Dallas Adopts an Urban-Centric Vision for its Transit Future

"The Dallas City Council has unanimously signed off on its vision for DART's future priorities," reports Stephen Young. The vision is thoroughly pro-transit for city-dwellers. According to Young, the council's vision includes "a downtown subway to ease the existing rail bottleneck, better bus service with routes that makes sense and connections between streetcar service in Oak Cliff and Uptown."

"Maybe then, if all of that gets done and funding can be secured, DART can think about building the Cotton Belt rail line, which would connect pieces of the northern suburbs to DFW airport," adds Young.

The council's ideas counters those of DART staff members who believe the downtown subway and the Cotton Belt to Plano can be built at the same time, according to Young. The city also came down thoroughly on the side of a subway in a debate that has been brewing for a few months now, preferring a subway over a light rail line for the D2 line.

In a separate article, Peter Simek also notes the Dallas City Council's pro-transit vote, especially its focus on bus lines, writing: "This morning the Dallas City Council spent nearly two hours talking about buses, and it was glorious."