CTroyMathis
15 March 2002, 07:15 AM
City staff suggests rail route
Officials want DART line to pass near hotel/convention center
03/14/2002
By LEE POWELL / The Dallas Morning News
If the city has its way, a Dallas Area Rapid Transit light-rail line would veer west toward Irving's proposed convention center and hotel as it passes through Las Colinas.
The recommendation came recently after the city staff studied several alignments of the line, which would connect downtown Dallas with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Irving hopes its part of the line will spur high-density, mixed-use development, particularly within the Las Colinas urban center.
"Getting through Irving and to the airport is extremely important to everyone in the region," said Norma Stanton, the city's representative on the DART board of directors.
The line would enter the city limits near Texas Stadium and pass by the University of Dallas before traversing the Las Colinas area. Much of the rail line will be in the medians of yet-to-be-built roads on the eastern edge of Las Colinas.
With the recommendation of swinging the line west near the convention center and hotel, the city has settled on a route up to Spur 348, or Northwest Highway.
"We need to know what we prefer for rail so it is built correctly," said Jim Cline, the city's director of traffic and transportation. The final route will be up to DART.
What path the line will take beyond there – including how it is to connect with the terminal complex at D/FW Airport – has not been determined.
Earlier plans had the rail line travelling farther to the east near a DART park-and-ride center at Northwest Highway and O'Connor Road.
But after more study, this route was deemed less desirable because of engineering challenges and higher costs.
Under an agreement between the city and DART, Irving will contribute two-thirds, or $60 million, of the line's cost.
The first fare-paying passengers are expected by 2009.
A $100 million convention center and hotel – built by the city – should be completed in 2004. The city already has bought land near the confluence of Spur 348 and State Highway 114 for the complex.
A station serving the convention center would be less than a quarter of a mile away. Other stations would serve the southern edge of the urban center.
Officials want DART line to pass near hotel/convention center
03/14/2002
By LEE POWELL / The Dallas Morning News
If the city has its way, a Dallas Area Rapid Transit light-rail line would veer west toward Irving's proposed convention center and hotel as it passes through Las Colinas.
The recommendation came recently after the city staff studied several alignments of the line, which would connect downtown Dallas with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
Irving hopes its part of the line will spur high-density, mixed-use development, particularly within the Las Colinas urban center.
"Getting through Irving and to the airport is extremely important to everyone in the region," said Norma Stanton, the city's representative on the DART board of directors.
The line would enter the city limits near Texas Stadium and pass by the University of Dallas before traversing the Las Colinas area. Much of the rail line will be in the medians of yet-to-be-built roads on the eastern edge of Las Colinas.
With the recommendation of swinging the line west near the convention center and hotel, the city has settled on a route up to Spur 348, or Northwest Highway.
"We need to know what we prefer for rail so it is built correctly," said Jim Cline, the city's director of traffic and transportation. The final route will be up to DART.
What path the line will take beyond there – including how it is to connect with the terminal complex at D/FW Airport – has not been determined.
Earlier plans had the rail line travelling farther to the east near a DART park-and-ride center at Northwest Highway and O'Connor Road.
But after more study, this route was deemed less desirable because of engineering challenges and higher costs.
Under an agreement between the city and DART, Irving will contribute two-thirds, or $60 million, of the line's cost.
The first fare-paying passengers are expected by 2009.
A $100 million convention center and hotel – built by the city – should be completed in 2004. The city already has bought land near the confluence of Spur 348 and State Highway 114 for the complex.
A station serving the convention center would be less than a quarter of a mile away. Other stations would serve the southern edge of the urban center.