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Developments in Dallas (TX):
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta announced on Monday a USD69.3 million grant in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority (DART). This grant plus the FTA’s previous commitment of USD162m will provide a total of USD231m toward the USD333 million committed to the project in the Full Funding Grant Agreement that was approved on Oct. 6, 1999.
The grant will be used to continue construction of DART’s North Central Light Rail Transit (NCLRT) line extension for the Dallas area. This project will be a 12.5-mile double-track rail system with nine stations extending from the terminus of DART’s 'Starter System' at Park Lane in Dallas through the city of Richardson to Parker Road in the city of Plano. DART’s 20-mile Light Rail Transit system became operational in 1996 with two extensions currently under construction: the Northeast (Red) Line to Garland and the North Central (Blue) Line extension to Plano. The funds awarded today will fund the North Central Line extension. DART is using local funds to construct the Northeast Line.
The section of the north central from Park Lane to Galatyn Park is on schedule to open in July, but the section from there to Plano might open six months early, possibly in December while the northeast line expansion to the LBJ/Skillman Station should open May 6, with the final two Garland stations scheduled to open in November.
In addition to this there will be a grand opening of The McKinney Avenue Transit Authority trolley extension to CityPlace on Saturday, April 13, 2002 which is also the thirteenth anniversary of the trolley. This event features a real Big Top Circus, live entertainment, arts & crafts, birthday cake and FREE trolley rides! This extension will provide a convenient transfer point between the MATA trolley and the Red and Blue Lines of DART's light rail system, which pass underneath Cityplace in a tunnel.
More information on the above systems can be found at:
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13 March 2002
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