Media Relations Contact:
Morgan Lyons

May 17, 2001

Annual Report thanks voters, riders for record-setting year

"Yes" was the password for DART in Y2K

What's the most positive word in the English language? Yes, of course.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit 2000 Annual Report -- titled "YES 2000" - records the agency's success in a number of areas.

Voters in DART's 13 member cities said "Yes" to a $2.9-billion bond package for accelerating future rail extensions north to Carrollton, Farmers Branch, North Irving, DFW Airport, South Dallas, Fair Park, Pleasant Grove and Rowlett.

Commuters said "Yes" to public transit as systemwide ridership rose to a record-breaking 94.7 million passenger trips.

Forward-thinking developers said "Yes" to transit-oriented development, with more than $922 million worth of mixed-use projects completed or underway near existing rail stations by the end of the year. That's more than a dollar-for-dollar return on the public's $860-million investment in the 20-mile light rail starter system.

The report also contains an update on service expansion to Richardson and Garland in 2002 and Plano in 2003.

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