TxDOT Says We Need More Transit, DCTA is Taking Off & More

News & Updates

November 14, 2025 Issue

Car-Dominant Texas Needs More Public Transit to Meet Mobility Demands, TxDOT Report Says

texastribune.org

The state agency in charge of building Texas’ massive highways says Texans need more ways to get around if the state’s going to continue to grow — a stunning acknowledgment in car-dominant Texas.

A draft of the first-of-its-kind Texas Department of Transportation plan released in October outlines the need for boosted public transportation in rural and smaller urban areas as well as a greater array of travel options, including rail, between the state’s major urban centers.

Texas, the report acknowledges, needs a variety of ways for people to get around the state without a car to help absorb that growth. Texas is projected to add more than 9 million residents by 2050. The number of drivers on the road has vastly outpaced the state’s ability to build highway capacity. Meanwhile, there’s generational forces afoot. Millennials and Zoomers in the state’s major urban areas want more transit options, while older Texans in rural parts of the state may increasingly need it owing to the rising cost of car ownership.

“We have almost 32 million Texans, millions of (jobs), thousands of companies locating to Texas in droves, headquarters, etc.,” said Caroline Mays, TxDOT’s director of planning and modal programs. “The fundamental need is, how do we address mobility needs for this growing Texas?”

Another Article

Can DART Survive a Mutiny? Voters in Key Cities Could Decide the Transit System’s Fate

dallasnews.com

Just seven months ago, Dallas Area Rapid Transit officials were warning of an impending financial catastrophe if state lawmakers significantly reduced the sales taxes cities contribute to fund the transit system.

That effort faltered and some cities are now considering pulling out altogether, potentially siphoning away nearly a third of the roughly $850 million DART receives annually in sales taxes from 13 member cities.

Four of those North Texas city councils chose this week to let voters decide next spring if they would exit DART, a move that could jeopardize the state’s largest public transportation system with a potentially fatal funding cut. The cuts could imperil an agency that is already fraught with budget and service concerns after its attempts to appease dissatisfied suburban member cities failed.

Citing concerns with service and costs, and after advocating for legislation to change DART’s funding and governance, residents of Plano, Irving, Farmers Branch and Highland Park will now vote next year on whether it’s worth contributing to the system.

If the measures pass and cities withdraw, service would stop in those cities the next day, DART communications chief Jeamy Molina said. DART’s bus routes, light rail and paratransit would cease operations.

DCTA Connections Improving Accessibility for Denton County

crosstimbersgazette.com

Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) now provides an easy transportation option for Denton County residents traveling to DFW International Airport, thanks to Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)’s recent launch of the Silver Line. The connection between the A-train and the DART Silver Line makes it more accessible for locals to reach one of the busiest airports in the country without the trouble of driving or steep parking fees.

“With the A-train connecting to the DART Green Line at Trinity Mills, and a short trip to Downtown Carrollton to board the Silver Line, we have reached a significant milestone in improving public transit options for our member cities,” said Paul Cristina, CEO of DCTA. “We are excited to be part of a regional transit system that offers Denton County a sustainable transportation option to reach DFW Airport.”

With the new service, a trip starting at Highland Village/Lewisville Lake Station connecting to the Green Line and then the Silver Line to DFW Terminal B would only cost $12 one-way on a regional, single-day pass.

In contrast, parking costs at DFW range from $14 to $32 per day, and some require taking a shuttle to the terminal, which can add unnecessary stress. DCTA is pleased to be part of a transit solution that provides travelers with options.

As DART Faces Funding Challenges, TxDOT Plan Calls for More Public Transit Investment

keranews.org

Transportation leaders in North Texas say a new state report shows greater investment in public transit is essential to address the region’s rapid population growth — and the traffic woes that come with it.

The Texas Department of Transportation’s draft Statewide Multimodal Transit Plan shows 1 in 3 Texans surveyed say there is a need to expand public transit in both rural and urban areas as congestion and growth pose greater challenges to mobility.

Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, told KERA the region only has so much room left to build for highways.

“Once you hit a regional population of around 8 million, you're largely finishing out your freeways and our toll roads," Morris said. "We are basically finishing that up."

North Texas is expected to grow to about 12 million people by 2050. Morris said while transit and roadway improvements are two solutions to traffic congestion, state policymakers will also need to start focusing more on land use.

"How to build in Old Town Lewisville, how to build in downtown Denton, how to increase density in Mansfield to support real improvements in the future," Morris said. "The state needs to think about other transportation investments on the inner city side to help with regard to taking off the top of the roadway volumes and maybe give more of its roadway capacity to goods movement."

Stop Six Could Connect with Cultural District Through Proposed Bus Extension

fortworthreport.org

Fort Worth’s residents to the east and south could have a direct transit connection to the Cultural District come January.

Trinity Metro officials are proposing an extension of Route 4 that would mean hundreds of residents, including those in the Stop Six area, could ride a bus directly to Fort Worth museums, Dickies Arena, UNT Health Fort Worth, and nearby restaurants and shops along West 7th Street.

The change, if approved by the transit agency’s board of directors at a Nov. 17 meeting, would start in January.

Route 4 — which had about 450 daily riders in September — would move from a 15-minute schedule to run every 30 minutes under the proposal.

Trinity Metro officials said the change would add more transit options for residents.

“With Route 4’s extension down Rosedale (Street) and up Montgomery Street, riders can travel more easily between Fort Worth’s major hospitals and the Cultural District,” Tara Crawford, vice president of planning, said in a statement. She added, “This change strengthens east-west connectivity and creates a more seamless link between key community hubs.”

Transit Coalition of North Texas

TransitNorthTexas.org