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Committee reviews DART project request list; members urge prioritization and equity
Summary
City transportation staff presented a list of projects for DART’s consideration and asked the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee on March 25, 2025, for input on priorities; members urged emphasis on airport‑to‑convention connections, a downtown urban connector and improved equity for southern Dallas.
City transportation staff presented a list of transit projects for DART’s consideration and asked the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee for input on priorities during the March 25 meeting.
Staff said the list responds to a formal DART request and builds on area plans and prior city work; it was presented as a longer catalog of near‑term and longer‑term opportunities for DART’s consideration. The presentation was positioned as an initial staff response that will be refined and returned to the full council after DART’s feedback and a second phase of area planning.
Committee members raised several priority concerns. Chair Mendelson said upgrades to the Kay Bailey Hutchison (Downtown Dallas) Station should be a DART responsibility rather than a city funding ask. Multiple members identified two near‑term priorities: stronger connections from Love Field and from DFW Airport to the convention center, and the restoration or expansion of a small‑scale downtown circulator (the “hop‑on” or urban connector) to reduce car trips and help link destinations such as Trinity Groves, The Cedars and Deep Ellum.
Several members also urged that the city prioritize returning the streetcar system to DART’s operational responsibility; a council member said the streetcar system costs the city’s general fund and that DART is the regional transit provider. Staff replied that the streetcar has historically been city‑owned and that work is underway to expand streetcar service and discuss potential handover with DART.
Council members asked staff how the list was developed; staff said it drew from prior area planning work, economic development and transportation departments and input from Love Field, and that a broader phase‑two area planning process will be used to refine priorities and improve geographic balance. Several council members asked specifically that southern Dallas and districts 3, 4 and 8 be fully represented when the list is refined.
Staff said the list is more extensive than other member cities’ submissions because Dallas has not completed phase‑two area planning; DART will respond and the city will then prioritize items for formal submission to the full council. No formal committee action was taken; staff asked committee members to provide continued input as phase‑two planning proceeds.
