The Silver Line Community Engagement team is here to update you on the project and answer any questions you may have. Our goal is to keep you informed about what is going on in your city, with the Silver Line, and with DART overall.
To check out the most frequently asked Silver Line questions, gather project facts specific to your area, or learn about the latest community engagement events or progress in your community, see below:
The DART Silver Line is a 26-mile regional rail service that traverses seven cities – Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson, and Plano – with a final connection at DFW Airport. The Silver Line crosses three counties (Collin, Dallas, Tarrant) and provides a service that will improve accessibility to major employment and educational opportunities in the area while supporting economic development.
Passengers can expect Silver Line revenue service to begin in late 2025 to early 2026, with vehicle testing beginning in Q3 2024. Testing will be segmented, and communities will be notified once testing in their area begins. The DART Board has not yet established the final Operating Plan and will hold a public hearing prior to establishing the plan in 2025.
The Silver Line Regional Rail is currently testing its vehicles (trains) in various segments across the entire 26-mile alignment. During testing, there is no passenger pick-up or drop-off at stations and all systems and crossings are checked for proper function and timing.
The Silver Line will open for passenger service before the end of the year, in late 2025.
The DART Board has yet to approve the final operating plan. As such, the baseline operating schedule is set to run between 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. with one train running per hour in each direction (one from DFW Airport and one from Shiloh Road) during off-peak times. Two trains would run per hour in each direction during peak operating times (approximately 6 to 9 a.m. and 4 to 7 p.m.) on weekdays. Weekend service (Saturday and Sunday) would only have one train running per hour in each direction.
No, Silver Line vehicles will not sound their horns once open for passenger service as the majority of the 26-mile alignment will operate under quiet zones. Quiet zones are designated portions of the track where the train will not sound its horn unless there is something on or near the tracks blocking its path.
During testing, however, there will be no observance of quiet zones. Test runs include running trains with horns, to ensure motorists and pedestrians are aware the train is passing, as signal lights, track sensors, crossing bars and other systems are tested.
The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) indicates that the estimated travel time from Shiloh Road Station to reach Terminal B at DFW Airport on the Silver Line will be approximately one hour. The midway point of the track alignment is Addison Station with an estimated trip time to DFW Airport at 32 minutes and Shiloh Road Station at 27 minutes.
Silver Line fares will mirror those on the existing DART light-rail transit (LRT) system. Current rates on DART Red, Blue, Green and Oranges Lines are $6 for a day pass and $3 for a 3-hour pass, which includes unlimited trips on all DART transit services. Connecting to Trinity Metro’s TEXRail service to reach Grapevine, Richland Hills and Fort Worth will require an additional ticket or purchase of a $12 regional pass.
Long-term parking surveillance and rates at Silver Line stations have not been set with the focus on getting rail service operational. DART is exploring long-term parking options and will implement a plan once it has been established. In the meantime, riders will be welcome to park at any of the Silver Line stations with ample parking for free. Customers retain responsibility for all overnight or long-term parking at any DART lot.
The Silver Line schedule will allow for special event service, which means trains could run with extended frequency to and from an event for a set amount of time. DART and the event city will need to plan to secure special event services in advance.
There are plans for the Silver Line Regional Rail to connect with DCTA’s (Denton County Transit Authority) A-Train in Downtown Carrollton, however, that connection will not be available when revenue service begins later this year. DCTA is still working with DART on its plan to end A-Train service in Downtown Carrollton.
Yes, the Cotton Belt Regional Trail is part of the North Central Texas Council of Government’s (NTCOG) trail corridor and consists of 26.2 miles along the Silver Line. It will be built in phases with Phase 1, which includes all structures needed to be built prior to Silver Line becoming operational, completed. Phase 2 primarily covers the sections in Addison, Dallas, Plano, and Richardson will begin construction this summer and are slated to be completed in 2027. Phase
3 of the trail, stretches from Carrollton to the western section of the corridor, will be built pending approval from NTCOG and each partner city at a later time.
During construction, the area will be maintained by Archer Western Herzog (AWH), DART’s design-build contractor. Should you see an immediate issue in the area involving construction, please contact the Silver Line Construction Hotline at (972) 833-2856. Once construction is complete, DART will maintain the area on its property with each city sharing responsibilities for maintaining their portion of the trail.
Testing of DART Silver Line Advances, with Trains to Run between Carrollton and Terminal B at DFW Airport
Frontage Road Closure in Richardson for DART Silver Line Construction to Alter Bus Stops and CityLine/Bush Station Access
Coit Road Traffic Pattern Along the DART Silver Line Alignment to Change June 27 as Construction Progresses
Silver Line Vehicles to Make Debut on Local Tracks, Official Testing Set for Late Summer between Richardson and Plano
DART is equipping the Silver Line with new state-of-the-art vehicles that are quiet, safe, and require low maintenance. These vehicles are electric diesel multiple units (DMUs) that meet strict EPA compliance standards, helping reduce emissions. The vehicles and stations will also feature closed circuit television (CCTV) systems internally and externally, allowing DART Police to have an increased monitored presence and stress safety for commuters.
The Silver Line will share much of the rail corridor with freight operations (although no freight will ever traverse North Dallas). Hence, the vehicles are compliant with all Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) requirements. Unlike DART’s LRT vehicles, overhead catenary cannot be used on the Silver Line as it is incompatible with freight clearances.
The Silver Line project includes the adjacent Cotton Belt Regional Hike & Bike Trail. The Cotton Belt Trail is a part of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) Mobility 2045 Regional Veloweb Trail network, with phases being built in conjunction with the Silver Line through a partnership with NCTCOG and the cities within the corridor. NCTCOG is responsible for the cost and construction of the trail, and cities within the trail system will be responsible for the maintenance once it is completed.
DART strives to partner well with all our Service Area Cities and communities involved in any development project. The Silver Line project is under construction and scheduled to be completed in a couple of years, so to stay up to date on the latest information, gather details here. DART will continue to host biannual community meetings, provide weekly updates on construction activity throughout the corridor, and share updates through its various social media channels, website, and messaging systems.
DART and its design-build contractor, Archer Western Herzog (AWH), share weekly updates of the walls being built within the City of Dallas. These reports provide a schedule of when walls are anticipated to be completed in your neighborhood and can be found below:
DART and its contractors continuously work to keep the communities involved in the Silver Line project updated and aware of the commuter rail project. Since the project’s outset, DART has maintained its due diligence in working alongside the Federal Transit Administration and meets regularly (monthly and quarterly) with FTA officials to review progress on the Silver Line.
All proposed changes to the Silver Line project have been addressed by DART and FTA in accordance with 23 CFR §771.129 and 23 CFR §771.130, which provide guidance on re-evaluations and supplemental documents. The Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS)/ Record of Decision (ROD) for the Silver Line was completed and approved in November 2018, and it has been determined that most project changes are the result of continued design progression and city or stakeholder coordination. It is anticipated that these changes will not result in any substantial impact on the quality of the human environment, and the previously approved FEIS/ROD will remain valid.
Final Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision
Approved Memoranda to File
Past Meetings and Presentations
Residents were invited to participate in a DART betterment program where residents from each community voted on the color and finish for the betterment and sound walls erected in their cities. There are a total of 59 sound and betterment walls across the 26-mile corridor.
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