MAY 2024

Hello Community Partners: The DART System includes many incredible stations nestled in the heart of thriving mixed-use districts. Our stations at SMU/Mockingbird, Farmers Branch, and the downtowns of Plano, Garland, Carrollton, and Rowlett helped spur economic growth and reshape the landscape in each of those areas. In Richardson, DART Rail catalyzed the transformation of empty greenfields into live-work-play communities. In Addison, the town built its transit-oriented Addison Circle development many years before its Silver Line rail station began to take shape. At Trinity Mills Station, the city of Carrollton and DART are collaborating with private developers to transform 25 acres of vacant parking lots into a vibrant destination with welcoming public spaces. These are just a few of the success stories across the DART System. DART staff, as well as our current and former board members, have a lot to be proud of as we close in on completion of nearly 100 passenger facilities in our system. We also have so much to be excited about with the next phase of place-based developments that can spur transformative change for the cities that we serve. Two goals in our forthcoming agency strategic plan – Fantastic Spaces and Strategic Partnerships – work hand in hand. Our vision of transforming transit facilities into community gathering spaces will come to life as we collaborate with stakeholders to understand how best to integrate their needs into our planning. We can draw inspiration from grand stations and plazas of past eras in London, New York, and elsewhere around the globe. We aspire to build on our successes and continue developing beautiful places that draw residents and visitors together. This edition of our newsletter includes: More of my thoughts on our strategic plan goal to create “fantastic spaces.” A profile of Randall Bryant, the newest member of the DART Board of Directors who represents the City of Dallas. A city spotlight on University Park, including DART’s partnership with SMU. We are ready to work together to explore new ways to ensure a prosperous future for North Texas.

‌ President & Chief Executive Officer Dallas Area Rapid Transit LeadingMobility@DART.org

Transit Facilities Can Transform into Fantastic Spaces When I think of magnificent transit locations outside of the Dallas region, the stations of the London Underground immediately come to mind. In fact, the London Underground Station Design Idiom is one of the most thoughtful and compelling set of design principles I have ever seen, and I hope to adopt concepts from it for the work we do here at DART. The London Underground’s Idiom emphasized the importance of good design in transit facilities, and how the care we put into our infrastructure from start to finish speaks volumes about our attitudes toward our riders. Making travel easier and more enjoyable instills confidence in our work as a transit agency. I admire Transport for London’s focus on the customer experience and how they put their riders at the heart of every design and maintenance decision. The Idiom further addresses how stations should be integrated into the places where riders are going and underscores the need for the station and surrounding areas to support each other. In that spirit, the DART strategic plan goal to create “fantastic spaces” is focused on activating DART’s assets and making them more productive for the riders, communities, and cities we serve.  Click here to learn more about ways DART and stakeholders can work together to make transit facilities more valuable to the communities they serve.

DART Board Director Spotlight – Randall Bryant This month, we introduce the newest member of the DART Board of Directors – Randall Bryant. The Dallas City Council appointed Randall to the board in late March. Randall is the founder and chief executive officer of Politics United Marketing, a firm that supports campaigns and referendums on the local, state, and federal level. He is also currently the chair of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, which serves as an advocate for the creation, growth, and general welfare of African American businesses in the Dallas community. Click here to learn more about how Director Bryant’s care for our community motivates him to serve on the DART Board.

City Spotlight: University Park Each month, we will spotlight a city in the DART Service Area and the service that   DART provides. The City of University Park celebrated its centennial anniversary on April 12, 2024, honoring 100 years of incorporation. City leaders named this primarily residential municipality for its largest institution, Southern Methodist University. Since the 1940s, the population and area of University Park have remained stable in the range of 23,000 to 25,000 residents and 3.7 square miles. Dallas surrounds the city on three sides and the Town of Highland Park borders to the south. Click here to learn more about DART’s service in the City of University Park.

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