Dallas Tells DART It Wants Fewer Stops, More Neighborhood Amenities for Cotton Belt Rail Line

Dallas officials are OK with fewer stops as the Cotton Belt commuter train rolls through the northernmost portions of the city starting in 2022, so long as residents get 15-foot sound walls and reduced traffic impact.That's what the Dallas City Council told DART in a resolution approved Wednesday, while also reminding the transit agency that what the city really wants is better bus service.Dallas Area Rapid Transit continues to move toward building its first east-west rail line, the $1.1 billion Cotton Belt project to connect North Dallas to Plano, Richardson, Addison, Carrollton and DFW International Airport.Dallas officials opposed to the Cotton Belt told DART in fall 2016 they would rather the agency prioritize improving bus service and building a downtown subway, also known as D2. DART agreed that October to build both the Cotton Belt and the subway.Cotton Belt construction is scheduled to start next year. The federal government's draft environmental impact statement for the rail line is weeks away, to be followed by a 45-day public input period.  Continue reading...

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