DART Rail: 25 Years and Counting

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Posted on Jun 1, 2021 by DART Daily

We’re celebrating 25 years of light rail – that’s 25 years of getting you to the places you need and want to go. Thanks for being one of 500 million riders so far! We’re proud that we’ve been able to serve you and help you get around our region.

DART opened the first 11.2 miles of the starter system on June 14, 1996. It was modest in retrospect: from downtown Dallas, the Red Line extended to Westmoreland Station, while the Blue Line ran to Illinois Station.

DART Rail now has 93 miles of track and 65 stations. Here are some key dates in the evolution of the country’s longest electric light rail system.

RED LINE

January 1997. The agency extends the Red Line is north from Pearl Station (now Pearl/Arts District Station) to Park Lane Station.

December 2000. DART opens Cityplace Station (Cityplace/Uptown Station), the only subway station in the Southwest at the time.

July 2002. Another northward growth spurt takes the line to Galatyn Park Station in Richardson.

December 2002. A final extension completes the Red Line all the way to its terminus at Parker Road Station.

BLUE LINE

May 1997. DART extends the Blue Line south from Illinois Station to Ledbetter Station.

September 2001. The line heads northeast to White Rock Station.

May 2002. The Lake Highlands community of Dallas gets DART Rail when DART extends service to LBJ/Skillman Station.

November 2002. Service now goes to Downtown Garland Station, a major bus hub and a destination in itself.

December 2012. DART extends the line east to Downtown Rowlett Station.

October 2016. The South Oak Cliff area of Dallas gets new connections when the Blue Line comes to UNT Dallas Station.

GREEN LINE

November 2004. DART opens Victory Station at American Airlines Center, the first station of the future Green Line expansion.

September 2009. The Green Line goes into service from Victory Station to MLK, Jr. Station, taking riders from downtown Dallas to Fair Park just in time for the State Fair of Texas®.

December 2010. The line opens in its entirety, extending from North Carrollton/Frankford Station in the northwest to Buckner Station in the Pleasant Grove community of Dallas to the southeast.

ORANGE LINE

July 2012. The Orange Line opens with service from Bachman Station to the University of Dallas, Las Colinas Urban Center and Irving Convention Center stations. Orange Line trains begin operating between Irving Convention Center Station and LBJ/Central Station – and to Parker Road Station during peak hours.

December 2012. DART opened the second phase of the Orange Line, extending to new stops at the North Lake College and Belt Line stations, the latter located on the edge of DFW Airport property.

August 2014. The Orange Line is complete, arriving at DFW Airport Station at Terminal A, creating a direct rail connection between downtown Dallas and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.

April 2021. Irving gets a new stop with the opening of Hidden Ridge Station at Carpenter Ranch.

#DARTRail25
DART.org/DARTRail25

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