Thursday, March 02, 2006

DART Rail

Passengers board the Trinity River Express from the DART Light Rail at Union Station
I got to experience the DART rail for the first time yesterday.
I rode from Hampton Rd in Oak Cliff to Akard Street, where I met Mayor Barksdale, rode to Mockingbird for lunch, rode back to Akard Street and then rode all the way to the Irving Station (just south of D/FW airport), and then back to Hampton Rd without ever getting in a car, sitting in traffic, or looking for parking.
It was an enjoyable experience for $2.50.
DART is getting ready to the rail system with extensions of service to Pleasant Grove, Carrolton and Las Colinas.
So far, there have been $3.3 billion in improvements to areas neighboring DART's rail stations.
That's a huge economic impact.
I'd love to see the day when I can hop a train from Waxahachie to Mesquite. Of course both cities will have to see a sales-tax increase and there are a number of other issues involved. But for now, I don't mind hoping a bus in Glenn Hieghts and connecting to the vast network already in place.
I think in a week or two I'll hop the train again with my bike and head over to White Rock Lake for a ride.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You've lived in the DFW area how long and you just now experienced the Rail?!? Congrats! Fun times isn't it? The only glitch I have is that the Rail is great, but I don't want to ride the bus once I get off. I know, I discriminate.