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News & Updates
Letter from the Chair:

Given the intensity and volume of media content covering the presidential election it would be easy to assume that not much else of importance is happening in the world, particularly concerning transit in our region.  Fortunately, nothing could be further from the truth!  As you know, a priority for our organization is educating/informing our elected officials and public of the benefits and growing necessity of having multi-modal transit in the region.  After an RFP was issued and the proposals exhaustively evaluated, our TCNT Board authorized a contract with DDC, a Washington based public affairs firm with extensive transit experience.  The contract includes educational video pieces, leave-behind fact sheets, enhanced web presence, and strong and succinct messaging.  A committee of the Board, led by Brandi Bird with extensive support from Marisa Vantrease, has been working on this for several months, with the goal of having everything ready well before the legislature convenes in 2017.  We will easily make that deadline and are excited to share the results with you at our next meeting.  An unexpected benefit of this effort has been examining and refining our message, a discipline I personally found very helpful.
 
2016 has also seen the initiation of construction on The T's TexRail, forward movement on the high speed rail line, the opening of additional segments of DART's trolley system, the recent opening of DART's Blue Line Extension to the UNT campus in south Dallas, and a series of meetings and public hearings on DART's long range financial plan - specifically whether the second downtown alignment will be a subway or a surface alignment, and whether the Cottonbelt will be moved forward 13 years.  Also in play is a resolution from the Dallas City Council asking that improvements to the bus system be accelerated, and a strong push to include extending the trolley to uptown.  Clearly not everything can be included for development in the same time frame, and the DART Board is scheduled to make a decision at its October 25 meeting.  While this has been controversial, no matter what decisions are made, I think that all of the above points to the success of public transit in our region and the desire of our communities to get more sooner.  Oh how different this is from 30 years ago!
 
In short, TCNT and the region's transit authorities have been very busy and the progress very real.  May 2017 be as productive!
 
My best to all,
Kathy Ingle, Chair


SUPPORT, EDUCATE and ADVOCATE
Upcoming Events

  • Dallas-Ft.Worth High Speed Rail Industry Forum; NCTCOG @ 1:30 pm
  • DART Board Meeting; 10/25 @ 6:30 pm
  • DCTA Board Meeting; 11/8 @ 2:00 pm
  • FWTA Board Meeting; 11/14 @ 3:30 pm
  • TCNT November Member Meeting: 11/15 @ 11:30 am   Guest Speaker: Transportation Commissioner Victor Vandergriff

 

Check our website calendar for details

 
DART Board Meeting: 20-Year Financial Plan Vote

DART's Board of Directors is scheduled to vote on the FY 2017 Financial Plan during their Oct. 25 meeting. The board previously approved the FY 2017 budget. DART develops and follows a 20-year financial plan to guide its operations and planning. The proposed financial plan includes funding for a new second light rail alignment in Downtown Dallas, which will be built underground. It also includes funding for an acceleration of the Cotton Belt rail project from Plano to DFW Airport. This line would add Addison to the DART cities with a rail station.
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Texas Voters Ride to the Polls

In more than 20 Texas communities, buses, taxis, and rideshare services are offering free or discounted rides to and from polling places on election day: Tuesday, November 8, 2016.

Find out more here  


Collin County Rides:  The New Way to DART about Town!

Qualifying residents of Collin County now can participate in an innovative taxi subsidized service offered by Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) and the cities of Allen, Fairview and Wylie.  Collin County Rides is available to anyone 65 years or older and/or people living with a disability.  

Click here to find out more about the service.


RIGHT on TRACK! 
A board members personal view...

By Sandra Adams, TCNT Board Member

I love trains. I am not sure when that love of trains began; if it was playing with a single gauge train set under the Christmas tree or watching a train go by wondering its' destination; or watching multiple movies featuring trains as the major mode of transportation. As I grew older, Agatha Christies' "Murder on the Orient Express" was one of my favorite books.

In college, during summer field camp, we had a day-off from mapping in Colorado and a group of us enjoyed the Durango to Silverton Narrow Gauge ride through stunning scenery. As an adult I have been fortunate enough to utilize trains on business and pleasure trips. Whether catching the London Underground from Heathrow to London with days to follow sight-seeing via the Underground; or experiencing the high speed rail in Hong Kong, utilizing passenger rail is a thrill for me!

We are so fortunate here in North Texas to have DART and the TRE system for our residents and for visitors who are more inclined to use public transportation than rent a vehicle. My neighborhood loves to get together for various downtown Dallas events and ride the train into the Dallas Art District.  The picture above was from a few years back, on our way to Aurora, the light show in the Dallas Art District. We avoided the stand-still traffic and lack of parking.

Another time, coming back from a wonderful vacation, I landed at DFW airport to find weather had caused issues on our freeways, my ride could not get to me.  No problem, I caught the DART Orange line in Terminal A to downtown Dallas where I transferred over to the bus line continuing on to North Oak Cliff and a block from my home.  It was easy, much quicker than the congested freeways and I could not beat the price!  On that particular Orange Line ride, I met a Mom and Daughter visiting Dallas for the first time.  They were staying in a downtown hotel and wanted to know what they could enjoy by using just public transportation.  They were from Chicago and very comfortable not using an automobile. They loved how clean and nice our light rail train was.
 
North Texans have DART's 90-mile light rail system to ride to events at the Fair Grounds, or Zoo, or Art District to name a few.  We are able to jump on the TRE and enjoy events in Fort Worth.  I am looking forward to utilizing Fort Worth's upcoming light rail system and the Texas Central bullet train to Houston!
 
Grab a group of friends and be adventurous; try passenger rail to take ya'll to the next big event! You will find it is much more fun than being in several cars.

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If you have a story you would like to share, please send it to mvantrease@transitnorthtexas.org.

 
Transit Coalition of North Texas
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