'The Much Anticipated Downtown Dallas Streetcar Project Is a Step Closer to Reality.'

"The Much Anticipated Downtown Dallas Streetcar Project Is a Step Closer to Reality."

By Robert Wilonsky Fri., Jan. 21 2011 at 9:58 AM

University of Texas at Arlington Library

Main and Akard, circa 1953

That headline is the very first sentence in a press release from the U.S. Federal Transit Administration announcing that on Thursday, it and the North Central Texas Council of Governments finally signed the grant agreement that will provide $23 million in Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery funds for the Union Station-to-North Oak Cliff project. The announcement comes one week before that streetcar town hall at Methodist Hospital.

I've left messages with NCTCOG officials about updated time lines and will update accordingly. But in the release, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood reiterates: He's a very, very big fan of the project. Says LaHood, "The Dallas streetcar project is another great example of how the Recovery Act is creating jobs and providing accessible transportation. Residents will soon be able to take the streetcar to work or shopping downtown. It will also provide a direct connection to light rail and commuter rail at Union Station."

To which Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff adds this: "In addition to creating much-needed jobs for workers in Dallas, this proposed streetcar line will advance economic growth in downtown neighborhoods by linking them with major employment centers throughout the region."

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This really is an amazing, ongoing story! I hope the streetcars can be as extensive as the OCTA intends for them to be.

Bigjondaniel

I am so sorry to be a pain in the butt, but would you mind posting the latest map/configuration of the Union Station-to-North Oak Cliff line?

I can't seem to find it anywhere, and it would be cool to remember where exactly this thing is going to run.

Thansk!

Robert Wilonsky

Jon, I'm awaiting a call from NCTCOG about time lines. I'll see if I can get the latest map. But the link to the town hall does contain an outline of the route:

The proposed alignment begins at Union Station and proceeds south along Houston Street, crossing the Trinity River. From the Houston Street Viaduct the alignment extends along Zang Boulevard, terminating near Methodist Dallas Medical Center (Colorado Boulevard and Beckley Avenue or Zang Boulevard and Beckley Avenue intersection).

doppelstranger

I could have sworn the original route was running down east Greenbriar to Beckley and then south on Beckley to Colorado and over to Zang. Did the route get changed at some point?

Thelisma Partridge

Robert, the last map I saw (or description I read) had the line stopping at/near the Zang/Colorado intersection. More specifically, near the new INCAP (or whatever they morphed into now) condos going up on Zang north of Colorado. It does NOT extend to Methodist, which makes no sense to me.