TX: With DART exit elections underway, board chair emphasizes value of transit as region booms

Dallas Area Rapid Transit Board Chair Randall Bryant touted the importance of DART to the growing region's current and future transportation needs in a speech to regional planners and businesspeople Thursday.

The remarks came as voting is underway in three cities to cut ties with the transit agency.

Speaking at the Park City Club just blocks from University Park, where polls are open for voters to consider opting out of the DART system, Bryant addressed dozens of transit-invested firm representatives and leaders at a discussion hosted by the Greater Dallas Planning Council.

In his remarks, Bryant asked for support to lobby for more funding and investment in DART, citing the state transportation department's findings that Texas will need more public transportation to accommodate population growth.

Dallas-Fort Worth's population is expected to grow from 8 million to 12 million residents by 2050.

"The historical position of this state, though, is that transportation does not translate into funding for transit," Bryant said. "We need more transit in this state. ... It would be irresponsible if the investments do not support that."

Growing, working together

DART is "a regional backbone" at the center of the identity, growth and shared future of North Texas, said Ruben Landa, president of the GDPC's executive committee. Elections to abandon the system have called that value into question.

"The decisions that we make today will shape North Texas for decades, not just for the individual cities, but for the millions of people who live, work, study and visit and invest here," he said.

In efforts to address concerns from member cities that say they are paying too much for the services they receive from DART, a slate of proposed changes to governance, funding and service convinced some cities to cancel exit elections.

But creating a better system will take partnership, trust and commitment, Landa said, in order to reimagine transit in North Texas in a way that "recognizes mobility as a regional ecosystem, not a collection of isolated cities."

As D-FW booms, taking cars off the road will help traffic, business and air quality, Bryant said, improving life for people regardless of whether they use DART services. Roads alone cannot sustain the region's growth, he said, and more hours and money will be lost to congestion if the region doesn't invest in a more sustainable option like public transit.

DART is working to improve ridership, bus service and safety, Bryant said in his remarks. It's also emphasizing transit-oriented developments that spur economic activity and density tied to DART infrastructure, he said. At the same time, the agency is giving money back to cities for their own transportation needs, part of the deals that led some cities to cancel exit elections.

"We're trying to be a good partner with them," Bryant said. "But ultimately, even the reallocation of dollars that we agreed to right now, that's also not sustainable for us."

The future of DART, Bryant said, relies on partnerships and work in the state Legislature on changing DART's governance model, reassessing how the agency is funded, supporting regional mobility and overall investment in transit.

"It's good that the conversation is growing in this situation," said Raza Mir, a project manager for an engineering consulting firm that attended Bryant's talk. "There will always be issues when it comes to funding. ... [It] does make me feel a little bit at ease, knowing that there is work at it."

DART on a world stage

Collaboration is also central to the future of DART, Bryant said, and a prime example is just weeks away as North Texas prepares to host matches for the FIFA World Cup.

With thousands of fans from around the world expected to rely on transit to traverse through D-FW in June and July, DART is treating the event like "39 days of Super Bowl," Bryant said.

"Transit will be on the world stage," Landa said.

The agency will add more vehicles and trips to get riders to the fan experience in Fair Park and to AT&T Stadium, alongside Trinity Railway Express in Fort Worth.

Whether for a historic sporting event or the next 25 years of population growth, leaders and attendees weighed the looming question of how the region will support transportation. Clarence McAllister, CEO of Fortis Engineers, thinks elections in Addison, Highland Park and University Park will go in favor of DART.

"There's a need," he said, whether individuals use DART services or not. "Long-term, DART will continue to grow, invest and help the community as a whole."

Transportation appeared central to the metro's identity in conversations of regionalism, growth and D-FW's standing on the world stage.

"This is Texas. We do highways," said Sagar Adhikari, a project manager for an engineering consulting firm. "It'd be nice to have something other than just cars and Ubers, something ... like all the other major cities have."

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