Moving North Texas Forward: Planning for the Future

Planning for the Future Planning for the Future
Posted on Dec 31, 2019 by DART Daily

DART isn't just focused on meeting the transportation needs of North Texas today - we're focusing on enhancing and evolving our multi-modal transit system to keep up with the needs of our growing region tomorrow and well into the future.

Anticipating—and Meeting—Future Needs

Transit projects take a long time to plan the right way - the Cotton Belt Silver Line project was first envisioned in the mid-80s and is set for completion in 2022. That's why DART is constantly anticipating the many ways that North Texas will grow and change into the future. This allows us to plan five, ten, and even twenty years ahead. Given how many moving pieces and different players and components need to be considered - from design and engineering to approvals and construction - it is vital to start each project with a comprehensive view of how it will fit into our existing transportation infrastructure and what benefits it will bring for North Texas riders, residents, and communities.

Looking Ahead to 2045

All of our future planning is set out in DART's long range Transit System Plan - a comprehensive outlook on the future of transportation in North Texas. This plan takes into account all of the different mobility options that are available to us now, as well as the ones that will be possible in the future.

Over the next five to seven years, DART will continue to advance a series of committed projects and programs, as well as initiate new studies to set the stage for the future. These efforts emphasize continuing to improve customer-facing technology, adding capacity to our rail network, implementing new and expanded services and amenities, enhancing safety and security, and maintaining our system in a state of good repair.

Committed projects for which DART has undertaken extensive planning and/or engineering, and that have committed or proposed funding plans include:

As DART develops the next Transit System Plan, we will be engaging customers and stakeholders in conversations around the following major efforts:

  • Re-imagining our bus system through a new Bus Service Plan
  • Expanding our Mobility as a Service (MaaS) framework through technology and partnerships
  • Exploring high-speed transit options in congested corridors
  • Investing in high capacity corridors with bus or rail service
  • Outlining streetcar opportunities and priorities in a Streetcar Master Plan
  • Incorporating new technology into our fleet, facilities and communications plans

Planning this far in advance isn't something that takes place overnight. DART's Transit System Plan has been in development for the past five years and is still being developed today. By taking a holistic approach to transit planning, DART is able to envision what North Texas’s transportation needs might look like in the future so we can begin planning to meet them today.

View our progress report since our last Transit System Plan to see how far we’ve come - and how far we have left to go.

Enhancing North Texas Now and Into the Future

As we continue to look to the future to plan for the growing needs of our region, DART will be examining other ways we can meet the future need of North Texas. Our goal is to continue to improve our transit system in order to better serve riders and non-rider alike, visitors, and our communities - enhancing quality of life, opening the doors to new opportunities, and sustaining our system well into the future. Maintaining a flexible, forward-looking approach that takes advantage of the latest technologies and innovations will enable DART to navigate the future and remain a vital part of North Texas for generations to come.

Stay tuned to DART Daily for more updates as DART continues to plan for - and meet -the needs of the future.

Categories : Agencies DART DART Daily Knowledge
Load more comments
Thank you for the comment! Your comment must be approved first
comment-avatar

Get DART Daily by Email

Subscribe

Filter Content