 the offical newsletter of DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT - Winter 2008 |
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Ready for Blast Off
The Green Line is in "countdown" mode. A DART railcar (above) was a top attraction at the 2008 State Fair, showing fairgoers what's coming in less than a year. Meanwhile, work continues (below) at stations up and down the Green Line.  |
A massive public-works venture by any measure, the Green Line currently is the longest light rail project in the country, clocking in at 28 miles and $1.8 billion.
The first stage opening next September will link Dallas' swanky Victory Park neighborhood and its centerpiece American Airlines Center to the downtown transit mall, the colorful Deep Ellum arts and entertainment district, Baylor Medical Center, and historic Fair Park just in time to provide the first rail service to the State Fair of Texas in more than 50 years.
When the entire line powers up in December 2010, it will forge a new public transit pathway, connecting the northwestern cities of Carrollton, Farmers Branch and bustling Stemmons Corridor employment centers to the southeastern Pleasant Grove neighborhood where residents are expected to outnumber jobs 3-to-1 by 2030.
Along the way, rail stations will create vibrant new urban living enclaves, some of which are emerging even now. Additionally, Love Field Station will link air travelers to the entire DART Rail System, serving many of the metroplex's finest hotels and major attractions.
DART's Green Line currently is the longest light rail project in the country, clocking in at 28 miles and $1.8 billion.
Orange Line Ready to Roll As the Green Line races toward completion, activity is picking up on the Orange Line to Irving and D/FW Airport and the Blue Line extension to Rowlett. Bids from prospective design-build teams were due in November, and the contract is expected to be awarded sometime in early 2009. With the cost of construction materials continually rising, steel rail for the new lines has been ordered and will begin arriving soon. In addition, DART already has purchased 23 new Super Light Rail Vehicles (SLRVs) – with low floor sections for easy access – to serve the Orange Line when the first segment opens in 2011. |
An ambitious project? You bet, says Diane Gollhofer, DART's assistant vice president of Construction Management. "We've got 2,000 workers out there every day. Construction is in full swing, and we're on schedule and within budget."
"There's no doubt that this is a substantial investment in the future of our region," says DART President/Executive Director Gary Thomas. "Even before the first train whistles blow, the Green Line is paying big dividends through construction-related spending in the economy and multimillion-dollar investments in transit-oriented development."
"People can't wait for the Green Line to come to their neighborhoods," says Rosa Rosteet, a DART Community Affairs representative. "We've had hundreds of community meetings, and the neighborhoods have already developed a sense of ownership about the new stations and the Green Line project in general."
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