Dallas returns streetcar service following half a century absence
Written by Jenifer Nunez, assistant editor
DART
Dallas streetcar service resumed April 13 after a near 50-year absence on a 1.6-mile route from downtown's Union Station to Oak Cliff's Methodist Dallas Medical Center. This marks the first phase of Dallas' modern streetcar system.
“Our track record with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Light Rail and the Trinity Railway Express gave the city of Dallas confidence that we also could successfully design, build, operate and maintain the Dallas Streetcar,” DART President and Executive Director Gary Thomas said.
In addition to the city of Dallas and DART, other project partners include the North Central Texas Council of Governments, Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Project development was kick-started by $26 million in federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery grants toward the project.
“Dallas is taking another notable step forward in its efforts to build an efficient, reliable and connected transportation network that helps grow the region’s economy and connects hard-working families to jobs and opportunity,” said FTA Acting Administrator Therese McMillan.
The starter line traverses the Trinity River corridor, which separates southern Dallas from the city’s largest employment centers. Specifically, the project targets commuters in mixed-use districts adjacent to downtown and helps connect them to transportation choices available in the city center.
The second phase, which extends the route to the shopping and dining of Oak Cliff’s Bishop Arts District, is expected to be completed by early 2016. The third segment, currently in planning, will expand the streetcar line to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center and Omni Dallas Hotel.
