DART Light Rail is the
light rail system serving the metropolitan area of
Dallas
Dallas () is the List of municipalities in Texas, third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of metropolitan statistical areas, fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 ...
,
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
and is owned and operated by
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is a transit agency serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex of Texas. It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and twelve of its suburbs. In , the system had a ...
(DART). The DART Light Rail system opened June 14, 1996 and serves 65 stations and four lines, covering : the , the , the , and the .
In , the system had a ridership of , or about per weekday as of . That makes it the
5th highest ridership of light rail systems in the United States; however, it was one of the worst financial performers.
The system uses the
Kinki Sharyo SLRV ("Super Light Rail Vehicle") and the fleet of 163 vehicles was modified in the 2000s to add level boarding and higher passenger capacity.
, the following lines are active:
* (opened in 1996, completed in its current state in 2002)
* (opened in 1996, completed in its current state in 2016)
* (opened in 2009, completed in its current state in 2010)
* (opened in 2010, completed in its current state in 2021)
History
Planning
DART's initial plans called for of commuter rail. The election plan was pared down to when
Duncanville,
Grand Prairie and
Mesquite
Mesquite is a common name for several plants in the genus ''Prosopis'', which contains over 40 species of small leguminous trees. They are native to dry areas in the Americas.
They have extremely long roots to seek water from very far under grou ...
, which would have had rail lines, opted out of joining the agency. DART chose
light rail transit as its primary mode of rail transportation. The plan was pared down again to after a bond vote. After that vote, the agency again pared down the regional rail system to .
Starter system
After years of scandals involving finances, delays in construction of the rail system, a failed bond election, and nine pull-out votes (two of which were successful), October 1990 was a turning point for the agency, when DART first broke ground on its
light rail system. The first sections of track were laid in July 1993.
In June 1996, the light rail system began service on time and on budget inaugurating the first light rail system in
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
.
Commuter rail
Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting commuters to a central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter rail systems are con ...
service to
Irving began in December, after some delays.
To the surprise of critics, the new light rail system was embraced by Dallasites, with ridership exceeding expectations. The suburbs' confidence in DART was also expressed at the ballot box: four cities held highly publicized pullout elections in 1996 (with the financial assistance of
Dallas Cowboys
The Dallas Cowboys are a professional American football team based in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. The Cowboys compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East divisi ...
owner
Jerry Jones
Jerral Wayne Jones (born October 13, 1942) is an American businessman who has been the owner, president, and general manager of the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League (NFL) since February 1989.
Early life
Jones was born in Los Ange ...
who wanted DART's half-cent sales tax revenue for
Texas Stadium
Texas Stadium was an American football stadium located in Irving, Texas, a suburb west of Dallas. Opened on October 24, 1971, it was known for its distinctive hole in the roof, the result of abandoned plans to construct a retractable roof (Cowboy ...
in Irving, the Cowboys' home at the time), but all four voted to remain in DART (three of them by margins of more than two-to-one).
The starter system opened on June 14, 1996,
comprising the from the
Westmoreland Road in West Oak Cliff through
downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has tradit ...
to
Pearl Street, and the from Pearl Street to
Morrell Station and
Illinois Avenue.
The next stage of the starter line opened on January 10, 1997 when the was extended from
Pearl Station to
Park Lane Station. It includes the tunnel from Pearl Street to
Mockingbird Lane
''Mockingbird Lane'' is a 2012 American television special developed as a dark re-imagining of the 1960s CBS sitcom ''The Munsters''. It was developed for NBC by Bryan Fuller. The pilot episode aired on October 26, 2012, as a Halloween special, ...
, the latter being the site of Dallas's first modern
transit village
A transit village is a pedestrian-friendly mixed-use district or neighborhood oriented around the station of a high-quality transit system, such as rail or B.R.T. Often a civic square of public space abuts the train station, functioning as the hu ...
. The northern terminus of the remained
Pearl Station at that time.
The starter line was completed when the was extended from Illinois Station to
Ledbetter Drive. This came on May 31, 1997, nearly one year after the first part of the starter system opened.
The final change to the starter system came on December 18, 2000, when DART opened
Cityplace Station
Cityplace/Uptown station (formerly Cityplace station) is a DART Light Rail station located in Dallas, Texas. It is located beneath North Central Expressway (US 75) at Haskell Avenue in the Cityplace district. As an infill DART station, it opened ...
(now called
Cityplace/Uptown Station
Cityplace/Uptown station (formerly Cityplace station) is a DART Light Rail station located in Dallas, Texas. It is located beneath North Central Expressway (US 75) at Haskell Avenue in the Cityplace district. As an infill DART station, it opened ...
), the system's first subway station, in the tunnel between Pearl and Mockingbird Lane under the
Tower at Cityplace
The Cityplace Tower is a 42-story building located at 2711 North Haskell Avenue at North Central Expressway ( US 75) in the Cityplace district of Uptown Dallas, Texas ( USA). The building is tall and has of office space. It is also the tallest ...
skyscraper, providing access to the Tower as well as Cityplace West. It was the system's first in-fill stop.
Commuter rail on the old
Rock Island right-of-way began during the series of openings of the light rail starter system. On December 30, 1996, the opened the first segment as the
South Irving Transit Center was connected to
Union Station
A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...
in
downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has tradit ...
with a stop in the middle at
Medical/Market Center Station. The agency had to lease rail cars due to a delay in the current stock until that March.
Suburban expansion
After the success of the light rail starter system, voters approved DART's request to use long-term bonds to expedite the construction of the regional light rail system. While DART had originally planned single-track extensions of the Blue Line to
Garland
A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance.
Etymology
From the ...
and the Red Line to
Richardson
Richardson may refer to:
People
* Richardson (surname), an English and Scottish surname
* Richardson Gang, a London crime gang in the 1960s
* Richardson Dilworth, Mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962)
Places Australia
* Richardson, Australian Cap ...
and
Plano, the starter system was so popular that the agency made plans to double-track the entire route.
Work began on the extensions of both the and the on January 15, 1999. Later that same year, on September 27, the Blue Line designation was extended to Mockingbird Lane, for its eventual expansion to Garland.
The first station since 1997 to open came on September 24, 2001, when the was extended from
Mockingbird Station
SMU/Mockingbird station (originally Mockingbird station) is a DART Light Rail station in Dallas, Texas. It is located at Mockingbird Lane and North Central Expressway (US 75) in North Dallas. It opened in January 1997 and is a station on the Blu ...
to the new
White Rock. Later, the Blue Line was further extended east outside the
LBJ Loop when the
LBJ/Skillman Station opened on May 6, 2002.
The first extension of the Red Line opened on July 1, 2002, when the line was extended 7 stations north from a newly rebuilt
Park Lane Station to
Galatyn Parkway. Richardson became the first Dallas suburb to be served by light rail.
The Blue Line was completed to Garland on November 18, 2002, making it the second suburb to get light rail service. The two new stations of
Forest/Jupiter Station and
Downtown Garland Station
Downtown Garland station (formerly known as Garland Central Transit Center until 2002) is a DART Light Rail station located in Garland, Texas (USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. o ...
were opened to the public.
The final stage of north-central and northeast "suburban" light rail expansion opened six months ahead of schedule when the Red Line extension to
Downtown Plano and
Parker Road opened on December 9, 2002, providing light rail service to
Plano for the first time, and completing the current configuration of the Red Line.
2030 Plan
In October 2006, the DART Board of Directors unanimously approved a long-term "2030 Plan", which included the following proposals for its next round of rail expansion:
*A light rail extension of the to Bonnie View Road and
Interstate 20
Interstate 20 (I‑20) is a major east–west Interstate Highway in the Southern United States. I-20 runs beginning at an interchange with Interstate 10, I-10 in Scroggins Draw, Texas, and ending at an interchange with Interstate 95, I-95 in Flo ...
to a new
SouthPort
Southport is a seaside town in the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton in Merseyside, England. At the 2001 census, it had a population of 90,336, making it the eleventh most populous settlement in North West England.
Southport lies on the Irish ...
intermodal port in southeast Dallas.
*A light rail extension of the south to Red Bird Lane.
*A light rail extension of the along Scyene Road to approximately Masters Drive. The line would branch off the Green Line east of Lawnview Avenue.
*A light rail line in
West Dallas
West Dallas is an area consisting of many communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas, United States. West Dallas is the area bounded by Interstate 30 on the south, the Trinity River on the east and north, and the Trinity River's West Fork on ...
along Fort Worth Avenue or Singleton to
Loop 12
Loop 12 is a state highway that runs mostly within the city limits of Dallas, Texas. The western segment of the loop is named after General Walton Walker, who served and died in South Korea. During the 1950s and 1960s, Loop 12 was the outer be ...
/Jefferson Boulevard. No color designation was given for this planned line.
*A station for the
Lake Highlands
Lake Highlands is a neighborhood constituting most of Northeast Dallas. The neighborhood is a collection of dozens of subdivisions served by Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD public schools, as well as an array of private schools.
Geography
Overview ...
neighborhood of northeast Dallas on the , between
White Rock Station and
LBJ/Skillman Station. This area previously opposed rail service, so the tracks were built through the area without a station.
Lake Highlands
Lake Highlands is a neighborhood constituting most of Northeast Dallas. The neighborhood is a collection of dozens of subdivisions served by Richardson ISD and Dallas ISD public schools, as well as an array of private schools.
Geography
Overview ...
opened on December 6, 2010, becoming the first component of the 2030 plan to be completed and the first infill station in DART's system. This is a key component of the new Lake Highlands Town Center TOD development.
*A nearly
Silver Line commuter service in the east-west Cotton Belt corridor from the Red Line in Plano to
DFW International Airport. This line would provide rail service to the bus transfer station in
Addison
Addison may refer to:
Places Canada
* Addison, Ontario
United States
*Addison, Alabama
*Addison, Illinois
*Addison Street in Chicago, Illinois which runs by Wrigley Field
* Addison, Kentucky
*Addison, Maine
*Addison, Michigan
*Addison, New York
...
and would intersect the at Downtown Carrollton Station.
The final 2030 plan included several changes from the draft plan released in July 2006. Removed from the final plan was a branch of the from
Forest Lane Station to the
Addison Transit Center
Addison Transit Center is a bus-only station located along Quorum Drive and Addison Road in Addison, Texas (USA
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country prima ...
, which would have included several miles of subway under
Interstate 635. DART officials cited the line's high cost,
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
700 million, and lack of strong support from the city of Dallas. The extension to the Dallas Southport Center (intermodal terminal) was added after strong pressure from Dallas officials. Also, the proposed light rail line serving West Dallas was not originally considered as a priority for rail service.
The Cotton Belt corridor plans continued to generate controversy right up to the day of the vote on the 2030 plan. DART leaned toward
diesel
Diesel may refer to:
* Diesel engine, an internal combustion engine where ignition is caused by compression
* Diesel fuel, a liquid fuel used in diesel engines
* Diesel locomotive, a railway locomotive in which the prime mover is a diesel engin ...
powered commuter rail for the Cotton Belt corridor, similar to the . However, the line would pass through affluent Far North Dallas neighborhoods, which formed the Cotton Belt Concerned Coalition to fight the line in 1990. The group lobbied for electric light rail vehicles on the line to avoid perceived air and noise pollution associated with diesel rail, and also proposed that the line be placed in a below-ground trench. These proposals were accepted by the City of Dallas in June 2006 in a unanimous resolution. DART, however, balked at the cost of trenching the line, which they estimated at $250 million. This set up a confrontation between DART and the city of Dallas, which appoints eight of the board's 15 members. The final plan compromised by promising $50 million "to help address neighborhood concerns".
The current Cotton Belt freight corridor runs just south of the
Downtown Plano station
Downtown Plano station is a DART Light Rail station in Plano, Texas. It is located at the intersection of 15th Street and Avenue J and serves the and . It opened on December 9, 2002.
It is located at the historic Plano Station, which was onc ...
on the , but DART maps of the 2030 plan indicated that the commuter rail line would run to the nearby Bush Turnpike station, the nearest station to the south of downtown Plano. The Cotton Belt line would run through former DART member city
Coppell between Carrollton and DFW Airport; although no station locations are included in the plan, the promise of a future station could entice Coppell, which withdrew from DART in 1989, into rejoining the agency.
In 2010, citing deficits and drops in revenue, DART scrapped much of their 2030 plan.
Green and Orange Line expansion
On July 3, 2006, the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) approved a
US$
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
700 million Full Funding Grant Agreement (FFGA) — the largest grant ever awarded to DART — to kick-start a US$2.5 billion expansion of the light rail system. This phase included two new light rail lines that doubled DART's light rail mileage. Construction began in September 2006. Upon completion of the project in 2013, the size of DART's light rail system doubled to .
In maps before 2006, DART labeled the Pleasant Grove to Carrollton route the "Orange Line", and the Irving route was the "Purple Line". Green was generally used on DART maps to denote the route of the . By the time construction started, DART was using the new Green Line designation as part of its marketing efforts, saying "Like the color green, this line is a symbol of our city on the move."
The began operation on September 14, 2009, with a route from
downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has tradit ...
southeast to
Fair Park
Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of downtown. The area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the buildings were constructed for th ...
; this short route was scheduled to open in time to service the 2009
State Fair of Texas
The State Fair of Texas is an annual state fair held in Dallas at historic Fair Park. The fair has taken place every year since 1886 except for varying periods during World War I and World War II as well as 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It ...
. On December 6, 2010, the line extended further at both ends – to
Pleasant Grove, as well as continuing northwest from
Victory Station
Victory station is a mass transit station in Dallas, Texas. It serves Trinity Railway Express commuter rail line, DART Light Rail trains, and DART buses. Located along the Stemmons Corridor in the Uptown neighborhood, the station opened in 200 ...
to
Farmers Branch
Farmers Branch, officially the City of Farmers Branch, is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is an inner-ring suburb of Dallas and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its population was 28,616 at the 2010 census.
Known ...
and
Carrollton; both extensions, completing the Green Line.
The Green Line's northern end connects with the
A-train
is a series of business simulation video games developed and published by Japanese game developer Artdink in Japan. The first game in the series was published in 1985. The first release in the United States was ''Take the A-Train II'', published ...
line run by the
Denton County Transportation Authority
The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas. It operates transit service in three cities within Denton County, as well as the A-train, a regional commuter rail line to Carrollto ...
(DCTA).
This line connects
Denton to
Carrollton, with stops in
Lewisville and
Highland Village. The commuter train may stop in other
Denton County
Denton County is located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, its population was 906,422, making it the 7th-most populous county in Texas. The county seat is Denton. The county, which was named for John B. Denton, was establis ...
cities, should they choose to join the DCTA.
The second line, the originates at LBJ/Central on the Red Line and runs concurrently with the Red Line to downtown, then with the Green Line to northwest of
Love Field Airport
Dallas Love Field is a city-owned public airport northwest of downtown Dallas, Texas., effective April 10, 2008 It was Dallas' main airport until 1974 when Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) opened. Love Field covers an area of a ...
at
Bachman Lake, where it branches off toward
Irving, then continuing to
DFW International Airport. DART is cooperating with Love Field to link that airport to the Orange Line, but service is currently connected by a bus shuttle. The line runs through
Las Colinas and connects to the
Las Colinas APT System
The Las Colinas Area Personal Transit System is a people mover system that serves the Las Colinas area of Irving, a suburb of Dallas, Texas. The system has four passenger stations and a maintenance & control center, and is run by two cars, one ...
. DART had preliminary plans for the to run concurrently with the from
downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has tradit ...
to
LBJ/Central Station. The line ends at
LBJ/Central Station with rush hour service to
Parker Road Station
Parker Road station is a DART Light Rail station in Plano, Texas
Plano ( ) is a city in Collin County and Denton County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 285,494 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Dallas–Fort ...
. The first Orange Line stations opened on July 30, 2012, while service to
Belt Line Station in Irving began on December 3, 2012. An extension of the Orange Line from Belt Line Station to
DFW Airport Station
DFW Airport Terminal A is a transit station located at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It offers service on the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, DART light rail service. It is the connection point to the TEXRail system and a future connectio ...
opened on August 18, 2014.
Downtown Dallas (D2) Transit Study
In 2007, DART recognized that with Blue and Red Line trains sharing tracks through the
Dallas Central Business District corridor, and the Orange and Green Lines also using this trunk segment through downtown, a single alignment would not have the capacity to support all four rail lines. Under a 1990 agreement with the City of Dallas, DART agreed to build a second rail alignment through downtown once certain operating or ridership figures were met, and DART projected that it would hit these targets by the early 2010s. As a result, DART commissioned its Downtown Dallas Transit Study, known as the D2 Study, to study the possibility of building a second rail alignment through downtown.
In spring 2008, DART announced it had considered 16 possible plans for a second rail alignment, and selected four for more detailed consideration. All four proposals provided for an alignment between
Victory Station
Victory station is a mass transit station in Dallas, Texas. It serves Trinity Railway Express commuter rail line, DART Light Rail trains, and DART buses. Located along the Stemmons Corridor in the Uptown neighborhood, the station opened in 200 ...
and
Deep Ellum Station, indicating the D2 alignment would be used for Green and Orange Line service while the Red and Blue Lines would continue to use the existing alignment. However, on April 27, 2010, DART announced financial problems would prevent it from funding construction of the D2 alignment, putting the plan in limbo.
After a three-year hiatus, DART announced on February 6, 2013 that it would begin holding public hearings on "Phase II" of the D2 study, to discuss alternatives and refinements to its D2 options since it ended "Phase I" of the D2 study in 2010. At a public hearing on February 13, 2013, DART announced it was expanding to consider eight possible D2 alignments, some of which would connect to Union Station instead of Victory Station and thus provide Red and Blue Line service.
While the D2 Study is being funded by a $700,000 grant, the $500 million to $1 billion alignment is unfunded, and construction is not expected to begin before 2025.
In August 2015, the Dallas City Council voted to only recommend an alignment above-ground along Jackson Street, over the objections of DART officials, who requested the addition of a Young Street route as a fallback. The alignment along Young Street was opposed by the
First Presbyterian Church of Dallas
First Presbyterian Church of Dallas is a historic congregation at 1835 Young Street in the Farmers Market District of downtown Dallas, Texas ( USA). The current building is a contributing property in the Harwood Street Historic District and a Da ...
, as the light rail would run through its property. However, the church and local residents, along with structural issues (the local library would have to be demolished, and many historic buildings would be close to or within the path of the line), helped to form an opposition to the new Jackson locally preferred alternative (LPA). Due to this, the City of Dallas voted against the Jackson alignment and instead for the alignment to be in a subway for the majority of its time in downtown. This led DART to have to reconsider the alignment, and also balance funding for the
Silver Line, which created tension between supporters of both rail lines, who believed that only one of the two could be built. However, DART eventually voted in favor of eventually funding the Cotton Belt and D2.
DART is considering three alignments, all of which are underground for a majority of their routes. A decision will be made by 2018 as to which route will be pitched to the FTA, although city leaders have endorsed the Commerce subway route (along with a downtown streetcar design) to move forward into consideration.
Platform extensions
![NL College DART Station](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/NL_College_DART_Station.jpg)
To allow for more capacity the "platform extensions" will be completed before tunneling on the D2 corridor starts. This project allows for three-car trains during rush hour. There are 28 stations on the red and blue line that will be rebuilt at an estimated cost of $129 million. The planning for the platform extensions started in 2014 and the construction was approved in 2017. Regular operation of three-car trains is expected for 2022. In March 2018 the contract was awarded to Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam (LAN). Construction started in July 2019 to be finished in August 2022.
Apart from capacity the project allows for barrier-free access to trains even on the oldest lines of the network. The platforms will be raised to the floor height of the low-floor middle section of the SLRV trains. This concept allows to get half of the funding from the Teax Mobility Funds. Almost another half of the funding comes from federal resources leaving mostly the planning costs to DART, which is below ten million.
The project has accordingly two phases. In the first phase the platforms are raised by on their existing length. In the second phase the platforms are extended from their original to accommodate long trains. A common street-level station will have side platforms of length with a raised boarding area of . At each end crossings and ramps are built.
The Orange and Green Lines had been constructed to that standard from the beginning. However they could not use that length in regular operation.
The platform extensions were part of the initial planning of system with reserved space on each station since the 1980s.
However, this concept was expecting a possibility of four-car trains with the LRV type vehicles of the time. The newer SRLV have that length with three-car trains already. The raised and underground stations had been constructed at from the beginning but it is a higher effort to rebuild them to a raised platform in the first phase due to existing stairs.
Current lines
Red Line
![DART Downtown Plano Station 2009-11-23](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/06/DART_Downtown_Plano_Station_2009-11-23.JPG)
The runs from southwest to northeast, from
Westmoreland Station, in southwest Dallas, to
Parker Road Station
Parker Road station is a DART Light Rail station in Plano, Texas
Plano ( ) is a city in Collin County and Denton County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 285,494 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Dallas–Fort ...
in
Plano. Heading north from Westmoreland, the line provides service to
Dallas Convention Center
The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCCD) (formerly Dallas Convention Center) is a convention center in the Convention Center District of downtown Dallas, Texas.
The "Dallas Memorial Auditorium" was a standalone multipurpose arena, de ...
,
Union Station
A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...
, and the
Dallas Central Business District, then follows
Central Expressway (
US 75
U.S. Route 75 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that extends in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is in Noyes, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it once continued as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side o ...
) through
north Dallas
North Dallas is an area of numerous communities and neighborhoods in Dallas, Texas (United States). The phrase "North Dallas" is also sometimes used to include any suburb or exurb north of Dallas proper within the metropolitan area. The majority of ...
,
Richardson
Richardson may refer to:
People
* Richardson (surname), an English and Scottish surname
* Richardson Gang, a London crime gang in the 1960s
* Richardson Dilworth, Mayor of Philadelphia (1956-1962)
Places Australia
* Richardson, Australian Cap ...
and
Plano.
Blue Line
The runs from southwest to northeast,
UNT Dallas, in southwest Dallas, to
Downtown Rowlett Station in
Rowlett. Heading north from UNT Dallas, the line provides service to
Dallas Convention Center
The Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center (KBHCCD) (formerly Dallas Convention Center) is a convention center in the Convention Center District of downtown Dallas, Texas.
The "Dallas Memorial Auditorium" was a standalone multipurpose arena, de ...
,
Union Station
A union station (also known as a union terminal, a joint station in Europe, and a joint-use station in Japan) is a railway station at which the tracks and facilities are shared by two or more separate railway companies, allowing passengers to ...
, and the
Dallas Central Business District, then turns northeast, providing service to
White Rock Lake
White Rock Lake is a reservoir located in north-east Dallas, Texas (United States). The lake was formed by damming White Rock Creek, which today widens into the lake before continuing south out of the spillway and emptying into the Trinity Rive ...
,
Garland
A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance.
Etymology
From the ...
, and
Rowlett.
Green Line
The runs from
Buckner Station, near
Loop 12
Loop 12 is a state highway that runs mostly within the city limits of Dallas, Texas. The western segment of the loop is named after General Walton Walker, who served and died in South Korea. During the 1950s and 1960s, Loop 12 was the outer be ...
in southeast Dallas, to
North Carrollton/Frankford Station in
Carrollton in the northwest. Heading north from Buckner, the line serves
Fair Park
Fair Park is a recreational and educational complex in Dallas, Texas, United States, located immediately east of downtown. The area is registered as a Dallas Landmark and National Historic Landmark; many of the buildings were constructed for th ...
,
Deep Ellum
Deep Ellum is an American neighborhood composed largely of arts and entertainment venues near downtown in East Dallas, Texas. The name is based on a corruption of the area's principal thoroughfare, Elm Street. Older alternative uses include De ...
, and the
Dallas Central Business District, then turns northwest along the
Interstate 35E (Texas)
Interstate 35E (I-35E), an Interstate Highway, is the eastern half of I-35, where it splits to serve the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E, at Hillsboro. I-35E travels north for , m ...
corridor, serving the
American Airlines Center
The American Airlines Center (AAC) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Victory Park neighborhood in downtown Dallas, Texas. The arena serves as the home of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association and the Dallas S ...
,
Parkland Hospital
Parkland often refers to a park.
Parkland or Parklands may also refer to:
Geography
* Aspen parkland, a biome transitional between prairie and boreal forest (taiga)
* Landscaped parkland, a managed rural area associated with European country hous ...
,
Love Field,
Farmers Branch
Farmers Branch, officially the City of Farmers Branch, is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is an inner-ring suburb of Dallas and is part of the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its population was 28,616 at the 2010 census.
Known ...
, and
Carrollton, where a transfer is available to the
A-train
is a series of business simulation video games developed and published by Japanese game developer Artdink in Japan. The first game in the series was published in 1985. The first release in the United States was ''Take the A-Train II'', published ...
line run by the
Denton County Transportation Authority
The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas. It operates transit service in three cities within Denton County, as well as the A-train, a regional commuter rail line to Carrollto ...
(DCTA).
Orange Line
The runs between
Parker Road Station
Parker Road station is a DART Light Rail station in Plano, Texas
Plano ( ) is a city in Collin County and Denton County, Texas, United States. It had a population of 285,494 at the 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Dallas–Fort ...
in
Plano and
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , also known as DFW Airport, is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas Region in the U.S. state of Texas.
It is the largest hub for American Air ...
. The Orange Line duplicates the Red Line along the
Central Expressway (
US 75
U.S. Route 75 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that extends in the central United States. The highway's northern terminus is in Noyes, Minnesota, at the Canadian border, where it once continued as Manitoba Highway 75 on the other side o ...
) corridor from Parker Road to the
Dallas Central Business District, then follows the Green Line along the
Interstate 35E (Texas)
Interstate 35E (I-35E), an Interstate Highway, is the eastern half of I-35, where it splits to serve the Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area. I-35 splits into two branch routes, I-35W and I-35E, at Hillsboro. I-35E travels north for , m ...
corridor, serving the
American Airlines Center
The American Airlines Center (AAC) is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Victory Park neighborhood in downtown Dallas, Texas. The arena serves as the home of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association and the Dallas S ...
,
Parkland Hospital
Parkland often refers to a park.
Parkland or Parklands may also refer to:
Geography
* Aspen parkland, a biome transitional between prairie and boreal forest (taiga)
* Landscaped parkland, a managed rural area associated with European country hous ...
, and
Love Field, before branching west along the
Highway 114 corridor to
Irving. The final leg of the Orange Line from
Belt Line to DFW Airport opened on August 18, 2014.
Operation
The DART light rail system operates seven days a week from 4:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. On each individual line, service operates Monday through Friday every 15 minutes during commute periods and every 20 minutes middays and early evening, while operating every 30 minutes after approximately 10 p.m. On Saturday and Sunday, service operates every 20 minutes between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., and every 30 minutes early morning and at night. Portions of the system have headways cut in half where at least two lines share rail tracks, with all four lines which converge in downtown Dallas along the Pacific Avenue/Bryan Street corridor commanding headways of 3.5 minutes at the most to 5–7 minutes at the least.
Accidents and incidents
* On March 1, 2014 one person died after a train and a car collided.
* On June 30, 2014 a man died after an accident at
Bachman Station.
* On December 19, 2020 two people were injured after a derailment in
Downtown Dallas
Downtown Dallas is the central business district (CBD) of Dallas, Dallas, Texas, United States, located in the geographic center of the city. It is the second-largest business district in the state of Texas. The area termed "Downtown" has tradit ...
.
* On October 16, 2021 a person died after being hit by a train near the
Farmers Branch station
Farmers Branch station (formerly Farmers Branch Park & Ride) is a DART Light Rail station in Farmers Branch, Texas
Farmers Branch, officially the City of Farmers Branch, is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. It is an inner-ring subur ...
.
See also
*
List of DART Light Rail stations
DART Light Rail is a light rail Public transport, mass transit system operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit, serving portions of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Texas, United States. The network consists of sixty-five stations on four lines: Blue ...
*
Dallas Streetcar
The Dallas Streetcar is a modern streetcar line in Dallas, Texas. It is owned by the city of Dallas and operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit, which also operates Dallas's DART Light Rail system. Construction on the line began in May 2013,''Tra ...
*
McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority (MATA), a non-profit organization, operates the M-line Trolley in Dallas, Texas (USA). The offices and car barn are located at 3153 Oak Grove, Dallas, TX 75204. In operation since 1989, it is an example of ...
*
Light rail in the United States
Light rail in the United States is a mode of rail-based transport, usually urban in nature. When compared to heavy rail systems like commuter rail or rapid transit (subway), light rail systems are typically designed to carry fewer passengers and ...
*
List of United States light rail systems by ridership
The following is a list of all light rail systems in the United States, ranked by ridership. Also included are those urban streetcar/trolley systems that are providing regular public transit service (i.e. operating year-round and at least five ...
*
List of tram and light rail transit systems
The following is a list of cities that have current tram/streetcar (including heritage trams/heritage streetcars), or light rail systems as part of their regular public transit systems. In other words, this list only includes systems which ...
References
External links
Official siteOfficial site (Spanish Language)System MapExpansion Plan MapDART History
{{Dallas
Light Rail
Railway lines opened in 1996
Rail transportation in Dallas
Transportation in Dallas County, Texas
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
Passenger rail transportation in Texas
Light rail in Texas
Electric railways in Texas
Standard gauge railways in the United States
750 V DC railway electrification
1996 establishments in Texas