Transit/Pensions in Dallas, Fort Worth's Eastside Seeing Progress, & High Speed Rail

News & Updates

May 17, 2024 Issue

TCNT Annual Luncheon, September 20, 2024

Registration is Open!

The Transit Coalition of North Texas is hosting its annual luncheon on September 20, on the State of Transit. We will hear a report on the TxDOT Multimodal Plan and the results of a TTI economic impact analysis of transit.

DART is Not a Piggy Bank to Solve Dallas’ Pension Woes

dallasnews.com

Editorial

Dallas Area Rapid Transit has its problems, ranging from badly maintained stations, homelessness on trains and infrequent service in some neighborhoods. But the transit agency has a plan to improve bus frequency and recently invested in teams to clean stations, more fare enforcement officers, and paramedics to deal with mentally ill riders. As more people move to our region, DART’s success in attracting new riders will be essential to helping Dallas reduce road congestion and maintenance costs.

That’s why some Dallas City Council members’ idea to reduce the city’s sales tax contribution to DART by 25% to help cover a $3 billion shortfall in the police and fire pension fund is wrong-headed. Dallas is one of 13 municipalities that DART serves, but nearly three-quarters of its riders are residents of Dallas. Half of all DART riders don’t have access to their own vehicle. The city needs to solve the pension issue, but it has a separate, longstanding responsibility to DART and ultimately Dallas residents who rely on public transportation to get to work.

Other Article:

Dallas City Council could consider diverting DART funding to address pension crisis

High-speed Rail Crucial to Keeping North Texas Booming, Arlington is Ready to Help | Opinion

star-telegram.com

Jim Ross is mayor of Arlington.

The future isn’t just approaching; it’s here. In 2023, the Dallas-Fort Worth area topped the nation in population growth and secured the second spot for job creation, welcoming more than 152,598 residents and adding more than 154,000 jobs, as reported by the U.S. Census and federal employment data.

This rapid expansion underscores an immediate need for innovative solutions. Situated at the heart of this growth, Arlington is ready to be a committed partner, making the high-speed rail project connecting Dallas, Arlington and Fort Worth not just an ambitious vision, but a present-day necessity.

The rapid increase in population and continued job growth in our region are a call to action. We must ensure that our infrastructure can provide safe and efficient mobility options to support our needs. The rail project is more than a transportation solution; it’s a strategic response to the here and now — our current growth and the opportunities it presents.

Last year, DFW’s job growth ranked second only to the New York City area, highlighting the robust economic vitality of our region. High-speed rail stands to propel this growth further by improving access between our cities within the region and creating new opportunities for growth and collaboration. With the potential connection to other high speed rail lines in Texas, creating never-before seen economic opportunities.

The rail line means direct access to a larger workforce, new businesses and additional tourists for all of North Texas. It’s an investment in our economic future, starting now.

Eastside Resident is Hopeful About Future as Seeds of Change Take Root

fortworthreport.org

Benjamin Robertson, TM Board

Full disclosure, I grew up in north Arlington, only 9 miles from where I have spent my adult life.

But it is important to understand that I spent a few years outside of Fort Worth. I also spent a year in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and three years in Washington, D.C. That’s significant because, even though I am a fifth-generation Fort Worth resident who has lived on the east side of Fort Worth for two decades now, I have experienced what it is like to live in a few types of communities and embraced the lessons learned from those years to help shape all things that Fort Worth is and can be.

In my observation, the Eastside has felt like it was the forgotten part of our city for entirely too long. I would argue that narrative is slowly changing. I like to tell people we are the undiscovered part of our amazing city. If you can imagine a still-forming seedling about to break through the crust to begin its journey as an amazing oak, that is how I view the Eastside.

...

Another important win for my community is the recently opened and absolutely gorgeous Trinity Lakes Station for Trinity Metro’s TRE Line. This represents the first piece of a major transit-oriented development on Trinity Boulevard and Interstate 820. I may be a little biased as a member of the Trinity Metro board of directors, but as someone who has seen what a fully interconnected transit system can do while living in D.C, I know an imperative it is that we, as a city, county and state invest in transit and multimodal connectivity such as this project. The current belief is for every $1 spent on transit-oriented development in our community, over $3 comes back in economic development and community investment.

North Texas High-Speed Rail Planners Look at Private Company as Route Forward

fortworthreport.org

Transportation planners in North Texas continue their efforts to bring high-speed rail to the area, a system that would link Dallas and Fort Worth via Arlington and push south to Houston.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments held a public meeting Monday at which its planners detailed the status of high-speed rail in the region as well as the status of efforts to control air quality problems that have affected DFW for decades.

Irving Infrastructure Summit is Back!

infrastructuresummit.org

The City of Irving and the North Texas Commission have teamed up to bring back the Infrastructure Summit. This comprehensive event will span a full day and a half, featuring a celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Regional Transportation Council (RTC), and showcasing panel discussions dedicated to addressing crucial infrastructure vital for sustaining the region's growth.

When: Thursday, August 8 – Friday, August 9, 2024

Where: Irving Convention Center at Las Colinas (500 W. Las Colinas Blvd)

Hosted by: The City of Irving and the North Texas Commission

More Information

Transit Coalition of North Texas

TransitNorthTexas.org