The DART Silver Line rail project is moving forward amidst controversy as several member cities consider withdrawing from the transit agency, creating uncertainty just months before the FIFA World Cup.
10 years in the making connecting Plano , Richardson , Farmers Branch , and Addison to DFW Airport. The Silver Line Regional Rail Project is the hope for the future as the $2 billion project looks to further connect the DFW metroplex.
FOX 4’s Shaun Rabb talked to the chairman of the DART board, Randall Bryant, about the Silver Line and if the new regional rail project will save DART while surrounding DFW cities are considering ending their partnership with the transit system."Well number one, we’re at DFW Airport now. DFW Airport is the only airport in this country with two commuter rails. You see the Silver Line here, the TEXRail in the background, as well as the Orange Line. It’s the only airport in the country that has those features," said Bryant. "Let's first make sure we understand the Silver Line is going to roll day in and day out, no matter which cities are in, as long as we have service to fund it."DART and the Silver Line are kind of in a cloud with four cities, Irving, Farmers Branch, Highland Park and the biggest in the north, Plano, not happy with what they say they are getting back from DART for their investments.Collectively, DART's 13 member cities contribute about $850,000,000 each year in sales tax revenue to the transit agency.Plano specifically made three requests from DART last year, which Bryant says DART worked to provide or get close to, and that Plano wants more."Two weeks ago was the first time DART had ever heard a Plano request for rail at 50 cents, so we've been operating over the past year trying to figure out how to solve it specifically for Plano's needs. Directly related to the letter that they requested three various different types of needs, and so it's unfortunate that the goalpost is moving again, especially with Plano, but even with that, we're going to see if we can accommodate that," said Bryant.The cities either have approved or are considering special elections in May where voters will decide whether DART stays.That happens right before the biggest sporting event in the world comes to North Texas, the FIFA World Cup."Yeah, it’s the worst timing ever to even be having this conversation. A lot of hard work and planning from the regional level, the Dallas Sports Commission level, so many people have put in a lot of work and DART is a central player in the outcome of the success of FIFA. The entire world’s eyes will be upon us," said the DART board chairman.Bryant says his focus as the new chairman is making DART work for every member city."The elections that are planned to happen in May don’t have to happen, and I think there are a lot of questions, if this city pulls out, that city pulls out, what will DART look like? The main focus right now is keeping all thirteen cities in."
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