Economic Development Tool, High Speed Rail, & UNT Dallas Stop

News & Updates

March 8, 2024 Issue

Calculate the Economic Impact of Transit

TCNT is hosting a webinar on a tool that DART uses to determine the economic impact of transit facilities. TTI's Brianne Glover will lead the discussion on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at 1:00 PM. This is a Teams Webinar, and you must register by clicking on the "Register Now!" button to receive the link. The event is free of charge.

UNT Dallas Gets New DART Station, Plans Future Growth

ntdaily.com

Dallas Area Rapid Transit opened a new train station at UNT Dallas Monday as part of their blue line extension. The two new stops, UNT Dallas and Camp Wisdom, extend three miles from Ledbetter station.

The train runs every day starting around 4 a.m. and goes until around 1 a.m. the next day. The train comes every 20 to 30 minutes and has connecting services to bus 415 to Ledbetter. The station was fully funded by DART along with a parking lot with 475 spaces.

Ashley Johnson, UNT Dallas spokeswoman, said having the station nearby will help provide additional access to the university for thousands of students throughout North Texas.

“There will definitely be a significant increase in the number of students who take DART now that it comes to campus”, Johnson said. “Because up until now you had to take a bus to a train to get home. This is going to simplify that for a lot of students.”

Dallas-Fort Worth Could be "First True High-Speed Corridor"

axios.com

Travelers could get from Fort Worth to Houston in two hours if two proposed high-speed rail projects come to fruition.

Why it matters: A bullet train connecting Dallas to Houston would create the "first true high-speed corridor" in the country, per Amtrak officials.

A separate high-speed train connecting Fort Worth and Dallas would be transformational to both cities and open fast travel opportunities within Texas and to other states.

Between the lines: Dallas city leaders support a bullet train to Houston but expressed skepticism about the logistics of high-speed rail to Cowtown.

They said an above-ground train through downtown could alter the city's appearance and derail other projects, including redevelopment planned around the new convention center.

The big picture: The federal government is pledging a massive investment in passenger trains, earmarking $8.2 billion for high-speed rail and other projects nationwide.

The funding could finally bring to fruition the long-dreamed-of but recently dead-in-the-water bullet train between Dallas and Houston.

The latest: Amtrak officials briefed the Dallas City Council this week on what's next for the proposed high-speed rail project, and regional transportation officials urged council members to support a connection along Interstate 30 to Fort Worth.

The projects would be developed separately but could ultimately connect Fort Worth to Houston via fast rail.

Artist Reunites With Model During Anniversary of Black History Mural in Fort Worth

fortworthreport.org

Two decades ago, Wardell Whitley modeled for artist Paula Louise Blincoe. She used him as a reference point for a mural depicting Fort Worth’s Black history.

They recently reunited at the anniversary of the Historic Wall at Fort Worth Central Station. They laughed as they reminisced about the time they spent over three weeks capturing every angle of Whitley needed for the art piece.

Transit Briefs: Minn. Met Council, DART

railwayage.com

CPKC has resumed freight rail service in Plano and Richardson, Tex., according to DART, which has advanced its Silver Line project to make rerouting unnecessary.

In July 2022, DART and Kansas City Southern, which merged with Canadian Pacific to form CPKC in 2023, agreed to cease freight operations to allow for major construction work by DART’s design-build contractor, Archer Western Herzog.

The return of freight operations will affect 12 at-grade crossings in Plano and two in Richardson. New signage, warning systems, and existing crossing signals were tested and operational before freight trains returned March 3.

A High-Speed Train from Dallas to Fort Worth? Not So Fast

bizjournals.com

A proposed high-speed rail line connecting Dallas and Fort Worth is still far from a done deal.

The train could connect the two population and business centers of the Metroplex, with an elevated portion running through downtown Dallas — and potentially connect to a station in the Cedars where passengers could catch another high-speed train to Houston.

In concert, this would mean the transformation of recreational and business travel in the state. But what has become clear in recent days is that powerful forces are still aligned against the idea. How that debate shapes up in the coming weeks and months could have ramifications for years to come on transportation and economic development in the Metroplex.

Plans for the Dallas-to-Fort-Worth route are still being formed but here are the basics: The 30-mile route would have three stops, including in Arlington. A cost hasn't been finalized but it could be north of $6 billion, North Central Texas Council of Governments Director of Transportation Michael Morris estimated in a March 6 briefing to Dallas City Council.

Public- and private-sector concerns surfaced this week that could derail the project, especially surrounding plans for an elevated station in Dallas. Fort Worth would get a rail station underneath its downtown and Arlington would get a subway line near its entertainment district.

Dallas-based Hunt Realty Investments Inc. raised concerns that an elevated train would disrupt plans for its $5 billion development vision near the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The proposed train line would cut through 20-plus acres owned by Hunt near Reunion Tower, where the firm has proposed a mix of residential, hotel and retail construction.

Multiple North Texas Agencies Offered Free Rides to the Polls on Election Day

wfaa.com

As Texas voters head to the polls for Super Tuesday, transit agencies want to make sure transportation is available for free.

In fact, several public transit agencies are offering free rides to the polls.

Across North Texas, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) and Trinity Metro have all confirmed to WFAA that they will have free rides to the polls on Election Day.

Transit Coalition of North Texas

TransitNorthTexas.org