DART alignment

[alaninhipark]

What are opinions, not discussed in full on this site yet, about the minute specifics of the nw line through irving to carrollton? Specifically, the choices on getting to and past the arena area and then again to and past love field. I've seen many online and print variations to both. Im not too sure I totally like the arena area alignment, but, I definitely like the more direct love field alignment option.

[jsoto3]

i wish that they would align the rail just to the east of the arena (along an old right of way) so that the uptown area would have better access to the station. in a meeting with kay shelton (project manager of the nw corridor) i learned that the victory developers were the main force in deciding to align the tracks adjacent to the existing commuter rail right of way, right next to 35. that is the worst possible location for a station for the victory development (i explored alternate alignments and station locations in an urban design studio last semester). however, kay shelton also mentioned that later there may be a field street alignment (nw out of downtown). it would be part of a new line through downtown and would tie into the nw corridor to the north of the arena. as for love field, i also learned in a meeting with kay (and other dart people) that the love field alignment is almost certainly not going to enter the airfield, no station at the terminal! access is the issue, they would have to tunnel under a runway and it would simply be too expensive (by someone's standards other than mine). the plan is to tunnel (cut & fill)under mockingbird due to flight path height restrictions (bridge not possible) and dart does not like at-grade crossings. it is my opinion that the cost to access the terminal would absolutely be worth it. the direct link is essential! having to board some sort of shuttle bus to transfer to the station would reduce ridership significantly. although dart claims a projected daily ridership of only 700, i think that a station could generate some very interesting development opportunities within the airport. as many of you may know, love field is implementing a new masterplan in the years to come and a new terminal is likely. now imagine a terminal with office space, hotel rooms, retail, and yes, perhaps even some residential. look around the world. new airport terminals are increasingly becoming mixed use buildings. with the closure of the diagonal runway, there are significant possibilties. another student in my urban design studio is proposing such a project (our studio is designing transit oriented developments along the nw corridor). the cost (some atleast) of the access could be covered by the new development. those are my 2 cents for now. i'll keep you posted on developments in my studio (@ texas tech).

[alaninhipark]

Thanks for the stellar information. Will look forward to some more information!
I agree about both alignment options, as I said less extensively. The love field connection will be horrendously lacking and disappointing if they just don't go the whole nine yards and get into the terminal! I personally can't see logic behind taking the cheaper method of making a remote stop and 'hoping' the shuttle to the terminal is 'enough'. Spending a bit more to do it right is exponentially more intelligent. Ridership, transit ease, and so on... is a MAJOR concern that needs to be realized by DART and ultimately taxpayers if DART ever decides to take on the terminal approach. Enough of this one, it's bad enough I still need to talk about the arena line.

The victory development alignment, in my opinion, is poor. The developers did definitely have the heavy influence, but, the big picture of the area beyond victory isn't being paid any heed. I definitely favor the eastern alignment, as many do. However, in hopes the new relief line on Field St. goes through, I'm not too disarrayed. I know I have more faith than I ever had in the DART organization before. That lot really appears to have some forward-thinking minds working for them. So, we'll just have to see. Everything that happens is oh-so-critical. This organization, I believe, is quietly watched by just about every other city that has or is hoping to have light rail.

[allenedavis]

I definitely agree with the above! Great stuff all! I have nothing new to add that hasn't already been said, except for questions on details that have been released on the new connector line in downtown. What is this mysterious line that has been hinted about for quite some time now? Is it supposed to be fully or partially subterranean? If it does relieve that terrible aligning of the arena line decision, great! Is this the line that is supposed to be the subway reliever route, that will be built much later over time? Just curious, but, definitely look forward to the day of all this coming about.

[trae2020]

I have to admit, I'd severely be disappointed if DART didn't run on into the Love Field core. That would really be lame if it didn't. Take for instance the commuter rail stop way south of DFW. If it weren't for the fact that plans have commuter rail branching on into the core of DFW, I'd be much more disarrayed - and would find no reason whatsoever to take rail to the airport, because it would be nearly useless. It would be nonsense not to spend the money to go into Love Field. It would be too half-ass not to.

[Axes]

DART should give the most people the most access. I must got to Love Field. CTA in Chicago goes to O'Hare and Midway. Very nice.

[CTroyMathis]

I definitely would have to agree with a DIRECT airport terminal station at DAL. Let's hope this part of the NW alignment gets done right! Because, the arena portion doesn't appear to be changing from what the developers want.

[applecore24]

Is anybody willing to write up a letter that we can all send to DART letting them know about our thoughts? I know at least 50 other people who would be interested in such an email, or even regular letter, and if say 10 of you also had 50 people that would send it, we would have 550 people sending letters - and if DART thinks of each letter as, at a minimum, 20 people thinking the same thing, then thats at least 11,000 people's interest DART will see. Maybe we could even get a little blurb about it in the DMN, so that all of the people in Dallas that are interested could send letters...

That's just my wacky idea... But if the lightrail doesn't go into Love Field, then the station is a waste of money!

[jsoto3]

DART wants to go into Love Field as much as we want them to. The real people to express our opinions to are the folks who run Love Field and the City of Dallas who would issue the bond to approve the increased cost of accessing Love Field. The City of Dallas owns Love Field so it could force the alignment, it just needs the voters' approval. A referendum is in order. The airlines who use Love Field should also be tapped for investment in the terminal access alignment.

[applecore24]

Ok, so who should I write? The DMN? The city? Let me know, and I'll do it...

[jsoto3]

Everyone:

Mayor Ron Kirk and the rest of the council:
City Manager
Teodoro J. Benavides
Transportation & Telecommunications Committee Chair
Barbara Mallory Caraway
Business & Commerce Committee Chair
Alan Walne
District 14 (Love Field) Council Representative
Veletta Forsythe Lill
to email them: www.ci.dallas.tx.us/html/...t_mcc.html (http://www.ci.dallas.tx.us/html/contact_mcc.html)
or to write to them:
1500 Marilla Street
Dallas, TX 75201

Sheila Martinez, DMN Online Office Manager
Phone: 214-977-8861
Fax: 214-977-8177
e-mail: shemartinez@dallasnews.com

Department Director of Aviation
Kenneth H. Gwyn
www.ci.dallas.tx.us/html/aviation.html (http://www.ci.dallas.tx.us/html/aviation.html)
Assistant Director of Aviation
Terry L. Mitchell
dallaslovefieldmasterplan...ontact.htm (http://dallaslovefieldmasterplan.com/Contact.htm)

and the airlines: Southwest, Delta, American, and Continental

[jsoto3]

and of course: your council member, if you are a citizen of dallas.

[applecore24]

Awesome. Now that we are at this point, hows about all of us drafting one basic letter - outlining whta needs to happen at Victory and Love Field. Does anybody have an evidence of this being done (or not done) in other cities? And the effects it had?

[ibryant]

That sounds great guys...count me in! As soon as things get rolling, let me know what I can do to help.

[mdunlap1]

As anyone who's seen my Mockingbird Tunnel post knows, I love letters... so count me in too.

[jsoto3]

what mockingbird tunnel post? i would like to see it.

[jsoto3]

ok, i saw it. nicely done! i nominate mr. dunlap as our rep!

[applecore24]

I second that nomination!

[mdunlap1]

What have I done? LOL.

[mdunlap1]

DART is holding two public meetings to take suggestions from community members on the nights of March 28 and 29th. Since they are discussing the NW rail alignment, the DART website says they will be listening to ideas on the Love Field rail alignment. I'm not in Dallas or else I would be at at least 1 of these to see what they are leaning towards. Hopefully they understand how critical it is that the rail goes directly into the terminal area of Love Field. Here are the times and locations of the meetings (dart.org has more info as well):

Wednesday, March 28, 2001, 6:30 p.m.
Bachman Recreation Center
2750 Bachman Drive, Dallas

Thursday, March 29, 2001, 6:30 p.m.
Farmers Branch Recreation Center
2919 Amber Road, Farmers Branch

[CTroyMathis]

That sounds good. Guess what, I'm not instate right now. Go figure. I missed Fort Worth's transit alternatives last week and now I'm going to miss the one public meeting I really want to especially attend. Hopefully, SOMEONE, can shed some light for us by attending. Minutes and observations from meetings like that are available by request, ...I think. I hear they are, anyway. Will have to check that out...

[ibryant]

I was just wondering, has anyone heard anything more about the Love Field alignment? Did anyone get a chance to go to the public meetings back in March? I was out of town so I couldn't go...

Are we still planning on writing the Love Field alignment letter? I'm still all for it. I think we all agree that despite the added cost of direct access to love field, it would be a complete waste to not do it.

[ibryant]

Also, does anyone know when the Arena station is supposed to open? Will it open before the rest of the Northwest extension or all at the same time?

I'm assuming it's not going to be open in time for the start of the Stars/Mavs 2001-2002 season.

[CTroyMathis]

I called a friend who's friend's daughter's cousin's dad....nevermind...

I heard through the grapevine (not the Tarrant County city) that it may open up for events-only in 2003 season. TRE will not do it when it does. Something like that. I don't think that is ANYWHERE set in stone, but, it's a buzz in the world of DFW rail transit apparently.

Sorry for the humor, but, since this message is many months after the last post - I didn't see it hurting too much!

[jsoto3]

here it is . . . . (http://www.dart.org/nweis/nwcorridoreis3b.htm)

[jsoto3]

[mdunlap1]

This would be huge. Putting the station inside Love Field grounds, rather than being half-hearted about this, would be the best decision DART has ever made.

The Legend Airlines venture failed, but it was still ground-breaking. American (as well as Delta) was forced to move over to Love Field and run Legend out of business, but in the future, once 9/11 fears subside and urban airport and air space becomes more valuable, Love Field airlines will eventually defeat the Wright Amendment and gain access to high capacity, long haul flights. When this happens, it is a MUST that there be a DART station within the airport. If DART is going to do anything less than that, they might as well not bother.