Dallas l DART Light Rail Expansion Updates

[jtk1519]

I haven't been following the A-train construction terribly closely either so the fact that it's running behind schedule and slated for a June opening may not really be news, but here goes anyway...

http://www.wfaa.com/news/local/atrain-106863029.html

[jtk1519]

And a streetcar update from the Observer...

​Short and sweet this Saturday, as the Transportation and Environment Committee's streetcar update for Monday speaks for itself -- which is to say, budget and time are tight, given, among other things, the constraints of the $23 mil in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery funds the feds forked over in February. How tight? Deadline to begin revenue service is December 2013, following a cross-your-fingers, hold-your-breath construction start date of March 2012.

But first, there has to be a streetcar plan in place, one that'll "establish a long range streetcar system plan for a 3-mile radius around Downtown Dallas," from Knox-Henderson to Deep Ellum to Uptown to the Cedars and so forth. But who'll pay for that? Ah: "Private investment," among others, just maybe. Says the city's already negotiating with a transportation planner and hopes to wrap that up this month; requests for financial planners' bids go out next month. But then, how to work all this together with Complete Streets (kicks off in January!) and the Dallas Bike Plan (a final public meeting's now on the books for next month)? Forward, Dallas, indeed.

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfa...car_update.php

[jtk1519]

Plan to build streetcar line into Oak Cliff set on breakneck pace
5:04 PM Mon, Nov 08, 2010 | Permalink
Steve Thompson/Reporter

Dallas city officials said Monday that a plan to build a streetcar line from downtown into North Oak Cliff must be accomplished at breakneck speed to satisfy the requirements of the federal stimulus money that is funding it.

A preliminary plan involves building the line along the Houston Street Viaduct, from downtown to Zang Boulevard. To meet job creation requirements tied to federal stimulus money, officials say the project needs to be completed by the end of 2013.

"In some ways that seems like a bit far off," Assistant City Manager A.C. Gonzalez told members of the City Council's transportation and environment committee. "In streetcar or rail life spans, that's almost the twinkling of an eye."

Gonzalez said the planning, environmental assessment, purchasing and construction are a massive undertaking to complete in such little time.

"To say that is an ambitious goal is really very much understating that particular aspect of it," he said.

...

http://cityhallblog.dallasnews.com/a...ar-update.html

[jtk1519]

Another interesting tidbit from Mr. Haretip on Dallas Metropolis, construction will soo begin on a streetcar turntable at the Northern terminus of the M-line at DART's Cityplace Station. This is currently what that terminus looks like...


http://ymtram.mashke.org/gallery.php.../dallas/4&l=en

According to a Dallas Morning News article this Summer, MATA is planning to start using all steel street cars as opposed to (or in addition to) it's current fleet of wooden vintage cars...

An Uptown developer plans to help turn around – literally – the McKinney Avenue streetcar system.

Neal Sleeper, president of the Cityplace Co., which has developed much of the West Village area of Uptown, said the company, in cooperation with the city of Dallas, will start work this autumn on a streetcar turntable near the west entrance to the DART Cityplace Station.

The project is expected to take 10 months to complete.

The turntable would aid plans by the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority to add all-steel streetcars to its fleet, part of an attempt to change its emphasis from a tourist amenity into an integral part of the DART commuter rail system.

The cars, which will be added beginning next year, are larger and faster than MATA's current fleet of wooden trolleys, but – like railroad trains – the streetcars point in a single direction.

Under a $4.9 million federal grant, the cars will loop around the Arts District at the system's southern end but come to a dead end along a single track on Cityplace West Boulevard. The turntable will allow the steel cars to turn around and repeat their route.

Sleeper said company officials also are negotiating with their counterparts at DART about reorienting the Cityplace rail entrance. Under the redesign, the entrance would be directly linked to the turntable, and access to Cityplace West from the Central Expressway frontage road would be closed.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...1.4d7a060.html

The Cityplace/West Village master plans have always shown a turntable in front of a redesigned Cityplace subway entrance...


http://forum.dallasmetropolis.com/sh...&postcount=201

The turntable construction is coinciding with development of the last 16 acres of the Cityplace development.

[jtk1519]

DART's Green Line getting ready for December rollout
10:49 PM CST on Wednesday, November 10, 2010
By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER / The Dallas Morning News
mlindenberger@dallasnews.com

Taking the new DART train from Pleasant Grove in southern Dallas to Carrollton won't be fast, but it often will be surprisingly scenic.

The one-way trip will stretch 28 miles, making the DART Green Line the longest run of light rail under construction in North America, and will take about 74 minutes. A trip that starts in downtown Carrollton at 6:48 a.m., for instance, will get to the West End in downtown Dallas at 7:23.

Along the way, the trains, which with three cars will be DART's largest, will snake along leafy residential areas in southeastern Dallas, through the Trinity Forest and, north of Dallas, glide as fast as 65 mph on elevated tracks high above the terrain into park-like Farmers Branch.

These were first impressions delivered Wednesday, as Dallas Area Rapid Transit executives gave an early tour of the $1.8 billion rail line to a group of editors, photographers and writers from The Dallas Morning News.

The opening marks a big moment for DART, which has been collecting sales taxes from member cities since 1984, all with the goal of building out a system that serves as many riders as possible. The Green Line and ongoing work on the Orange and Blue lines represent a second generation of DART's light-rail project, following the opening of the Red Line in the 1990s.

"If you include the Orange Line that's under construction [to Irving ] and the Blue Line extension from Rowlett to Garland, then we have 25 percent of all light rail under construction in the United States under construction right here," said Gary Thomas, DART's executive director.

The public will get its first chance to ride the new rail line Dec. 4, when the trains will run for free after 1 p.m. Regular service on the full line begins Dec. 6.

The 20 stations along the line offer diverse views, are set down amid widely different surroundings, and likely will serve passengers with very different needs.

For instance, the hospital stations – both Baylor Station, which opened last year, and the new Parkland Station – have attracted new housing developments immediately adjacent to the tracks, and will likely offer prime locales for workers on those sprawling campuses.

"This is pure TOD," or transit-oriented development, said a beaming Bill Valesco, chairman of the DART board as he looked at the condominiums under construction near Parkland Station.

But such development remains rare, and the prospect for new projects at many of the other stations seems remote for now, especially given the economic difficulties that have already slowed plans for transit-oriented development in Carrollton.

For now, the Downtown Carrollton Station will bring riders to the existing business district there, close to Babe's fried chicken and other midday destinations.

For some, the attraction will be Trinity Mills Station, which will connect passengers to the new Denton County Transportation Authority's commuter rail, once that opens next year.

By far most riders will use the line to get to work and back, and on that score the Green Line could be one of DART's most successful, thanks to a handful of big employment centers, from the hospitals to the Dallas Market Center to Love Field.

At the latter stop, some riders will probably be disappointed by the lack of a direct connection. For now, those going to the airport will get off the train at Inwood/Love Field Station and take a 12- to 15-minute ride on a Route 39 bus to the airport.

Eventually, DART officials said, the city of Dallas plans to open a people mover that will take people directly to the terminal from Burbank Station, but that service could be years away.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...e.3b44abb.html

[Busy Bee]

What are these all steel streetcars going to look like? Are these new modern trams or are they planning on running vintage PCC's?

[dfwcr8tive]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

What are these all steel streetcars going to look like? Are these new modern trams or are they planning on running vintage PCC's?

Modern trams will operate on the new lines. This is the one Kinki Sharyo (builder of DART's LRT vehicles) is pitching:



The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority (MATA) will continue to operate vintage/heritage trams and add a few PCCs once the loop and turntable is complete. They have several vehicles awaiting restoration: http://www.mata.org/histories.shtml.

[BrennanW]

Articulated streetcars in America? Get out of here...

Also, wouldn't that violate the "Buy America Act?" I thought all public transit projects must use products built in the USA.

[jtk1519]

Originally Posted by BrennanW

Articulated streetcars in America? Get out of here...

Also, wouldn't that violate the "Buy America Act?" I thought all public transit projects must use products built in the USA.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe United Streetcar (builder of the Portland streetcar) is the only US made streetcar and United will in fact be bringing a model streetcar to Fort Worth to put on display (and make a sales pitch) for Fort Worth's new streetcar system and presumably will do the same in Dallas shortly thereafter.

I don't know who Fort Worth or the Oak Cliff Transit Authority will pick for their streetcars, but if I understand things right, DART has a hand in the design and starting of the downtown Dallas circulator and judging by their long and good history with Kinki Sharyo, I would think DART will lean their way, but I could be completely wrong.

[electricron]

Originally Posted by jtk1519

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe United Streetcar (builder of the Portland streetcar) is the only US made streetcar and United will in fact be bringing a model streetcar to Fort Worth to put on display (and make a sales pitch) for Fort Worth's new streetcar system and presumably will do the same in Dallas shortly thereafter.

I don't know who Fort Worth or the Oak Cliff Transit Authority will pick for their streetcars, but if I understand things right, DART has a hand in the design and starting of the downtown Dallas circulator and judging by their long and good history with Kinki Sharyo, I would think DART will lean their way, but I could be completely wrong.

Kinkisharyo built DART's light rail trains meeting the Buy America requirements to get Federal funds, with the final assembly in the DFW area. So, whose streetcars do you think DART would prefer to buy, those built in Dallas or Portland? Never-the-less, they will have to release a RFP before purchasing any new streetcars to qualify for Federal funds, having the cheapest streetcar bid will certainly help, but the selected vehicle isn't always the cheapest. Every manufacturer entering bids will be considered. The NCTCOG hopes FWTA, OCTA, and DART will buy the same vehicle, therefore even FWTA may influence which vehicle DART will buy for the Dallas streetcar system.

[jtk1519]

City to talk rail service
By Kenny Green, kgreen@acnpapers.com
Published: Thursday, November 4, 2010 10:09 AM CDT

The city of Mesquite is hosting an open house event from 6 to 8 p.m. on Nov. 16 at the Mesquite Arts Center to provide details about transportation now and in the future.

One of the main topics will be the possibility of light rail in the Mesquite.

Attendees will have the opportunity to see several brief presentations on different types of transportation currently available throughout the city in addition to the discussion about possible light rail service. The event will feature information booths, videos and maps, dialogue with city staff on transportation issues and light refreshments.

“This event will be the first time we have conveyed information on the issues surrounding future passenger rail service in Mesquite to the public,” said Jerome Dittman, assistant city manager. “It will allow us to answer questions and receive input from our citizens about transit issues. The event will cover passenger rail options, an express service option, the history of transit in Mesquite, transit-oriented development and other topics.”

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Dennis Tarpley suggested the council place the idea of light rail before voters in a referendum on the May 2011 ballot.

“Several people have suggested we have an election and see what the citizens want us to do,” he said.

Mayor John Monaco, a light rail proponent, told Tarpley it seems every time he mentions people contacting him regarding the light rail it is from people that do not want it.

Monaco indicated he had heard from numerous people in support of the light rail in Mesquite.

“We are spending a lot of money to put this [event on],” Tarpley said. “I am asking to see if we can get an idea from citizens [of what they want].”

Monaco indicated he also supported a referendum on the light rail issue and instructed city manager Ted Barron to begin the process of preparing the information for a possible referendum on the May 2011 ballot.

For details on transportation throughout the city of Mesquite, the city has set up a website at:

cityofmesquite.com/transit

http://www.scntx.com/articles/2010/1.../news/2201.txt

[dfwcr8tive]

• Video Link

• Video Link

[BrandonJXN]

Why do the trains take so long to stop?

[jtk1519]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Why do the trains take so long to stop?

They don't.

[dfwcr8tive]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Why do the trains take so long to stop?

In that video? Because they were still testing the system/signals at that point.

This timing will be more typical when full service starts:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqPu9...eature=related

[dfwcr8tive]

Originally Posted by ThreeHundred

Why do the trains take so long to stop?

In that video? Because they were still testing the system/signals at that point.

This timing will be more typical when full service starts:

• Video Link

[dfwcr8tive]

Here is some information on the Green Line Station Art & Design Program:

http://www.dart.org/about/publicart/...tgreenline.asp



or VIEW THE PDF BROCHURE: http://www.dart.org/about/publicart/...ineArt2010.pdf

[electricron]

Originally Posted by electricron

I agree, it is disappointing, but you got to remember the northern sections of the Green Line parallels Stemmons Freeway about a mile to the east. So there was little high density buildings close to the tracks. Most high density buildings in Dallas are found much closer to the freeways. Never-the-less, the Southwest Medical Center and Parkland Hospital are planning major expansions near their new station.
The DART board is seriously considering charging for parking at the DART light rail stations. So all those parking lots could become new revenue sources.

Here's a recently released video showing how the new Parkland Hospital will appear.
• Video Link

Isn't it amazing what can fill an empty lot?

[dfwcr8tive]

Green Line service (and Lake Highlands Station on the Blue Line) began today!

New Green Line 'starts to complete' DART vision
09:08 AM CST on Sunday, December 5, 2010
By MICHAEL A. LINDENBERGER / The Dallas Morning News
mlindenberger@dallasnews.com
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcont...n.1bf8a3c.html

After nearly 30 years – and $7.4 billion in sales taxes collected – Texas' most ambitious experiment with public transit enters a new era Monday, when Dallas Area Rapid Transit trains begin running full-time on the new Green Line from southern Dallas all the way north to Carrollton.

The new line makes DART the largest light-rail system in the United States, an accomplishment that comes just a generation after the agency's creation. With larger trains, a longer route and stops at two of Dallas' largest medical centers, the $1.8 billion Green Line is more than just big: It begins to deliver on three decades of promises to make rail relevant throughout its service area.

"The Green Line really starts to complete the rail service" as envisioned in the 1980s, said DART president Gary Thomas, who has overseen the agency for nearly a decade. By connecting southeast Dallas, the Parkland hospital district, Love Field and beyond, "it really starts to complete the system."

...

INTERACTIVE MAP: http://www.dallasnews.com/database/2010/greenline.html



DART INFORMATION: http://www.dart.org/news/news.asp?id=942

[Busy Bee]

Why no integration between the hospital and the new station? All these skybridges going every which way except connecting to the station. Why? Seems painfully obvious to me.