DART Rail to be expanded

New funding released by the United States Federal Transportation Administration will allow the doubling in size of the network by 2013, including a 34km (21 mile) Green Line with 24 stations. It will serve regional destinations including Deep Ellum, Baylor University Medical Center, Fair Park, Victory Park and Dallas Market Center. A second branch will extend from the Green Line to Carrollton, to become the Orange Line. This line will also serve Dallas Fort Worth International Airport by 2013.

Design and planning consultation for the Green and Orange lines is being carried out by Sasaki Associates of Boston and San Francisco. The company has been involved in several high profile projects in the Dallas area including the Addison Circle Park which is served by light rail.

Services on the existing network will go on from Garland to Rowlett in 2012, and the benefit of the total programme is expected to be an additional 60,000 passenger trips each weekday, doubling the current ridership.

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