DCTA: A-Train

[CTroyMathis]

Transit official urges better Denton link to DART
Proposal calls for rail extension to station at Belt Line Road

12/15/2002

By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News

Regional transportation officials say the Denton County Transportation Authority's plan for commuter rail service has a 4-mile flaw.

Instead of forcing riders to change trains in Carrollton at the county line, trains from Denton should punch through two more stops, to a proposed station in Dallas County, said Michael Morris, transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments.

That convenience, he said, would attract more riders and eventually make it easier for Denton County users to ride rails all the way to Dallas-Forth Worth International Airport.

"We're trying to create a system with seamless service," said Mr. Morris, who pitched the idea to DCTA officials recently. Denton County's current plan would force riders to transfer at least twice – once at a new station at Frankford Road and again at Belt Line Road – to go east or west.

"I just can't sit back and let somebody build something that's going to force two transfers," he said. "Let's build the right thing first."

DCTA chairman Charles Emery said Mr. Morris might be right about the inconvenience. Denton County's trains, he said, were always envisioned as a part of a larger transportation system.

"Michael is the tenured professional in this field," said Mr. Emery. "We have a lot to learn from Michael ... from DART [Dallas Area Rapid Transit] and the [Fort Worth] T."

DCTA's current plan calls for a $240 million 20-mile commuter rail line from Denton south to Carrollton. Riders would then get off the diesel-powered trains and board DART's proposed electric cars for the rest of their trip south. Both legs are scheduled to be finished around 2008.

Mr. Morris says that transfer doesn't make sense. Denton County's diesel trains, he said, should roll through the Carrollton station and stop at a major hub planned at Belt Line Road and Interstate 35E. If approved, the extension would have parallel train tracks – one for DCTA's diesels and another for DART's electric cars – between Frankford and Belt Line roads.

The duplication is necessary, according to Doug Allen, executive vice president for programming at DART, because his agency wants to build a station in between, at Trinity Mills.

"There's no technical reason why DCTA couldn't service those stations [Frankford and Trinity Mills]," said Mr. Allen. "But diesel trains aren't ... designed to make a lot of stops."

Money questions


Mr. Allen said the lingering question was how much DCTA, which may deposit thousands of riders onto DART trains, would have to compensate the Dallas system. Carrollton is the only city in Denton County that pays for DART service. The city lies in both Denton and Dallas counties.

"The [DART] board hasn't weighed in on how that connection would work," said Mr. Allen. "It will require interlocal agreements."

Mr. Emery said he didn't know enough about the proposal to comment on its economic impact.

"We're all going to be talking about the most efficient way to handle passengers," said Mr. Emery. "But it's going to take a few years before we're ready to pin down how these systems will interface."

Added incentives


Mr. Allen and Mr. Morris said their agencies would sweeten the deal if DCTA agreed to the extension.

For example, Mr. Allen said, DART would probably have to refurbish the tracks from Frankford Road to Belt Line Road, saving DCTA the expense.

And, Mr. Morris said, the council of governments would probably be willing to contribute some of its federal rail funds to expedite the project, and potentially pay for the construction of a station at Belt Line Road. Commuter rail typically costs between $5 million and $7 million a mile, transportation authorities said. The cost of the proposed DCTA extension has not been discussed.

"We've asked them to sit down with us so we can present our vision," said Mr. Morris. "The first thing we need to settle on is, 'Do we have an agreement on what we should do?' The second question is, 'How do we get it done?' "

Mr. Emery said DCTA is still in its infancy. The board's first priority is to recruit and hire a staff to help the agency's directors refine a service plan.

Next, every city in Denton County will be asked next year to approve a sales tax increase to pay for the public transportation system.

Cities with a population of 12,000 or more people – Lewisville, Denton, Corinth, Flower Mound and Highland Village – will probably be asked to approve a half-cent increase, Mr. Emery said. Other cities will be asked to levy a quarter-cent.

Residents of The Colony will not be asked to fund the project because the city's sales tax is already at the state cap of 8.25 percent. Denton County residents of Carrollton voted on the plan but will not be asked to pay for it because the city is a member of DART and pays sales taxes to that agency.

[bloodandpopcorn]

I still don't see why Denton had to form their own agency. Did theyj ust not want to pay a full 1-cent sales tax? That seems rather petty to me... Oh well, to each his own i guess. As long as they work closely with DART and connect everything well, I'm all for another train system in the region.

[CTroyMathis]

DCTA is ready to get a move on
Alternatives to Corinth station, sales tax vote date on panel's agenda

01/15/2003

By SCOTT FARWELL / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/denton/stories/011503dndendcta.c268.html


The Denton County Transportation Authority will meet Thursday afternoon in Highland Village to discuss alternatives to a proposed rail station in Corinth and possibly to set a date for a countywide sales tax election to fund the fledgling agency.

DCTA was formed by voters in November to create a countywide public transportation system. The group's plan calls for a $240 million 20-mile commuter rail line from Denton to Carrollton and a network of buses.

This year, likely in September, voters will be asked to pay for the system by approving a sales tax increase. Cities with a population of 12,000 or more – Lewisville, Denton, Corinth, Flower Mound and Highland Village – will probably be asked to approve a half-cent increase, Charles Emery, chairman of DCTA has said. Other cities will be asked to levy a quarter-cent.

"We need to talk about a good date for the sales tax election, and we don't have a whole bunch of time," said Mr. Emery. "We need to get a service plan update consummated, planned, zipped up and communicated."

DCTA's current plan calls for a rail station near the Swisher Road exit on Interstate 35E in Corinth. However, Mr. Emery said, it may make more sense for the station to be built farther north, near the campus of North Central Texas College.

"We'll be listening to all the alternatives over there and helping folks figure out what's best and most affordable," Mr. Emery said.

DCTA will also continue to meet with officials from the North Central Texas Council of Governments in coming months to consider how Denton County's rail system fits into a regional public transportation system, Mr. Emery said. DCTA's plan calls for commuters to get off diesel-power trains in Carrollton and board Dallas Area Rapid Transit electric trains for the rest of their trip south.

DART and DCTA both hope to punch trains through to the Carrollton station by 2008.

[tamtagon]

Get the trains moving, and while prepping the tracks from Denton to Carrollton, allow for the eventual upgrading of DCTA lines to handle vehicles operable through out the DART lightrail system. THe same with Trinity Rail Express.

[aceplace]

I think there is something wrong here, in DART's plans for the northwest Light Rail line.

There is currently a rail line from Denton to downtown Dallas. DART will retain most of it when they build their own LRV trackage, but some of it will be removed, resulting in a sizable gap.

This will prevent any possible commuter trains from Denton from reaching downtown Dallas. At least by a direct route.

To reach downtown, commuter rail passengers will have to transfer at Carrollton onto DART, that is, if DART will accept them.

DART has already refused to let buses from McKinney, Sherman and other towns from offloading passengers onto the Parker Road station in Plano. They have to, because the trains are standing room only from Plano on.

DART should be forced to retain the entire existing rail line in order to allow rail passengers from Denton County to have full access to Dallas.

[tamtagon]

Have you seen any explination why the gaps will be allowed by DART? I'm hoping the gaps exist only because plans for the NW line have not been updated to reflect partenership with Denton county.

DART should include stops at or near all of the regions major universities.

[freewaytincan]

Then again, it could actually encourage urban consolidation, like we may be seeing with downtown Plano now. Instead of going outwards, the people come back to the original city center, and live and work there.

[bloodandpopcorn]

Any news on this? I think Denton getting starting on building their commuter rail line could force DART to get cranking earlier. I'm sure they wouldn't like another transit authority beating them in the construction area!

[Quiz03]

Sales tax for transit to be settled Sept. 13
Voters will also decide whether cities should foot bill for elections


03/02/2003

By TOM REEDY / The Dallas Morning News

Denton County residents will head to the polls Sept. 13 to vote on a sales tax to pay for the transit authority they created in November.

The Denton County Transportation Authority approved the September date last week. The authority also will ask the cities to pick up the tab for the elections.

Elections must be held on uniform election days designated by the state. Sept. 13 is one of those days. Currently, no elections are scheduled for that date, said Charles Emery, executive committee chairman.

"We felt like we needed a clean agenda, a clean slate," Mr. Emery said.

The board also will send letters to each of the participating cities asking them to pay for the election. The total costs have been estimated at $100,000, said vice chairman and Denton representative Joe Roy.

The committee voted 7-1 to call the election with Flower Mound Town Manager Van James voting against.

Mr. James said he was not against the election but said that the cities should have some leeway on the election date so they could combine it with other elections.

"If we're going to ask the municipalities to fund the election, it would seem highly appropriate and courteous to have some degree of coordination and consultation with those governing bodies," he said.

Mr. Roy said that if every municipality in the county approves the tax, about $8 million a year would be raised. The cities would be asked to approve at least a quarter-cent addition to their sales tax rates, and each of the five major member cities – Corinth, Denton, Flower Mound, Highland Village and Lewisville – would be asked to approve a half-cent rate increase.

Mr. Emery said it was likely that every city in the county capable of raising its sales tax would be asked to hold a sales tax election.

The authority has asked the five major member cities and the county for $375,000 for "near-term funding" to hire some staff, with about $40,000 set aside to help with election expenses in the smaller cities, Mr. Emery said.

"It's absolutely required, without qualification, to get staff on board soon," Mr. Emery said.

Corinth Mayor J.B. "Babs" Troutman said Corinth's City Council would have to approve both the election and picking up the expenses but that she didn't know whether they would.

"I can tell you right now, we don't have the extra money in the budget," she said.

But Ms. Troutman said Corinth would probably pay for the election if the city calls a bond election on the same date.

The authority's transportation plan proposes that it oversee public transportation services for the county, including regional commuter rail, express and feeder bus services, bus and park-and-ride facilities, and an elderly/disabled service at an estimated cost of $281 million, including $240 million for regional rail.

The plan includes an initial 11-mile commuter rail line from Corinth to Carrollton, which would be finished by 2010 under the conservative plan and by 2008 under the aggressive plan.

The second phase of rail from Denton to Corinth would be completed by 2016 under the conservative plan and 2010 under the aggressive plan.

This story also appears in the Denton Record-Chronicle.

[Quiz03]

Denton County transit funding backed
Some residents object to county's plan to contribute $86,250


03/19/2003

By TOM REEDY / Denton Record-Chronicle

Short-term operating expenses for Denton County's share of a fledgling transit authority will be funded despite residents' calls for a vote on the issue, commissioners indicated Tuesday.

The Denton County Transportation Authority is asking the county and its five largest member cities for $375,000 to provide "near-term funding" until a Sept. 13 sales tax election. The county commission's share comes to $86,250.

The money would cover hiring a consultant to provide day-to-day administrative services until the election, and helping the county's smaller cities pay for the election.

The authority – which aims to oversee public transportation for the county, including regional rail and bus services – is considering a contract for administrative services with McDonald Transit Associates Inc. of Fort Worth.

The Lewisville City Council voted Monday to provide $92,400 toward the authority's expenses.

The Flower Mound Town Council rejected the authority's request for $63,525 Monday night.

Last week, the Corinth City Council postponed a vote on its share until other member cities decided.

Commissioners heard from several residents opposed to the interim expenditures.

Shirley Spellerberg, a former mayor of Corinth, said voters approved the authority in November "with the thought that there would be no tax funds used to fund the authority unless and until the voters voted approval of the sales tax in a future election."

She said giving money to the authority under the assumption that voters would approve a sales tax "would be highly presumptuous on your part and fiscally irresponsible."

Corinth resident Tom Chowning said the authority was poorly managed and was being deceitful.

"Virtually none of the 70-plus percent who voted for the creation of the DCTA had any idea funding would be required prior to the September sales tax election," he said.

Charles Emery, chairman of the authority's board, said the money was needed to get the agency to its next step. He said board members have contributed about 8,000 hours and have taken it as far as it can go with volunteer labor.

Commissioners are scheduled to vote on the funding next week. They indicated they generally supported the proposal, but asked questions about accountability and how the funds would be used.

In Flower Mound on Monday, council members voted 4-0 against contributing to the transit authority, but approved spending $55,392 for a study of the city's transportation needs to be conducted by Multi-Systems Inc.

The firm will also review the DCTA's service plan and report its impact on Flower Mound.

The vote does not mean Flower Mound is turning its back on the authority forever, Mayor Lori DeLuca said. Transit officials can renew their funding request with more specifics, she said.

"The request wasn't very detailed," Ms. DeLuca said. "We need to know what the money's for."

Mr. Emery said the board would decide how to replace the money after the rest of the city councils have voted.

He said the authority would not be in trouble if the cities fail to approve enough money for the contract with McDonald.

Flower Mound council member Joe Cook said Tuesday that he was unimpressed by the authority's current plan.


In Lewisville, the City Council unanimously approved $92,400 to the DCTA. Mayor Gene Carey said the DCTA board worked hard, but it's time to let someone else assist.

Staff Writer Lesley Téllez of The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report. This report also appeared in the Denton-Record Chronicle.

[CTroyMathis]

I found a year old article I hadn't seen yet, at the ST here:
http://www.dfw.com/mld/startelegram/news/local/states/texas/northeast/3298665.htm

It's interesting in that it provides, with some money and timetable changes as of today I'm sure, some basic numbers and principals of what the DCTA is up to.

Back in time:

<smallfont>
Rail plan requires sales tax increase
By KELLY MELHART
Star-Telegram Staff Writer

Denton County transportation officials are proposing a quarter-cent sales tax to establish a commuter rail line between Carrollton and Denton and bus service to the rest of the county.

The rail line could eventually be extended to Dallas/Fort Worth Airport, according to a plan by the Denton County Transportation Authority. The bus service, which would be available to every community in the county, could tie into the rail lines.

"People want transportation options," said Joe Roy, who represents Denton on the authority's interim executive committee. "It's a matter of coming up with the transportation plan that meets the needs of this county."

The transportation authority, a group responsible for improving travel in the county, released the plan last week. Residents can review and comment on the plan during meetings today through June 6. More meetings are likely.

The initial cost of the plan, which could take 10 years to implement, would be $351.85 million. Parts of the plan, such as the first segment of the proposed rail line between Lewisville and Carrollton, could be completed within four years, officials said.

Much of the plan's focus would be to bring relief to Interstate 35E, the most congested roadway in the county, Roy said. Interstate 35W is less congested, so officials would start with regional bus service from Denton to Fort Worth. A commuter rail line could eventually be created in that area, too.

Officials say they need to act fast. Denton County's population is 423,000 and will reach 592,000 by 2010, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. By the end of the decade, Denton County drivers will spend 40 percent of their commute stuck in traffic jams.

"If you think [Interstate 35E] is bad now, just wait," Roy said.

A handful of Corinth residents attended a public meeting May 13 to complain that a segment of the proposed commuter rail line between Lewisville and Denton would cut 80 feet from their back yards.

"I didn't pay a premium to back up to a train track," said a resident of the Northbrook neighborhood. Northbrook is next to abandoned Union Pacific railroad tracks that have been converted to pedestrian trails.

"I understand the problems and need for mass transit," Greg Good said at the meeting. "But this plan does not address issues for people who live in close proximity to that trail."

The path through Corinth is one of two possible routes between Lewisville and Denton. Another option would place the rail line west of Interstate 35E, through Copper Canyon and into west Denton.

The cost of the three rail line segments is estimated at $324 million.

Charles Emery, chairman of the authority's interim executive committee, said he welcomed the comments and urged others to make suggestions as the committee revises the plan.

"We need your help. We need your advice," he said. "The more we study this [traffic congestion], the more I'm convinced we have a problem, and it's not going to get better."

The committee will meet in June to decide whether to recommend the plan. It would then be forwarded to the communities in the county. At least one city or town council that represents a population greater than 12,000 must approve the plan before it can go before county voters.

If that step is met, county voters will be asked to approve a quarter-cent sales tax rate increase. The plan calls for the increase in Denton County communities where the rate is not at the 8.25 percent limit set by the state. Sales tax rates in Aubrey, Pilot Point, Roanoke, Sanger, The Colony and Trophy Club are at the limit.

Voters in at least one community with a population greater than 12,000 must approve the sales tax rate increase, or the transportation authority will be dissolved.

Other funding sources for the transit system would include federal and state sources, bonds and fees from ridership.</smallfont>

[CTroyMathis]

En route to more support
Flower Mound's DCTA representative likes changes in plan
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/denton/stories/062903dndendcta.6255b.html

06/29/2003

From Staff Reports

Flower Mound officials have expressed reservations about the Denton County Transportation Authority's service plan before.

But with last week's decision to abandon – at least for now – bus routes feeding into a commuter rail line along Interstate 35E, some in the town may be coming around.

"I think we are headed toward a service plan that is realistic and accurately reflects our intent to the voters, and that's a win-win situation for everybody," said Van James, Flower Mound's town manager and DCTA representative.

The authority decided Thursday to concentrate on building a commuter rail line from Denton to Carrollton, rather than creating a countywide web of bus routes.

"With these revisions, I think it is very likely Flower Mound will support the service plan," Mr. James said.

He said Friday that he will recommend the Town Council support the new plan, which the authority will consider July 10.

A sales tax election to fund the authority is planned for Sept. 13 in each of the authority's five member cities: Denton, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village and Corinth.

Others in southern Denton County were pleased with the revision as well.

"The feeder bus system was a loser," said Flower Mound Town Council member Jim Cook. "Nobody gets on them."

The Flower Mound Town Council rejected the authority's request for interim funding in March, and council members have expressed disapproval of the service plan.

In Lewisville, Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Mike Nowels, who supports the authority, said buses could have been a mistake.

"The worst thing we could have is empty buses riding up and down the street just so we can say we have bus service," Mr. Nowels said. "I think they've been very prudent in decision making, and this will continue to be a moving target. It is still too early to say exactly what the plan will look like."

The bus route decision was driven by the realization that smaller cities did not want to participate in the upcoming sales tax election, transit authority officials said Friday.

"We're saying that, right now, we're going to take those routes off, but that doesn't mean they're forever out," board chairman Charles Emery said.

Scott Neely, primary consultant for the authority, said another round of public meetings will follow after the service plan is adopted.

"We'll be saying to the voters, 'Here's how much the tax is going to be, and these are the services financed by that sales tax,' " he said.

Mr. Emery said the authority could contract with other towns and cities to provide transportation services such as buses sometime in the future.

At Thursday's meeting, Mr. James said the old plan was potentially misleading in that residents look at route maps and funding schemes and tend to assume a commitment.

Small-cities representative Bill Walker agreed, saying that the plan creates a perception among voters.

"They don't understand there are a lot of 'ifs,' 'ands' and 'maybes,' " he said.

The board directed its transportation consultant, Cinde Gilliland of URS, to narrow the focus of the plan to I-35E and to make it clear that all other aspects of the plan were dependent on future funding and ridership studies, with no projected time schedule.

[gc]

Denton County transit vote reflects local interests
Most cities that rejected tax increase aren't along planned rail route
05:52 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 16, 2003
By JIM GETZ / The Dallas Morning News
http://www.dallasnews.com/localnews/city/denton/stories/091703dndensalestax.aa102.html

The cities of Denton, Lewisville and Highland Village paved the way for a Denton County commuter rail line during Saturday's vote, but the balloting also showed the tensions that tug between regional and local interests.

Of the five cities that rejected the half-cent sales-tax increase, four – Flower Mound, Shady Shores, Copper Canyon and Double Oak – do not touch the Interstate 35 corridor along which the commuter rail will run.

I-35 courses through the heart of the fifth city, Corinth, but a group there strongly opposed it. The Transit Truth Committee argued that a local sales-tax increase would be misspent in trying to solve a regional transportation problem. Corinth would have raised about $320,000 next year for the rail line.

Sentiments were similar in Flower Mound, the largest city to reject the tax increase. Stephani Spruill, the town's mayor pro tem, said residents could not see increasing the sales tax, which would have raised about $1.9 million next year, with no existing rail in their community. Buses would have been needed to connect to the I-35 corridor. Voters saw better uses for the tax money, she said, such as promoting economic development.

"I did not want this to be a lost opportunity, because something needs to be done," she said. But, to address Flower Mound's needs, "it wouldn't be a matter of tweaking that plan; it would be sitting down from scratch."

From the standpoint of tax revenue, Denton and Lewisville were Saturday's heavy hitters, and their affirmative votes will give the Denton County Transportation Authority an estimated $13.5 million next year. It would have been about $16 million if all eight cities had voted yes. Based on figures from the Texas comptroller's office, Highland Village will kick in about $420,000 in 2004 toward the rail line.

Because of the local money available – and efforts to keep Congress and the Texas Legislature aware of the DCTA's needs – DCTA chairman Charles Emery said commuter rail will be a reality in some part of Denton County by 2010. In addition, the North Central Texas Council of Governments has been hoping for years to tie a Denton County line into a regional web of commuter train lines and to the Dallas Area Regional Transit light-rail system's future line in Carrollton, also projected to be finished by about 2010.

The first section of the Denton County rail was to have traveled from the southern Denton County line at Carrollton to FM2181 in Corinth. But with Corinth opposing the tax, the DCTA might have to reconfigure its schedule and construction. Under state law, it must reconfigure its planned stations – any city that rejected being part of the local financing cannot have a station.

"We're disappointed that North Central Texas College can't be a part of it," Mr. Emery said. The college's Corinth campus, which is half a block from the rail tracks, has 4,236 students enrolled; in addition, there are 38 full-time and 139 adjunct faculty members.

Any city such as Corinth that wants to be part of the commuter rail system later will not only have to approve a sales-tax increase but also will have to pony up a "buy-in fee" because other cities already will have contributed toward building the rail's infrastructure. Such a fee could be paid for through higher fares, higher parking lot fees or both.

But Mr. Emery said he is confident that other cities will join. "I think as demographics demand and funding is available, this will expand throughout the county," he said.

Michael Morris, director of transportation for the council of governments, agrees.

"Several things jump out at me as positive items," he said. "First, residents of Denton County trying to get into the DART system, either for sports events or to D/FW Airport – these residents will now have seamless connections. The second thing that hasn't been talked about as much is commuting to Denton County. There's significant job growth there."

Mr. Morris said it will be interesting to see how the reality of commuter rail stations changes how communities, universities and businesses view themselves.

"How does it change institutions?" he asked. "Does the county tend to market the university differently or more because of rail connections? How does it transform Lewisville on the east side of I-35? What is that community going to do over the next five to seven years to prepare for a station?"

Mr. Morris said the Denton County effort is but one part of a commuting plan to address a region expected to grow to 8.5 million residents in 25 years, up from 5.5 million today.

"We have a tidal wave of 3 million more people ready to hit the region and have to start acting like we already have those 3 million people," he said.


E-mail jgetz@dallasnews.com

[gc]

This could be the start of something good. I hope more cities jump on the bandwagon sooner rather than later. I35 north of Dallas is a complete nightmare!

[bloodandpopcorn]

Indeed, but it's good to see that the major players are on board. Hopefully the economy will pick up quickly and we can see this, along with DART rail expansion, quickened.

[aceplace]

Interesting that Corinth and Flower Mound declined.

Flower Mound is not adjacent to the commuter rail line, and the rail line is what the local people want. They mostly want a quick commuter ride to Dallas, not buses taking them around a 3 mile wide suburb.

So why should Flower Mound indebt itself? Let Denton pay for the commuter rail line, and Flower Mound will ride it.

Corinth is, however, on the line. And they still turned it down. But for the same reasons. They don't want an internal bus system, only commuter rail to Dallas.

The real fallacy is that commuter rail lines to Dallas need not be financed by the local municipalities, because commuter rail is not a normal municipal function. Picking up garbage, inspecting restaurants, paving city streets... that is what municipal taxes should properly go for. They are an expense that benefits primarily the people who live in, and pay taxes to, the municipality.

Commuter rail mostly benefits somebody else, just like the I35 freeway benefits somebody else. The portion of I35 going thru Corinth is not going to be funded by Corinth's municipal budget, but by a combination of state and Federal funds from the gasoline tax.

Commuter rail is likewise a resource that cannot be costed out to specific municipalities... it should be financed and maintained out of the Federal or state budgets, or a taxing authority established by the State of Texas.

[aceplace]

Perhaps the problem is continuing confusion over what a "city" is.

Corinth, Texas calls itself a "city", but it is more properly described as a "municipality", a government established to collect taxes and provide certain services, like garbage collection, street repair, etc, over a small area.

The word "city" is also used in the USA, and the rest of the english speaking world, to refer to a geographic urban area... a territory with streets and buildings in close proximity, and surrounded by country. The vast majority of trips begin and end within the same city, albeit not necessarily the same municipality.

If you ask an out of towner what CITY he is from, he might say "new York" or "Chicago", when in reality he lives in a suburban municipality...

The point is that urban transportation is a function of a city in the "urban area" sense of the word... it's not a function of a municipality, because commutes, the major source of congestion, cross municipal boundaries.

It's only when the public understands the difference between the words "city" and "municipality", and uses those two words to mean two different things,that our efforts to build urban transportation will start to work.

[John Dewey]

I was in front of Flower Mound polls talking to voters for 7 hours. I know exactly why my city rejected light rail. The majority of us realize that light rail is too slow and too limited to serve all but a few commuters. Only 27,000 round trip riders use DART daily. That's just 1.8 percent of the 1.5 million commuters who transit within and through Dallas County. That's just not enough commuters to solve pollution or congestion problems.

We are not against all mass transit. I've commuted via used heavy rail transit in Philadelphia and New York and express bus transit in Houston. I've also used heavy rail while on extended business trips in SF, Washington, and Milan. I considered them all to be cost-effective forms of transit.

Light rail is just not cost-effective. It offers no advantage over bus transit and costs many, many times more. Actually, it has many disadvantages relative to bus transit. It is just not flexible enough because it is restricted to the rails. That's why we rejected it.

Please don't make statements about why Flower Mound rejected rail if you don't really know why.

[gc]

Originally posted by John Dewey
Please don't make statements about why Flower Mound rejected rail if you don't really know why.

What statements are you referring to?

[aceplace]

Garrett, I think he's talking about me.

John Dewey, I applaud your willingness to individually poll every voter, and I'm surprised they all had identical opinions. Normally, you can't get people to unanimously agree on the color of the sky...

Will Denton County rail ease congestion on I35? No. Nothing will ease congestion on a freeway, because congestion is an inherent consequence of a freeway system. And the number of freeway intersections magnifies the congestion instead of reducing it. Building a new freeway to relieve an old one is like putting out a fire with gasoline.

Why build a train line? To avoid a congested freeway, of course.

The DART system carries many more than 27,000 people per day, actually several hundred thousand per day, and to many places.

You rejected a commuter rail line because it is not flexible? Let me ask you, how flexible is I35? Do you think we can bend a freeway a bit to the west to serve Flower Mound?

Bus versus light rail? Ridership always goes down when a rail connection is replaced by buses. People in general regard Light or Heavy rail as more desirable than bus service.

How popular was DART before it had rail? How poplar is it now? Before light rail, Plano was on the verge of leaving the system... the buses ran empty, they said. After light rail, Plano votes 78% to allow bonds to fund a rail extension sooner, in spite of additional interest costs.

Why did Flower Mound vote against Denton County commuter rail? I'd suspect that they're populated by backward people who are the last to see the light, who are the most resistant to any innovation. Every other community in DFW has embraced New Urbanism, for example... except Flower Mound. You people took a nationally recognized figure like Andres Duany, in demand in every town and city in America, and rode him out of town on a rail.

I would agree that Flower Mound's municipal government should not be asked to fund a commuter rail line out of its limited budget, any more than a school district should fund it.

I do believe that the citizens of Flower Mound should be taxed, against their will if necessarily, to build a vast network of rail lines across the metroplex. In order to carry commuters thru those chokeholds that cause highway congestion.

[aceplace]

Let's assume for the sake of argument that the current rail system in Dallas carries only a small fraction of the traffic that the city streets do.

Well, isn;t that meaningless? After all, the length of the streets in the Metroplex must add up to tens of thousands of miles. And there are only 44 miles of DART rail.

Well, consider freeways. Say that DFW has a thousand miles of freeway, carrying 1.5 million people a day. Well, the freeway experiment has failed... they were congested 50 years ago in 1953... and no matter how hard we've tried to keep up with freeway building in the last 50 years, they're still horribly congested to this day.

To have an equivalent rail system, we need a thousand miles of rail, not just 44 LRV and 32 commuter rail.

And since railcars run under carefully controlled schedules, they won't be congested by people slowing down to look at a dead dog on the side of the road.

Which is cheaper? A freeway at $100 million a mile, or a light rail line at $30 million a mile?

Which costs more to maintain? A freeway with 8 lanes of roadway, and two lanes of access roads, and lots of highway patrol, or a gravel pathway with two sets of steel rails?

Which has higher labor costs? A 3 car DART LRV train with 280 people on board, or 7 DART buses with 7 drivers and 280 passengers?

Which purchase has a greater economy of scale? Three DART railcars bought thru competitive bidding, or 280 used cars, purchased just as commuter vehicles?

[CTroyMathis]

Denton tours Addison, FW for transit options
Michael Whiteley
http://dallas.bizjournals.com/dallas/stories/2004/02/16/newscolumn2.html

The area around Denton's future downtown train station could look a little like Addison Circle. Chances are it will also mirror a little of downtown Fort Worth.


Mayor Euline Brock and members of the Denton City Council toured both spots in December and January and took a ride on the Trinity Railway Express into Fort Worth's Intermodal Transportation Center.

They were looking more for what's growing up around the beginnings of regional mass transit than the trains and buses at the heart of it. Brock got to ride in the TRE cab with the engineer.

Brock and her peers went looking for a map for transforming that part of downtown Denton to be chosen for the first bus and commuter-rail connection to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit station in Carrollton. Among the initial plans for the new transit system, estimated to cost about $292.3 million over the first decade, is extending a rail line from Denton to the DART station in Carrollton.

City officials were shopping because voters in Denton, Highland Village and Lewisville approved a 1/2 cent sales tax to fund the new Denton County Transportation Authority Sept. 13.

Brock said Robert Shaw's mixed-use, 80-acre, 4,000-unit development in Addison was built adjacent to the DART station with the thought that the urban-village concept would flourish with mass transit.

Brock said she and council members have begun pushing local developers to draft plans for revamping downtown with the new station as a linchpin. Five general areas have been identified a possible locations. It is expected to somewhere near the town square.

"We really like seeing the retail on the ground floor and the housing and offices above," she said. "In Addison Circle with those apartment houses even the hallways are open, and it gives it a very European feel."

In Fort Worth, they toured downtown and were ushered to a meeting at the Fort Worth Club with Mayor Mike Moncrief, City Council member Wendy Davis and city department heads.

Brock said she fell in love with the ITC, an intermodal hub for the TRE, Amtrak and buses operated by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority.

"Both those trips reinforced the direction that we had established we were going," she said.

[gc]

Denton transit agency hires chief
San Antonio official has experience with rail operations
10:49 PM CDT on Wednesday, April 21, 2004
By JOSH BAUGH / Denton Record-Chronicle


DENTON – The Denton County Transportation Authority on Wednesday hired its first executive director, whom board members described as a seasoned veteran in mass transit.

John Hedrick, currently capital facilities coordinator for VIA Metropolitan Transit in San Antonio, is scheduled to begin working for the Denton County authority May 10. Joe Roy, the Denton representative on the authority's board of directors, said Mr. Hedrick is the right person to lead the agency.

"He's a seasoned professional, and he's coming just at the right point where we need him to lead us through this funding maze and legislation maze, and I think he'll be just the right person for us," Mr. Roy said. "He was previously an executive director for another rail transit authority on the East Coast, and we think he would be a good fit for Denton County."

Mr. Hedrick, 59, has spent most of his career in mass transit, after developing a love of railroads as a boy. During his childhood in Sellersville, Pa., Mr. Hedrick lived in a home that bumped up against an interurban rail line. "That kind of instilled an interest in transportation and transit, particularly rail, in those formative years," he said. Mr. Hedrick filled out his résumé with several transit positions throughout the South and the East. He also owned and operated a restaurant in Atlanta and was an associate broker for a realty company in Monroe, Ga.

Mr. Hedrick's salary at VIA was unavailable Wednesday. DCTA board members will meet today to determine what Mr. Hedrick's salary with the Denton County authority will be. Charles Emery, chairman of the DCTA board, said Mr. Hedrick will do well in his new position because he is familiar with federal and state funding options for mass transit. "I think obviously we were looking for an individual tenured in the field of transportation, particularly rail, but certainly someone who had good knowledge of bus systems, too," Mr. Emery said.

The transit authority selected Mr. Hedrick after reviewing about 60 résumés and interviewing three candidates, Mr. Roy said. The authority used a California-based transit consultant who helped narrow the field of applicants, he said. A selection review committee, composed of some of the DCTA board members, conducted the interviews and recommended to the full board that Mr. Hedrick be hired. Todd Hemingson, vice president of planning and development for VIA, said it was a bittersweet moment when he learned that Mr. Hedrick would be leaving San Antonio.

"He has the right background to do a good job," Mr. Hemingson said. "He has a lot of rail experience." Mr. Hedrick faced an organizational shakeup at VIA during his tenure there, officials said. Voters in San Antonio turned down a referendum for a light rail line in 2000, a project Mr. Hedrick would have been involved with.

Mr. Hemingson said Mr. Hedrick is a well-rounded person. "He's thoughtful, he seeks to establish a good team environment, he works well with others, and he has an ability to reach out to other partners to forge a consensus and move forward with things," Mr. Hemingson said.

A version of this story also appears in the Denton Record-Chronicle.

E-mail jbaugh@dentonrc.com

[dallastophoenix]

how interesting that denton lured someone away from san antonio (that should send a message to our southern neighbors)... good for denton!

[CTroyMathis]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 14px; COLOR: #396ca5; FONT-FAMILY: verdana">Highland Village route favored for DCTA rail; KC Southern tracks hits cities that approved tax, avoids foes
(http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13415509&BRD=1426&PAG=461&dept_id=528195&rfi=6)</TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0 hi="1"><TBODY><TR><TD>http://www.zwire.com/images/spacer.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD bgColor=#396ca5 height=2>http://www.zwire.com/images/spacer.gif</TD></TR><TR><TD>http://www.zwire.com/images/spacer.gif</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR><TR><TD><TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; COLOR: #396ca5; FONT-FAMILY: verdana">By: Crystal Forester, Staff Writer</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Denton County residents stressed on Thursday that passenger rail services between Denton and Carrollton should run through Highland Village.

About 40 people attended a Denton County Transportation Authority public meeting on Thursday, which, along with a similar meeting on Wednesday in Denton, begins the first step toward implementing major transportation improvements. The transportation authority is examining all potential options for the rail service.

URS Corporation, the consultant company hired by the DCTA to do an alternative analysis, suggested three possible paths the system could take to connect downtown Denton and Carrollton, where it would meet up with a planned Dallas Area Rapid Transit light-rail line.

There were strong preferences for the Kansas City Southern railroad line, which runs from north Lewisville to just west of Interstate 35E in Denton, said project manager Scott Neeley.

"There were a lot of honest comments and that was our purpose for the meeting, to get that feedback," he said.

This existing track is relatively close to the University of North Texas, which is one of the reasons residents of Denton County preferred this route.

"These tracks end in Denton about two to three blocks from the University of North Texas, and all three of these cities, Denton, Lewisville and Highland Village, voted in favor of the half-cent sales-tax increase to subsidize the DCTA," said Patsy Mizeur, president of Flower Mound Voters for Conservative Spending.

Highland Village residents also favored this system because, they said, they believe it would attract more retail development around the stations and raise the value of their homes.

Another path the transportation authority is considering would run along I-35E. Residents strongly rejected this route on Thursday because there are no existing tracks, it would cost more money and run through cities, such as Corinth, that did not vote for the railway system.

The third alternative presented was along former MKT railroad line that parallels I-35E to the east. Residents at the meeting highly opposed this route because an existing bicycle trail would be redone to accommodate the railway. If the system ends up on this route the bicycle trail would be moved and made better, said consultant Tim Baldwin.

Other reason for opposing this route was the fact that it would run through many school zones. Residents were concerned for students who walk to and from school and the frequency of trains during these times.

Noise was another factor for those approving the MKT route because it runs close to many peoples backyards. There is the possibility of have quiet rail crossing in neighbor hoods at a partial cost to the cities that wanted them, Baldwin said.

"Something like crossing arm extensions would be feasible, something you couldn't drive around," he said.

The main concern was about the cost of the railway system for cities that voted against it.

"Residents in cities like Flower Mound, Corinth, Copper Canyon and Double Oak were not interested in paying for the trains and do not want them running through their cities," Mizeur said.

[texman]

Good news for Denton and seems the rail line is coming along. And you know what boggles me, These cities that complain that they don't want it and blah blah blah, well, in 20 years there going to be begging for station after they see the positive impacts.

[freewaytincan]

Good news for Denton and seems the rail line is coming along. And you know what boggles me, These cities that complain that they don't want it and blah blah blah, well, in 20 years there going to be begging for station after they see the positive impacts.

And when gasoline is ten or twenty dollars a gallon.

[MazelT]

^ yeah, by then it will be cheaper to fuel your car on hazelnuts and bald-eagle heads.

[freewaytincan]

^ yeah, by then it will be cheaper to fuel your car on hazelnuts and bald-eagle heads.

LOL, nice.

[RobertB]

Highland Village residents also favored this system because, they said, they believe it would attract more retail development around the stations and raise the value of their homes.

vs.

"Residents in cities like Flower Mound, Corinth, Copper Canyon and Double Oak were not interested in paying for the trains and do not want them running through their cities," Mizeur said.
If I were a real estate speculator, I'd be buying Highland Village lots now, and dumping Double Oak and Copper Canyon while the selling is good.

The recent TxDOT plans (http://www.dot.state.tx.us/txdotnews/mmprojects.htm) call for expanding the farm-to-market roads in the area, so short-term property values will spike... but those expansions will destroy the rural setting that brings people out there in the first place. For example, this horse stable (http://www.dallashorse.com/) in Double Oak could see a big swatch of land go to ROW expansion. So while Highland Village will preserve its unique small-town character thanks to the rails, the other towns, dazzled by short-term dollar signs, will soon be indistinguishable from any other suburb.

[freewaytincan]

So while Highland Village will preserve its unique small-town character thanks to the rails, the other towns, dazzled by short-term dollar signs, will soon be indistinguishable from any other suburb.

What do you mean rails? Where is it exactly, on one of the lines?

[LakeHighlands]

Highland Village residents also favored this system because, they said, they believe it would attract more retail development around the stations and raise the value of their homes.



Like people in Highland Village need their property values to increase. I think one reason Highlands Village voted for this is that there are quite a few people from Dallas or Park Ctiies that have homes there. These folks are more open to rail than traditional suburbs like Flowermound. I went there for the first time last month, fell in love with the place and closing on a new home right now. I think is one of the most beautiful places in Texas. They have a neighborhood called Lake Highlands and it looks better too, but you didn't hear that from me.

[RobertB]

Like people in Highland Village need their property values to increase. I think one reason Highlands Village voted for this is that there are quite a few people from Dallas or Park Ctiies that have homes there. These folks are more open to rail than traditional suburbs like Flowermound. I went there for the first time last month, fell in love with the place and closing on a new home right now. I think is one of the most beautiful places in Texas. They have a neighborhood called Lake Highlands and it looks better too, but you didn't hear that from me.
Whew, I bet you were afraid you'd have to change your nick!

Real Estate Agent: So what sort of neighborhood were you looking for?

LakeHighlands: One where the name is similar to my online identity so I don't have to start over at zero posts.

Real Estate Agent: :confused:

Back to the topic: this dfwmaps.com map (http://www.dfwmaps.com/print.asp?extentleft=2384159.66995518&extentright=2436217.33004482&extenttop=7110150.83004482&extentbottom=7058093.16995518&Layers=on&RAILROADS=on&SHADECITY=on&AERIAL03=&AERIAL=&&Requests=on&selectpt.x=0&selectpt.y=0&selectpt.stat=none&idCmd=&identify=) shows two of the alternatives mentioned in the article. The Highland Village line cuts through Copper Canyon as well, but they can just live with it.

Actually, I'd gotten Lake Dallas and Highland Village mixed up when I was thinking of the small-town atmosphere. There are still some hole-in-the-wall restaurants off the highway that give Lake Dallas a homey, less polished feel. I expect the whole peninsula (Corinth, Hickory Creek, Lake Dallas) to become an exhaust-choked strip-mall mess, especially when they build the toll bridge across the lake.

Highland Village is being smart like a fox. Look at that map -- the whole town is a cul-de-sac! You don't have to go through the town to get anywhere. All the big box development (like the Super Target in the horse pasture at FM's 407 & 2499) is south of the city limits, making parking and traffic Someone Else's Problem. Adding rail just puts the icing on the cake. And if it's sales tax based, it looks like the town gets Something For Nothing to boot. Congratulations!

[gc]

^ LakeHighlands....does this mean you are leaving your oasis in Dallas?

[freewaytincan]

^ LakeHighlands....does this mean you are leaving your oasis in Dallas?

This...could become interesting.

[drumguy8800]

...I think one reason Highlands Village voted for this is that there are quite a few people from Dallas or Park Ctiies that have homes there...

Why would someone possibly want a vacation home up there? And are you talking about yourself?

[tamtagon]

Parts of Roanoke are as pretty as Highland Village.

[LakeHighlands]

^ LakeHighlands....does this mean you are leaving your oasis in Dallas?



Why would someone possibly want a vacation home up there? And are you talking about yourself?


I never ever ever EVER in a million years thought I would leave Dallas for an out lying suburb!!!. EVER!!!!

I was working on some projects in that area last month and decided to visit a friend that moved out there a few years ago. We have friends out there but never visited because it was too far and they always came to Dallas for events.

I always heard so much about the place so I went and my jaw was dropped the whole time I was there. The STEEP HILLS, TREES, LAKE, VIEWS, and just how nice everything looked.

I was in utter disbelieve. I could not believe this is DFW. Highland Village is “prefect” or as close to perfect you are going to find. I have been all over the U.S. and to find a city like Highland Village is rare! They have done one of the best jobs zoning I have ever seen. The trails, streets, signs, buildings, everything!!!! It is “Pleasantville”.

Well After I came home I told my wife about it and we went out there the next day. She was just as awestruck as I was.

It gets better!!!

We were driving around and found this lookout. I never thought I would see a “lookout” in DFW. It is beautiful!!! This is the kicker. We turned around and at the same time we saw the street sign. We looked at each other and started laughing. We just couldn’t believe it! At that time a family was walking by and I know they thought we were absolutely crazy! The street sign said “Lake Highlands”. Actually that whole neighborhood with the lookout is called “Lake Highlands.”

We spent many hours thinking about what we would do. We almost decided to build a brand new home in Northwood (newer development in Highland Village) and sell our homes in Lake Highlands in Dallas.

If I had kids in elementary school and Highland Village had there own school district I would probably permanently move out there.

After seeing Highland Village, I asked myself what I am I doing in Lake Highlands? Why am I spending so much time trying to improve Lake Highlands? It is a fight, battle, very difficult, and takes up all of my free time. It seemed so easy to pick and run to Highland Village were everything appears to be “perfect”.

But I love Dallas, my parents, me, and my kids all grew up in Lake Highlands. Lake Highlands has come too far in the last three years and I have invested too much into the area to stop plus there are so many more projects going on. I work in Dallas, everything I need is in Dallas, and I am not going to drive 40 miles each way every day.


There are so many homes for sale in that area, so we decided to buy a home there on the lake (lake that you can put a boat in can't at WRL). We consider it an investment property and not a vacation home.

Here is a preview of some photos. The fist two were taken from the lookout in Highland Village version of Lake Highlands. The rest are of other neighborhoods in Highland Village. When I have some free time I will post some more in the photo section.

[freewaytincan]

Well, it's fairly impressive. I imagined the houses would be farther apart.

[CTroyMathis]

Those are some awesome views.

[gc]

^ Congrats LH. I disagree with everything you said about Highland Village, except for the schools. IMO, it is no different than other "new" suburbs and remember Lake Lewisville is one of the most disgusting and accident prone lakes in Texas.

[drycreek]

I grew up in Highland Village and it was pretty cool. Just your typical burb if you asked me. Only difference is mo money. The politics can be a bit much but then again it's that way everywhere.

[NThomas]

Could this be the key for Denton becoming the "Top" of the Golden Triangle??? (Dallas, Fort Worth & Denton)

[texman]

Could this be the key for Denton becoming the "Top" of the Golden Triangle??? (Dallas, Fort Worth & Denton)

Uh, I've always though of DFW metro as a sqaure-rectangle. You've got Collin, Dallas, Tarrant, then Denton. I've never heard of this 'golden triangle.'

[rantanamo]

UNT could have such an effect I think.

[NThomas]

Uh, I've always though of DFW metro as a sqaure-rectangle. You've got Collin, Dallas, Tarrant, then Denton. I've never heard of this 'golden triangle.'it never really caught on in the late 70s early 80s

[Columbus Civil]

I've heard Golden Triangle used to reference an area in southeast Texas (Beaumont area).

[dfwcre8tive]

Public weighs in on rail options
Many groups back line along Denton Branch Rail Trail

07:27 PM CST on Tuesday, March 15, 2005
By DAVE MOORE / Denton Record-Chronicle

The idea of reviving a dormant train line as a commuter-rail line is a double-edged sword for Betty Marshall, whose front yard faces the former Missouri Kansas Texas line, which serves as the Denton Branch Rail Trail.

Ms. Marshall said a commuter rail – carting students, workers and shoppers from Denton to Dallas – would ease pollution by reducing Interstate 35E traffic. However, she's concerned that children using the bike trail could wander onto the tracks. "Why can't they take the path out completely?" she said. "Someone should think about moving the bike path and putting it somewhere else."

Ms. Marshall and other county residents can soon provide input to the Denton County Transportation Authority when officials hold public hearings on which route to choose for the commuter rail.

The authority will vote on the mass transit option that will best reduce traffic and pollution on I-35E. Among them:

Building a rail line along the Missouri Kansas Trail (MKT), from its northern terminus near Hickory and Bell streets, running to a second station near Denton Regional Medical Center and then extending southeast to Carrollton and connecting with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) lines.

Using the Kansas City Southern (KCS) train line in west Denton, connecting southward to reach Carrollton. Its stations would run west of the terminus of Oak Street and southwest of Hobson Lane.

Using a permanent bus line to connect travelers to Carrollton using high-occupancy vehicle lanes.

The plan to run the line along the MKT route seems to be currying the most favor of organized groups. The Denton City Council recently approved a resolution supporting the MKT line. The Denton Chamber of Commerce has also endorsed the downtown station concept. "I think that's the objective of a mass transit is to have stations that serve people," said Denton City Council member Perry McNeill. Denton council members view the downtown rail connection as a transit hub.

Lewisville Mayor Gene Carey said most residents are indifferent to which route is selected. "It's going to come through Lewisville regardless," he said. "Whether it curves through to Highland Village or to Corinth, it doesn't matter to us."

The University of North Texas, meanwhile, is straddling the line when it comes to endorsing a route. In a recent letter to DCTA Chairman Charles Emory, UNT Chancellor Lee Jackson encouraged the authority to consider which alignment:

results in the fewest student transfers

offers sufficient parking for commuting students

is most cost-effective for riders

provides the most options for extending public transportation lines north and southwest of Denton.

Dr. Allen Clark, director of institutional research for UNT, said 39 percent of the university's students reported living within a Denton ZIP code during the fall 2003 semester, according to the most recent statistics available. This means that 61 percent of students commuted to Denton and the UNT campus from outside the city. That year, the university enrolled about 31,000 students, and 12,000 said they lived in Denton. This means that 19,000 students were commuters. Texas Woman's University representatives could not be reached for comment about their preferred route.

The transportation authority was created by a countywide vote in 2003, with a majority of Denton, Lewisville and Highland Village voters approving. The authority's mission is to create and operate mass transit systems for Denton County that would connect to the Dallas area.

The DCTA has been collecting its half-cent sales tax since January 2004 and has been holding public meetings and forums. A final public forum will happen before the DCTA board votes. That meeting will probably occur within the next month or two, officials said.

Denton Record-Chronicle staff writer Matthew Zabel contributed to this report.

A version of this story appeared in the Denton Record-Chronicle.
E-mail dmmoore@dentonrc.com or call 940-566-6882

[frankchitown]

The only time I ever heard the metroplex referred to as the "Golden Triangle" is when I lived in Denton. Its mentioned often in Denton promotional adverts, and they have the Golden Triangle Mall.

[saxman66]

Ooh exciting stuff coming to Denton County. I'd really like to see the entire commuter line run all the way to Dallas. That way you don't have to transfer in Carrolton. DART trains would be pretty crowded before it left the first station. Wasn't this the problem they had in Plano, with buses coming from Sherman to Plano and loading everyone on there? Trains were too crowded.

Chris