Category Archives: Transportation News

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will hold the next series of Silver Line Regional Rail Biannual Community Meetings beginning on Monday, July 25. DART staff and the design-build contractor, Archer Western Herzog (AWH), will be on hand to outline the latest design and construction developments and answer questions.

• Monday, July 25, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at The Sound at Cypress Waters, 3111 Olympus Boulevard, Coppell, TX 75019
• Wednesday, July 27, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Crosby Recreation Center, 1610 E Crosby Road, Carrollton, TX 75006
• Thursday, July 28, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Addison Treehouse, 14681 Midway Road, Addison, TX 75001
• Tuesday, August 2, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Annex, 1302 I Avenue, Plano, TX 75074
• Wednesday, August 3, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Civic Center, 411 W Arapaho Road, Richardson, TX 75080
• Thursday, August 4, 2022, 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. at Campbell Green Recreation Center, 16600 Park Hill Drive, Dallas, TX 75248

With revenue service scheduled for 2024, the 26-mile Silver Line project will traverse seven cities between DFW Airport, Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson, and Plano, and include 10 new stations. The primary purpose of the Silver Line is to provide passenger rail connections and services that will improve mobility, accessibility, and system linkages to major employment, population, and activity centers in the northern part of the DART service area.

The Silver Line will connect with the Trinity Metro TEXRail commuter rail line at DFW North station providing access to Downtown Fort Worth and various other Tarrant County locales. The Silver Line will also connect with the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) A-train commuter rail line providing access to various Denton County locations, DART’s Green Line providing access to Dallas Love Field and Downtown Dallas via Downtown Carrollton Station, and DART’s Red and Orange Lines at CityLine/Bush Station, giving riders easy access to Downtown Plano and the eastern side of the DART network.

More information about the DART Silver Line Regional Rail project can be found at www.dart.org/silverline.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will operate shuttle buses instead of light rail vehicles on the Green Line between Pearl/Arts District Station and Deep Ellum Station on Saturday, July 9, from 6:00 p.m. until the end of service. Regularly scheduled light rail service will resume on Sunday, July 10.

During this time the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will perform necessary inspections on the I-345 bridge in downtown Dallas.

Shuttle buses will be operated by a third-party charter bus company and will not be DART branded. Passengers should look for charter buses at the red “Rail Disruption” bus stop signs located near each station to board a shuttle bus.

Route and schedule information is available at DART.org or by calling the Customer Information Center at 214-979-1111.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will operate shuttle buses instead of light rail vehicles between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station beginning on Thursday, June 23 through the end of service on Sunday, June 26. Regularly scheduled light rail service will resume on Monday, June 27.

During this time, DART will conduct concrete repairs on the elevated station at Park Lane Station and replace a section of rail north of SMU/Mockingbird Station.

Shuttle buses will be operated by a third-party charter bus company and will not be DART branded. Passengers should look for charter buses at the red “Rail Disruption” bus stop signs located near each station to board a shuttle bus. Shuttle buses will provide service to each affected station.

These repair projects will impact Red and Orange Line passengers:

• Red Line passengers will transfer to shuttle buses between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station.
• Orange Line trains will only operate between DFW Airport Station and Pearl/Arts District Station. Northbound Orange Line passengers should board a Red Line or Blue Line train at Pearl/Arts District Station to SMU/Mockingbird Station, and transfer to a shuttle bus to continue to their destination.

DART also provides frequent bus service between SMU/Mockingbird and Lovers Lane stations on Route 17 and between Park Lane and Walnut Hill stations on Route 27. Route and schedule information is available at DART.org or by calling the Customer Information Center at 214-979-1111.

Due to planned system maintenance and repairs in and around the Cityplace/Uptown Station tunnel, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will operate shuttle buses instead of light rail vehicles between Pearl/Arts District Station and SMU/Mockingbird Station on Thursday, June 9 – Sunday, June 12, and between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station on Thursday, June 23 – Sunday, June 26. Regularly scheduled light rail service will resume on the Monday morning after each service event.

These maintenance and repair measures are part of DART’s State of Good Repair (SGR) program, ensuring that the light rail system is able to operate at a full level of performance. During these events, DART will replace a failed transformer in the tunnel, conduct concrete repairs on the elevated station at Park Lane Station, and replace a section of rail north of SMU/Mockingbird Station.

Shuttle buses will be operated by a third-party charter bus company and will not be DART branded. Passengers should look for charter buses at the red “Rail Disruption” bus stop signs located near each station to board a shuttle bus. Shuttle buses will provide service to each affected station.

June 9 – June 12, 2022

Shuttle buses will replace light rail vehicles between Pearl/Arts District Station and SMU/Mockingbird Station.

• Red Line and Blue Line passengers will transfer to shuttle buses between Pearl/Arts District Station and SMU/Mockingbird Station.
• Orange Line trains will only operate between DFW Airport Station and Pearl/Arts District Station. Northbound passengers should board a shuttle bus at Pearl/Arts District Station to SMU/Mockingbird Station to continue to their destination.

June 23 – June 26, 2022

Shuttle buses will replace light rail vehicles between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station.

• Red Line passengers will transfer to shuttle buses between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Walnut Hill Station.
• Orange Line trains will only operate between DFW Airport Station and Pearl/Arts District Station. Northbound Orange Line passengers should board a Red Line or Blue Line train at Pearl/Arts District Station to SMU/Mockingbird Station, and transfer to a shuttle bus to continue to their destination.

We remind passengers that Bus Routes 3, 105, 209, and 249 also provide service between SMU/Mockingbird Station and Downtown Dallas. Route and schedule information is available at DART.org or by calling the Customer Information Center at 214-979-1111.

Beginning June 13, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will implement temporary service frequency adjustments on 31 of its 97 bus routes due to the ongoing nationwide shortage of bus operators. For more information about these changes, please visit dart.org/servicechange.

To restore service reliability and dependability for all of our bus riders, DART is implementing a five-minute temporary reduction in frequency on most bus routes currently operating every 15 minutes. Some bus routes with 20-minute midday and early evening service will change to 30-minute services. Light rail service, as well as service on the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) and the Dallas Streetcar, will remain the same.

These temporary bus service frequency adjustments will ensure that passengers can rely on the DART bus service schedule, improving service and reducing bus stop wait times, while we continue to aggressively recruit new bus operators.

DART tentatively plans to return to the regular frequency on all services on January 23, 2023, based on bus operator hiring goals. As hiring continues, DART will continue to re-evaluate the temporary service frequency adjustments and adjust as necessary.

Bus Route Frequency Adjustments

DART Bus Route 1 (Malcolm X/Maple), Route 3 (Ross), and Route 9 (Jefferson/Gaston)

Weekday 15 peak/15 midday changes to 20 peak/20 midday. Weekend 15 midday/30 off-peak changes to 20 midday/30 off-peak.

DART Bus Route 23 (Haskell)

Weekday 15 peak/20 midday changes to 20 peak/20 midday. There are no frequency changes to weekend service.

DART Bus Route 13 (Ervay), Route 15 (Buckner), Route 16 (Ferguson), Route 17 (Skillman), Route 18 (Samuell), Route 20 (Northwest Highway), Route 22 (Forest Lane), Route 25 (Cockrell Hill North), Route 27 (Ridgecrest), Route 28 (Singleton), Route 30 (Lake June), Route 38 (Ledbetter), Route 41 (Bonnie View), Route 45 (Marsalis), Route 47 (Polk), and Route 57 (Westmoreland)

15 peak/20 midday changes to 20 peak/30 midday. Weekend 20 midday/30 off-peak changes to 30-minute frequencies all day.

DART Bus Route 101 (Hampton), Route 102 (Fort Worth), Route 103 (Cedar Springs), Route 104 (Illinois), Route 105 (Henderson), Route 106 (Bickers), Route 108 (Camp Wisdom), Route 109 (Beckley), and Route 114 (East Oak Cliff)

Weekday 15 peak/30 midday changes to 20 peak/30 midday. There are no frequency changes to weekend service.

DART Bus Route 305 (Addison Express), and 306 (Glenn Heights Express)

15-minute peak service changes to 20-minute peak service.

There will be no temporary frequency adjustments on the following routes:

• Bus Route 55 (Love Link)
• Local bus routes 200 – 299
• Express bus routes 308, 378 and 383
• Shuttle bus routes 402 – 883

Bus Route Enhancements

DART Bus Route 215

To offer direct service to Bluitt-Flowers Health Center and Overton Park Apartments, buses will be removed from Kiest Boulevard and re-routed south to Overton Road in both directions between Marsalis and Beckley avenues. The schedule will be slightly modified.

DART Bus Route 220

To re-establish service south of Scyene Road, along Prairie Creek and St. Augustine, buses will operate on a loop south to Bruton Road. The change also adds a transfer connection along Bruton to Route 218, which will continue to serve Military Parkway. Riders on both routes are encouraged to obtain new timetables dated June 13, 2022, for slight variations in departure times.

GoLink Changes: North Dallas GoLink Zone

In response to rider requests, this zone is now being separated into two zones – providing enhanced service and improved response time. Fares and hours of operation remain the same for both new zones.

North Dallas GoLink Zone

This zone retains eight square miles of the original North Dallas zone and will be bounded by Forest Lane on the north, DART Rail Red and Orange lines on the east, Preston Road on the west, and University Boulevard, Boedeker Drive, and Northwest Highway on the south. Predetermined stops will include the Hillcrest Green Complex; Preston Royal Library; Texas Health Dallas; and Half Price Books. The stations served will be Walnut Hill, Park Lane, and Forest Lane.

North Central Dallas GoLink Zone

This four-square-mile zone combines the eastern portion of the original North Dallas zone with newly served areas to the north. Boundaries will be Midpark Road and Goldmark Drive on the north; Abrams Road on the east; Central Expressway and DART Rail Red and Orange lines on the west, and Walnut Hill Lane on the south. Predetermined stops will include the Walmart Supercenter on Forest Lane and Texas Health Dallas on Walnut Hill Lane. Stations served will be Walnut Hill, Forest Lane, and LBJ/Central.

Hours of operation will remain the same as in the current North Dallas zone. Travel between the two zones will require a separate booking.

Additional GoLink Enhancements

East Irving GoLink Zone

The northern boundary will be extended to include an adjacent industrial area. FedEx Ground, 3215 Spur 482 is now covered by this zone. This expands the zone to 3.31 square miles and its boundaries to Airport Freeway and Loop 12 on the north, Century Center Boulevard and Union Bower on the east, East State Highway 356 on the south, and Geneva Road and Heights Drive on the west.

Central Irving GoLink Zone

The western boundary will be extended to serve several distribution destinations on DFW Airport property (2601, 3400, and 3500 S. Airfield Drive). This expands the zone to a 4.95 square mile area bounded by: Walnut Hill Lane, Country Club Road, Metker Street, John W. Carpenter and Cottonwood Valley on the north, Rochelle Boulevard on the east, Airport Freeway, Goodyear, Fairmont, and Hancock streets on the south and Harvard Street, Pleasant Run Road and Passport Avenue on the west.

Keller Springs GoLink Zone

Western Extrusions, formerly a part of the Western Carrollton GoLink Pilot, is now being served by the Keller Springs GoLink Zone.

Service levels on these and all other GoLink zones will continue to be carefully monitored and updated, based on performance and rider feedback. For specific information, please visit DART.org/GoLink.

Today, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) held a series of events at transit centers across the service area as part of an evaluation of electric bus technology. DART Engineering staff, as well as DART bus operators and mechanics, are evaluating a series of electric bus models from various manufacturers. DART currently has seven Proterra Catalyst 35 zero-emission electric buses that are in service on DART Bus Route 28.

The electric bus evaluation stopped at the following locations throughout the day to engage with DART riders and include their requests in the evaluation process.

• Addison Transit Center
• South Garland Transit Center
• J.B. Jackson, Jr. Transit Center
• DART Headquarters

DART has been focused on expanding our environmentally clean technologies initiative for almost 20 years.

With almost 700 CNG clean fuel buses on the road DART has cut bus emissions by 68% over the last decade. That’s not including our zero-emission light rail fleet or our new electric buses.

Our other green initiatives include LED lighting as well as xeriscape efforts with native plants, at bus and rail stations.

For more information, visit DART.org.

Beginning Friday, April 29, both north and southbound HOV lanes of U.S. 75 Central Expressway will be closed for construction of the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Silver Line bridge in Richardson. Construction is scheduled to continue on Friday and Saturday nights from 9:00 p.m. – 5:00 a.m., through July 24, 2022.

Northbound lane closures will begin just south of Galatyn Parkway in Richardson and extend to the President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT). Southbound lane closures will start in Plano, north of Plano Parkway, and extend to Galatyn Parkway.

Located along Spring Creek just north of Renner Road in Richardson, the bridge will link the CityLine/Bush Station, which also serves the DART Red and Orange light rail lines, to the UT Dallas Station, which is currently under construction.

The 26-mile DART Silver Line project, operating on the historic Cotton Belt Corridor, extends between DFW Airport and Shiloh Road in Plano.

The primary purpose of the Silver Line is to provide passenger rail connections and services that will improve mobility, accessibility, and system linkages to major employment, population, and activity centers in the northern part of the DART service area.

With revenue service scheduled for 2024, the 26-mile Silver Line project will traverse seven cities between DFW Airport, Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson, and Plano, and include 10 stations along the alignment.

When completed, the $1.89 billion Silver Line will connect with the Trinity Metro TEXRail commuter rail line at DFW North station, providing access to Downtown Fort Worth and various other Tarrant County locations. The Silver Line will also connect with the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) A-train commuter rail line providing access to various Denton County locations, DART’s Green Line providing access to Dallas Love Field and Downtown Dallas via Downtown Carrollton Station, and DART’s Red and Orange Lines at CityLine/Bush Station, giving riders easy access to Downtown Plano and the eastern side of the DART network.

All photos courtesy of DART

In accordance with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) decision to no longer enforce the Security Directives and Emergency Amendment requiring a face mask be worn over the mouth and nose on public transportation and transportation hubs, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will no longer require that a face mask be worn by passengers and operators while onboard DART vehicles or at DART facilities.

Staying Safe While Riding DART

DART remains committed to providing a safe environment for both our passengers and employees. Face masks and hand sanitizer dispensers will remain in place and available on all buses, light rail vehicles, TRE vehicles, and Dallas streetcars, for anyone who chooses to continue to wear a face mask for additional safety.

DART continues to undertake aggressive agency-wide cleaning and safety protocols on buses, light rail, paratransit vehicles, and properties.

You can find more information about how DART is working to keep our passengers safe at www.dart.org/health.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), based on a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has extended the face mask requirement for individuals across all transportation networks throughout the United States, including at airports, on board commercial aircraft, on over-the-road buses, and on commuter bus and rail systems for an additional 15 days through May 3, 2022.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will continue to require that a CDC approved face mask be worn over the mouth and nose by passengers, operators, and contractors at all times while on DART vehicles including buses, trains, and paratransit vehicles, Trinity Railway Express trains, in buildings and onboard the Dallas Streetcar.

Refusing to wear a mask, unless exempted or excluded under the CDC guidelines, is a violation of federal law and failure to comply will result in denial of boarding or removal, and passengers may be subject to federal penalties, including a fine ranging from $500 for the first offense up to $3,000 for repeat offenders.

Face masks and hand sanitizer dispensers are installed on buses, light rail vehicles, TRE vehicles, and Dallas streetcars, and will continue to be available to all passengers.

If a DART passenger is concerned with someone not wearing a mask, they can contact DART Customer Service at (214) 979-1111, or use the “DART Say Something” app, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play for free.

Staying Safe While Riding DART

DART remains committed to doing everything possible to keep both our patrons and employees safe through this pandemic. The agency remains in close contact with local, state, and national health authorities, including the Texas Department of State Health Services and the CDC. DART encourages passengers who feel sick or are experiencing symptoms to stay home and avoid public places.

Cleaning and Protection

DART continues to undertake aggressive agency-wide cleaning and safety protocols on buses, light rail, paratransit vehicles, and properties.

Social Distancing

DART recommends maintaining a six-foot distance between both fellow riders and your DART operator, leaving an open seat between yourself and other riders when available, avoiding large groups and staying home if you feel sick or are experiencing symptoms.

You can find more information about how DART is working to keep our passengers safe at www.dart.org/health.