Dallas transportation committee backs resolution to support full DART funding after agency update

The City of Dallas Transportation and Infrastructure Committee voted on Feb. 18 to craft a citywide resolution supporting full funding of the 1¢ sales tax that funds Dallas Area Rapid Transit, after receiving a detailed update from DART leadership and a regional briefing on the Transit 2 planning effort.

DART Chief Executive Officer Nadine Lee told the committee she came to “provide an update to the T R and I committee, on all things DART,” and outlined the agency’s ridership recovery, safety and operations work, and near-term capital and station projects. Michael Morris, transportation director at the North Central Texas Council of Governments, briefed the committee on Transit 2 — a regional set of recommendations and financial scenarios addressing long-term operations, service modernization and growth.

Why it matters: The committee vote is a formal step by the city to signal support for maintaining the full local sales-tax revenue that funds DART. That funding stream is central to DART’s operating and capital plans; DART leaders and regional staff warned the committee that reductions in that revenue would affect service, safety investments and system modernization at a time of shifting travel patterns since the pandemic.

Most important facts - The committee motion to draft a resolution backing full DART funding was made by Council member Carolyn Schultz; the motion passed with one recorded no vote (Council member Mendelson). The committee instructed staff to prepare formal language for consideration by the full City Council. - DART reported systemwide ridership of about 55.6 million rides in fiscal 2024, approximately 83% of pre-pandemic levels; the city of Dallas accounted for about 42.3 million rides in FY24. DART said roughly 52% of those rides are on buses and 40–42% on light rail. - DART described a set of safety and customer-experience investments: adding 100 uniformed security officers, an expanded cleaning regimen, elevator attendants at some stations, and a pilot “DART Cares” program focused on people experiencing homelessness. - DART’s GoLink microtransit now covers 30 zones (about 400 square miles) and serves roughly 7,000 riders per day; slightly more than half of GoLink ridership occurs…