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Council gets DART, GoLink and circulator updates as staff outlines mobility choices
Summary
Deputy City Manager Ashley Shorey briefed council on regional coordination, DART’s proposed GoLink zone for April 2026, a potential DART circulator with a 50/50 cost share, and continuing ILA negotiations; council pressed staff for clearer cost, exit‑obligation scenarios and alternatives to headliner transit commitments.
Deputy City Manager Ashley Shorey presented a broad overview of mobility options for Addison and the region, telling council that staff is coordinating with North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and the Regional Transportation Council and that ongoing local projects include Midway (complete), Keller Springs (under construction) and design work on Montford Drive and Quorum Drive.
Shorey said DART has proposed an onetime General Mobility Program payment that would allocate roughly $2.9 million to Addison and that DART’s GoLink on‑demand service is scheduled to operate across all of Addison beginning in April 2026, per DART budget planning. She described a possible fixed‑route circulator that DART proposed as a 50/50 cost share (the town’s share roughly $837,000) but said the town had made no commitment and that staff would continue to evaluate alternatives and negotiate terms with DART.
Council members asked several fiscal and programmatic questions: how DART calculated the GMP payment, whether DART can administratively revise an Interlocal Agreement or must return to its board, the term of the GoLink commitment and whether the circulator would be DART‑owned and driver‑operated. Shorey said DART acknowledged Addison’s concerns about the ILA language and committed to proposing revised language; she said staff is seeking written clarifications about exit‑calculation methodologies and timing.
Separately, council asked how much Addison would owe if voters approve withdrawal from DART at different times. Staff said the DART‑provided figure for an exit obligation is approximately $2.9 million but that the town has asked DART to clarify whether the denominator used in that calculation changes if other cities withdraw before Addison. Staff estimated that waiting six additional months (May to November) would leave about $8.5 million in sales tax still being collected by DART (and not available locally) and could increase Addison’s share of any required payback; staff said DART’s CFO was reviewing the calculation and would respond.
On micro‑mobility and emerging technology, Director of Economic Development Wayne Emerson said Addison has contacted Waymo; Waymo is in a data‑collection phase and has not yet moved into deployment in Addison. Airport staff noted eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) considerations are being examined by regional planners and that any landing/takeoff near the airport requires attention to height and safety zones.
What’s next: Staff will pursue clearer written terms and alternatives with DART, provide council with an explanation of the GMP/DART exit calculations, and return with options and cost comparisons for the circulator, GoLink and other mobility investments.
