DFW Light Rail station will open Aug 18 2014 (4 months early)
Aug 26, 2014, 11:52 am
#31
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You're comparing a worst-case scenario for light rail to the best case scenario for driving. If you're at the farthest reaches of the A gates there's a good chance you also have a 10-15 minute walk to your car, so that's a wash. [You can probably get to the cab stand a little faster, but if you have to wait more than a couple of minutes for a cab, you've lost that edge.]
"Up to 15 minutes until the next departure" is true, except it leaves out the inconvenient fact that trains run every 10 minutes or less from 0600 - 2200 on weekdays (0800 - 2200 on weekends) so there's a very good chance that you'll be waiting 5 minutes or less for the next train.
Meanwhile, the word "IF" in your final sentence looms large. If you use WSDOT's travel time calculator you can see that a 15 minute drive from Seatac to downtown Seattle is a fantasy during most weekday business hours. At 0930, for instance, the "95% reliable travel time" is 38 minutes, which incidentally is 5 minutes longer than it takes on the light rail train from Seatac airport to Pioneer Square.
Obviously a car will beat the light rail in some situations, such as late at night. And the time-calculation really has a lot to do with where your ultimate destination is. (I.E. if you're heading to Redmond or Lynnwood, then public transit is the option of last resort).
"Up to 15 minutes until the next departure" is true, except it leaves out the inconvenient fact that trains run every 10 minutes or less from 0600 - 2200 on weekdays (0800 - 2200 on weekends) so there's a very good chance that you'll be waiting 5 minutes or less for the next train.
Meanwhile, the word "IF" in your final sentence looms large. If you use WSDOT's travel time calculator you can see that a 15 minute drive from Seatac to downtown Seattle is a fantasy during most weekday business hours. At 0930, for instance, the "95% reliable travel time" is 38 minutes, which incidentally is 5 minutes longer than it takes on the light rail train from Seatac airport to Pioneer Square.
Obviously a car will beat the light rail in some situations, such as late at night. And the time-calculation really has a lot to do with where your ultimate destination is. (I.E. if you're heading to Redmond or Lynnwood, then public transit is the option of last resort).
Aug 26, 2014, 7:44 pm
#32
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What's strange, is that it's the newest part of Orange Line that is the problem. Just rode it again today, and they slow down for no apparent reason - well, they slow down because of the signs that post maximum speed.
And they still haven't fixed the departure time marquee at DFW.
Aug 26, 2014, 8:16 pm
#33
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That's it, the Cotton Belt Line. Honestly though, if they were that concerned with public transportation, a new line between the Red and Green would've worked wonders. Instead of putting 6 new toll lanes on LBJ (plus the 10 non tolled lanes), put a light rail line between 35 and 75. I'm sure the cost would kill it, but something has to give eventually.
The Cotton Belt Rail Line May Still Happen, Despite Objections from Nearby Residents
Despite having received zero proposals for private investment and an expected zero dollar contribution from DART until the agency's cash flow issues loosen in 2035, plans for public transportation along the former Cotton Belt Line in northern DFW are moving forward.
Aug 28, 2014, 1:15 pm
#34
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In Downtown, the streets that carry DART trains were made rail-only so it's not like the trains compete with automobiles traveling in the same direction. The DART track does, however, cross a lot of north-south streets so any increase in rail frequency just increases automobile gridlock on crossing streets.
DART should never have been built as a streetcar line through Downtown. It should have been built as a subway with all of the much greater throughput and gridlock-reducing advantages that would bring.
Outside of Downtown, almost all of the DART light rail system is on private, grade-separated, right of way and not in the street grid. Lots of viaducts, all private ROW, few grade crossings, etc.
As pointed out by another poster, the most frustratingly slow points on the DART network are actually the newest sections of track. The original Red Line mainline between Dallas and Plano actually operates at decent speeds for most of its journey (not exactly BART/PATCO fast, but at least not pathetically slow).
When Dallas needed a proper heavy-rail rapid transit system it got a slow, ineffective light-rail one.
Sep 6, 2014, 4:00 pm
#36
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Obviously have no idea if they got there earlier that day or if they've been there for a while.
For me, it's an 8 minute walk to Inwood station.
Sep 6, 2014, 7:07 pm
#37
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When they first opened the Belt Line station, they charged for overnight parking. But it looks like now all DART stations with public parking are free, and overnight parking is allowed.
https://www.dart.org/maps/locationslist.asp
"Free Public Parking Available (597 spaces). Overnight or long-term parking is at the discretion of the customer. DART assumes no responsibility for vehicles left overnight. "
The question is, are you comfortable leaving your car there for several days?
https://www.dart.org/maps/locationslist.asp
"Free Public Parking Available (597 spaces). Overnight or long-term parking is at the discretion of the customer. DART assumes no responsibility for vehicles left overnight. "
The question is, are you comfortable leaving your car there for several days?
Sep 6, 2014, 7:18 pm
#38
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When they first opened the Belt Line station, they charged for overnight parking. But it looks like now all DART stations with public parking are free, and overnight parking is allowed.
https://www.dart.org/maps/locationslist.asp
"Free Public Parking Available (597 spaces). Overnight or long-term parking is at the discretion of the customer. DART assumes no responsibility for vehicles left overnight. "
The question is, are you comfortable leaving your car there for several days?
https://www.dart.org/maps/locationslist.asp
"Free Public Parking Available (597 spaces). Overnight or long-term parking is at the discretion of the customer. DART assumes no responsibility for vehicles left overnight. "
The question is, are you comfortable leaving your car there for several days?
Not sure about the comfort...you got me wondering. I may just get a ride ... the station's a bit closer than DFW terminal, and less hassle than getting a ride to the airport.
Sep 6, 2014, 8:01 pm
#39
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They found it cost more to run then what they collected in fees, so DART ended it.
Sep 7, 2014, 7:31 pm
#40
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When they first opened the Belt Line station, they charged for overnight parking. But it looks like now all DART stations with public parking are free, and overnight parking is allowed.
https://www.dart.org/maps/locationslist.asp
"Free Public Parking Available (597 spaces). Overnight or long-term parking is at the discretion of the customer. DART assumes no responsibility for vehicles left overnight. "
The question is, are you comfortable leaving your car there for several days?
https://www.dart.org/maps/locationslist.asp
"Free Public Parking Available (597 spaces). Overnight or long-term parking is at the discretion of the customer. DART assumes no responsibility for vehicles left overnight. "
The question is, are you comfortable leaving your car there for several days?
I parked my car at Belt Line Rd station today. The station lot itself seems nice; for good or bad, it's secluded from any traffic other than those using the station. I did see a police car sitting in the lot as I pulled in, hopefully just to deter and not in response to anything.
I'm optimistic that my 8 year old Chrysler won't attract any thieves or vandals, and it will be waiting for me unharmed. So wish me luck.
The train came right on schedule, 8 minutes later I was at the airport station, and 5 minutes after that at the AA A10 check-in area. Total travel time from home was less than it would have been using my usual Parking Spot or DFW Express South lots & shuttle. I think the Skylink ride from A to D took as long as the DART ride into the airport. Assuming the car is OK when I return, I think I'd use DART again.
Last edited by swag; Sep 7, 2014 at 7:44 pm
Sep 7, 2014, 7:43 pm
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<dupe>
Last edited by swag; Sep 7, 2014 at 7:43 pm Reason: gogo timeout
Sep 7, 2014, 7:43 pm
#42
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Sep 19, 2014, 7:45 am
#43
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Well, I decided to give it a try.
I parked my car at Belt Line Rd station today. The station lot itself seems nice; for good or bad, it's secluded from any traffic other than those using the station. I did see a police car sitting in the lot as I pulled in, hopefully just to deter and not in response to anything.
I'm optimistic that my 8 year old Chrysler won't attract any thieves or vandals, and it will be waiting for me unharmed. So wish me luck.
The train came right on schedule, 8 minutes later I was at the airport station, and 5 minutes after that at the AA A10 check-in area. Total travel time from home was less than it would have been using my usual Parking Spot or DFW Express South lots & shuttle. I think the Skylink ride from A to D took as long as the DART ride into the airport. Assuming the car is OK when I return, I think I'd use DART again.
I parked my car at Belt Line Rd station today. The station lot itself seems nice; for good or bad, it's secluded from any traffic other than those using the station. I did see a police car sitting in the lot as I pulled in, hopefully just to deter and not in response to anything.
I'm optimistic that my 8 year old Chrysler won't attract any thieves or vandals, and it will be waiting for me unharmed. So wish me luck.
The train came right on schedule, 8 minutes later I was at the airport station, and 5 minutes after that at the AA A10 check-in area. Total travel time from home was less than it would have been using my usual Parking Spot or DFW Express South lots & shuttle. I think the Skylink ride from A to D took as long as the DART ride into the airport. Assuming the car is OK when I return, I think I'd use DART again.
Returning to the station at half past midnight, there were a few dozen cars there, but with ~600 spots, it's clear there still aren't many folks using it for overnight or long term parking while traveling.
Sep 20, 2014, 12:33 pm
#44
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Got home last night. The car was fine, no issues. The windshield was a bit dirty after 11 nights in the Belt Line DART lot, but that happens in the on-airport South Express too.
Returning to the station at half past midnight, there were a few dozen cars there, but with ~600 spots, it's clear there still aren't many folks using it for overnight or long term parking while traveling.
Returning to the station at half past midnight, there were a few dozen cars there, but with ~600 spots, it's clear there still aren't many folks using it for overnight or long term parking while traveling.
Oct 27, 2016, 9:47 am
#45
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Cotton Belt update:
http://www.dallasnews.com/news/dart/...-suburban-rail
It was standing room only as the DART board voted 12-3 to fund both the Cotton Belt rail line and the subway version of a second downtown light rail, known as the D2 subway, as part of their 2017 20-year financial plan.
DART officials expect to complete the projects in the next six years. Both projects would cost more than $1 billion each.
...
This summer, DART proposed a cheaper version of the full Cotton Belt route that would lower costs from $2.9 billion to $1.1 billion by single-tracking the rail line. Addison, Plano and Richardson have committed to kick in millions of dollars extra so the line can open in 2022.
DART officials expect to complete the projects in the next six years. Both projects would cost more than $1 billion each.
...
This summer, DART proposed a cheaper version of the full Cotton Belt route that would lower costs from $2.9 billion to $1.1 billion by single-tracking the rail line. Addison, Plano and Richardson have committed to kick in millions of dollars extra so the line can open in 2022.