Northbound Red Line train at Galatyn Park Station
Overview
StatusOperational
OwnerDART
LocaleDallas, Texas
Termini
Stations25
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemDART Light Rail
Operator(s)DART
History
OpenedJune 14, 1996
Technical
Line length27.7 mi (44.6 km)
Track gauge4 ft 8+12 in (1,435 mm)
ElectrificationOverhead catenary
Highest elevationAt grade, elevated, underground
DART Red Line
Parker Road
Parking
Downtown Plano
12th Street (planned)
CityLine/Bush
Parking
Silver Line
to DFW
(2024)
Galatyn Park
Arapaho Center
Parking
Spring Valley
Parking
LBJ/Central
Parking
Forest Lane
Parking
Walnut Hill
Parking
Park Lane
Parking
Lovers Lane
Mockingbird
Parking
Knox-Henderson
(deferred)
Cityplace/Uptown
McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
D2 Subway (planned)
Deep Ellum
(special events only)
Baylor University Medical Center
(special events only)
Fair Park
(special events only)
Pearl/Arts District
St. Paul
McKinney Avenue Transit Authority
Akard
West End
Victory
(special event only)
Union Station Dallas Streetcar Trinity Railway Express Amtrak
Dallas Streetcar
to Bishop Arts
Convention Center
Cedars
DART South Maintenance Facility
8th & Corinth
Parking
Dallas Zoo
Tyler/Vernon
Hampton
Parking
Westmoreland
Parking
Disabled access All stations have step-free access

The Red Line is a light rail line in Dallas, Texas operated by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system. It began operations in June 1996, and is one of two inaugural light rail lines in the DART Light Rail system alongside the Blue Line.

Route

Westmoreland to Downtown

The southwestern terminus of the Red Line is at Westmoreland Station in southwest Dallas at the intersection of Illinois Avenue and Westmoreland Road. The southwestern part of the Red Line runs on a private right-of-way with grade crossings. Just before 8th & Corinth, the line merges with the Blue Line. The joint Red and Blue Line tracks then rise on to a viaduct that crosses Cedar Creek, the Trinity River, and a freight railroad line. At Lamar Street, the line turns north at a wye where a pair of tracks leading to one of two train yards on the system diverges. The Red and Blue Lines continue north, crossing the Landry Freeway, travelling under the Dallas Convention Center and stop at Dallas Union Station. After crossing over Main Street, the lines turn east as they merge with the Green Line and Orange Line and enter downtown Dallas. At this point, the lines leave their right of ways and operate on a dedicated street-running right of way.

Downtown to Parker Road

The four DART lines share a common section of track through downtown, with four stops: West End, Akard Street, St. Paul Street and Pearl Street.

After Pearl Street, street running ends and the lines return to private right-of-ways. The four lines diverge at a wye, with the Green Line diverging to the southeast while the Red, Blue and Orange Lines turn north, cross the Good-Latimer Expressway at grade, and descend into a long tunnel under the Central Expressway (US 75), with a stop at Cityplace. The lines exit the tunnel at Mockingbird. The Blue Line diverges from the Red Line and heads east, while the Red and Orange Lines turn north.

The Red Line then travels through north Dallas, Richardson and Plano. Most of the line runs at grade level with grade crossings, although portions of the route run on elevated viaducts. The line terminates at the Parker Road Station at Park Boulevard near Central Expressway in Collin County.

History

Much of the line was constructed on the former Texas Electric Railway route. That service ceased operations in 1948.

The Red Line was part of the initial launch of DART's light rail testing and service in 1996. At the time, the line only ran from Westmoreland Station to Pearl Station in the northeast corner of downtown. In 1997, the Red Line was extended to Park Lane Station, and was the first DART line to use the 3.5-mile twin tunnels. On December 18, 2000, Cityplace Station, the southwest's first commercial subway station was opened along the Red Line underneath Cityplace Tower in the tunnel under the Central Expressway.

In 2002, the Red Line extended into Richardson, ending at Galatyn Park Station, extending the light rail service 9 miles (14.5 km) over its original length. Later that year, the line was opened to the Parker Road Station, an additional 3 miles (4.8 km) of track, its current terminus.

Plans for expansion

DART-owned corridor from Parker Road Station to Downtown McKinney for possible future rail service expansion

The current northern terminus of the Red Line is Parker Road Station in Plano. The further north suburb, Allen, is eligible to join DART. There has been ongoing discussion of possible expansion into Allen. DART owns an abandoned railroad corridor in Allen, immediately north of Parker Road Station, in anticipation of future northbound expansion. However active Red line service is unable to expand further north because Allen is currently unable to levy the 1% sales tax required for DART membership. Allen already levies sales tax at the maximum rate of 8.25% set by Texas law. Redirecting 1% sales tax for DART membership would require scrapping funding for the Allen Economic Development Corporation and the Allen Community Development Corporation. Another possibility for funding is working with the Texas Legislature to secure an alternate funding mechanism, such as a county-wide tax, however this has not yet been accomplished. Creation of a separate regional system adjacent to DART has also been discussed.[1][2]

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) in a 2022 meeting discussed the possibility of expansion of the Red Line corridor from Plano through Allen to McKinney. Either the Red Line or the Silver Line could be extended north. The study proposed seven stations between the current Parker Road Station and the hypothetical northern terminus Downtown McKinney Station. The extension would be 18 miles long, cost between $700 million and $900 million to construct, and is estimated to have 7,000 to 8,000 riders a day by 2045.[3]

Stations

Daily Service

Listed from north to south
Station Other lines Opened Notes
Parker Road     (Rush Hour only) December 9, 2002 Terminus for Red and Orange Lines (Orange Line During peak-hour only)
Downtown Plano
CityLine/Bush Formerly Bush Turnpike Station until March 14, 2016. Planned Silver Line transfer station
Galatyn Park July 1, 2002
Arapaho Center
Spring Valley
LBJ/Central      Terminus for Orange Line outside peak hours
Forest Lane
Walnut Hill
Park Lane January 10, 1997
Lovers Lane
SMU/Mockingbird           Northernmost transfer for the Blue Line
Cityplace/Uptown December 18, 2000 Transfer to M-Line Trolley
Pearl/Arts District                June 14, 1996 Easternmost transfer for Green Line
St. Paul Transfer to M-Line Trolley (one block north)
Akard
West End Westernmost transfer station for the Orange Line and Green Line
EBJ Union Station      Transfer to Dallas Streetcar, Trinity Railway Express, and Amtrak Amtrak
Convention Center
Cedars
8th & Corinth Southernmost transfer for the Blue Line
Dallas Zoo
Tyler/Vernon
Hampton
Westmoreland

Special Event Service

References

  1. "DART Rail Service". cityofallen.org. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
  2. "FAQ: Texas Sales Tax". Window.state.tx.us. Retrieved January 10, 2011.
  3. Pirayesh, Erick (February 17, 2022). "Regional Transportation Council looks to extend DART rail line from Plano to McKinney". Community Impact. Community Impact Newspaper. Archived from the original on August 18, 2023.
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