The DART Rail System Uses Less Energy in a Reduction of Overall Energy Use by an and Oil Than Automobiles
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DART need transportation alternatives that use DART’s rail system less energy. Each year, the Dallas Area Rapid Transit DART’s rail system is a great example of (DART) Rail System saves area travelers how we can reduce energy consumption, about 8.8 million gallons of gasoline - the curb our dependence on oil, and same amount of fuel consumed by more minimize pollution while at the same than 15,000 cars annually. time improving our quality of life, saving Transportation is responsible for more commuters money, and strengthening the than two-thirds of our nation’s oil economy. consumption and nearly a third of our The rail system is an important part of carbon dioxide emissions. To reduce DART, which serves a 700-square-mile pollution and our dependence on oil, we area.1 Commuters can ride DART rail to residential, business, and recreational destinations in Dallas, Garland, Plano, and Richardson. Commuters travel across the metropolitan area along three lines: x Green: Service runs from Victory Station to MLK, Jr. Station, slightly southeast of downtown. x Red: Service runs from the northern Parker Road Station through Richardson and downtown Dallas to Westmoreland Station, southwest of the city’s center. x Blue: Service runs from the northeastern Downtown Garland Station, through Bethard, Rawlins, and downtown Dallas, to Ledbetter Station south of Cedar Crest. DART Figure 1. DART Rail Riders Per Year: 1999 – 2008 25 20 15 10 5 Number(millions) Ridersof 0 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 DART ridership has increased steadily in trips and enabling highway traffic to flow recent years, growing by an average of 6.5 more freely – reducing the amount of percent per year from 1999 to 2008.2 (See fuel wasted in traffic jams. Figure 1.) DART’s 2030 Transit System Plan projects that population and Moreover, while automobiles are employment will increase by 12 percent predominantly powered by oil, DART and 30 percent, respectively, within rail cars are completely electric-powered.5 DART’s service area from 2005 to 2030.3 They therefore receive their energy from Consequently, demand for and use of the power grid, which receives its energy public transit will continue to increase from non-petroleum sources.6 Currently, for the next several decades. DART’s 5.6 percent of this energy comes from expansion projects that will be completed renewable sources, such as wind.7 In years within the next three and a half years will to come, an even greater share of this boost ridership by 60,000 passengers per energy will come from renewable sources weekday, essentially doubling ridership as Texas ramps up its production of clean from 2008 levels.4 energy. DART rail reduces energy DART rail’s energy efficiency, combined consumption, oil with avoided highway congestion and the dependence, and pollution role of DART in bringing about less auto- dependent forms of development, results The DART rail system uses less energy in a reduction of overall energy use by an and oil than automobiles. A single rush- amount equivalent to 8.8 million gallons hour DART train carries hundreds of of gasoline per year.8 passengers, replacing hundreds of car 2 DART rail also saves commuters money. A ticket on DART is often cheaper than paying to own, operate, fuel, and park an automobile. City drivers who use public transit to the point that their household requires one less car save as much as $9,453 every year by avoiding the costs of vehicle ownership, parking, and fuel.10 Investing in rail also creates jobs. In the DART year since the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, investments in DART’s rail system also emits fewer transit and rail have created more than pollutants than automobiles. Each year, twice as many jobs per federal dollar DART averts 54,000 metric tons of invested than comparable investments in carbon dioxide pollution, and reduces new road projects.11 Investment in emissions of pollutants that cause projects like the DART rail system creates respiratory problems. high quality, green jobs. DART rail strengthens our In addition, rail transit is one of the economy and improves our safest forms of commuting. Light rail has quality of life a death and injury rate 40 percent lower DART rail also strengthens the economy than comparable automobile travel per of the Dallas area and improves our passenger mile.12 Recently, the Obama quality of life in several ways. Administration announced a $30 million federal transit safety program to address Light rail transit systems like DART help critical needs and ensure a high and enable the creation of compact, walkable standard level of safety across all rail communities that deliver a high quality transit systems. of life while reducing the pressure to build sprawling developments in outlying DART rail has the potential to areas. For example, Lake Highlands improve and expand, Further Town Center in northern Dallas will benefiting the public and the feature 1,700 residences, 300,000 square environment feet of retail space, 50,000 square feet of office space, and a 20-acre park for To achieve these benefits in reducing recreation and entertainment, all within energy use and improving the easy walking and biking distance of each environment and economy, DART has other.9 A new Blue Line station adjacent several short- and long-term plans to to Lake Highlands will allow the increase and improve service across the community’s residents, employees, and rail system: visitors to access the development – and the opportunities available throughout the Dallas area – without needing a car. 3 Short-term plans x The Blue Line’s Lake Highlands Station (2010) will be constructed between the White Rock and LBJ/Skillman Stations on the Northeast Corridor.13 The station will provide direct access to the new Lake Highlands Town Center, which serves a population of 155,000.14 x The Green Line’s Southeast Corridor (December 2010) will be extended 7.4 miles to Buckner Station and include four new stations.15 x The Green Line’s Northwest Corridor (December 2010) will be expanded 17.6 miles to North DART Carrollton/Frankford Station and include 12 new stations, providing x access to Love Field, the University of The Cotton Belt Corridor, which Texas Southwestern Medical Center, would provide an east-west link across the Asian Trade District, and the Dr. the northern part of DART’s service Pepper StarCenter.16 area. The route will run from the northern part of the Red Line, x The Blue Line’s Northeast Corridor crossing the Green Line, to DFW (December 2012) will be expanded Airport. The corridor will give rail 4.5 miles to Downtown Rowlett 17 commuters access to major Station, serving the city of Rowlett. employment and activity centers, x The Orange Line Corridor will be such as the University of Texas at constructed running west from Dallas and a new Texas Instruments Bachman Station on the Green Line facility.20 directly to DFW Airport. The line x The Scyene Road Corridor would be will be 14 miles long and contain a branch off of the Green Line’s seven new stations. The line will be southeastern corridor. The route constructed in three segments, with would run approximately 4.3 miles to the first two opening by December Masters Drive, providing access to the 2012.18 The timing for construction Baylor/Fair Parks areas.21 of the third segment is being evaluated by DART.19 x The Southport Corridor would extend the Blue Line’s southern Long-term plans corridor approximately 2.9 miles to the University of North Texas, with a Longer term plans for expansion of the separate branch traveling to DART rail network include: Southport gateway near Bonnie View/IH 20. Southport will be the 4 northernmost section of the planned Dallas Logistics Hub, an extensive industrial and inter-modal center that will create 30,000 to 40,000 new jobs.22 x The West Dallas Corridor would run approximately 6 miles west from the city’s center to the former naval air station north of Mountain Creek Lake. The route could be along DART Singleton Boulevard, Fort reduce oil consumption and Worth/Commerce Avenue, or the pollution; and Union Pacific railroad corridor.23 x Encouraging and rewarding states x The West Oak Cliff Red Line that “flex” eligible federal funding Extension would extend the Red toward public transportation. State Line approximately 4.3 miles departments of transportation have southwest of Westmoreland Station great latitude on how federal money to the Dallas city limits. This is spent once it is allocated to the extension would serve growing state. Currently, however, federal employment and residential 24 funding is apportioned to each state communities in Southwest Dallas. based on formulas that end up EFFective policies will allow rewarding higher fuel consumption, lane-miles of highway, and vehicle- DART rail to Further benefit miles of travel – formulas that the public and the encourage states to invest in highways environment rather than transit. These formulas In order to make these improvements a should be revised so funding provides reality, our leaders should make incentives to reduce, not increase, oil expansion of the DART rail system and use and pollution. projects like it a priority for transportation investments by taking the Increase flexibility to use federal funds following approaches: to pay for train maintenance and day-to- day operations, in addition to improving Increase federal investment in public and expanding capacity. Rail systems like transportation, including light rail, DART face growing demand, but many commuter rail and high-speed rail, as are having to reduce service and delay well as other transportation alternatives, improvements due to strained budgets.