over 200,000 weekday riders for well over 15 years which coincidentally would make it about the same age (15 years) as you state DART is now and DART carries 83,000. I remember hearing a report when MARTA weekday ridership hit 100,000 and that was in the 1980s I believe. But I do understand that what DART is doing today may be exciting.