Dallas Streetcar Projects • Partners Include: Cities, Transit Agencies, Housing Authorities, Workforce Solutions, DOT, Chamber of Commerce, Etc

TRB Environment and Energy Conference June 8, 2010 Raleigh, North Carolina

Tamara Cook, AICP, Senior Transportation Planner North Central Texas Council of Governments 2 • Arts District expansion • Omni Dallas Convention Center Hotel • New parks: Main Street Gardens, Woodall Rodgers Deck Park, and Belo Gardens Woodall Rodgers Deck Park Since 1989: Source: www.theparkdallas.org • 25,068 housing units • 3,146 hotel rooms • $2.9 billion total investment in three downtown tax increment finance districts

3 • Major development gaps that separate and isolate districts • Downtown scale • Freeway loop • Reliable, predictable, and convenient transportation options are needed • Safe, attractive, pedestrian- Bird’s Eye View of Downtown Dallas, Texas friendly streetscaping is Source: Google Earth essential

4 • Link existing rail transit services and improve the central city transit system • Link downtown to surrounding high-density neighborhoods • Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled • Support other alternative Downtown View from Houston Street Viaduct Over Trinity River modes of transportation Source: Google Earth

5 • TIGER program funds signature projects that support a “Silo Busting” strategy • Supports Sustainable Communities Initiative – HUD, DOT, EPA

6 • NCTCOG submitted a joint application for Fort Worth and Dallas Streetcar projects • Partners include: Cities, Transit Agencies, Housing Authorities, Workforce Solutions, DOT, Chamber of Commerce, etc. • Total TIGER fund request = $96M • Dallas Streetcar Cost = $58M but may be as high as $150M o Planning o Environmental o Engineering o Vehicles/Staged Construction

7 8 • $23 million awarded to Dallas Streetcar Project • Only funds 1.5 miles of 5.7 mile Dallas Streetcar Plan • 1.5 mile “Starter Segment” from Union Station to Oak Cliff Methodist Hospital • Important to maintain “connection” between downtown and Oak Cliff residential area • $0 awarded to City of Fort Worth

• TIGER awards were distributed widely across the U.S. at much smaller amounts than requested • Reasons for selection of awarded projects not clear • Required monthly progress reports require significant efforts • “Shovel Ready” Projects • Environmental clearance must be underway and near clearance

11 • Very deadline driven Dallas Streetcar Timeline September 2011 FTA Grant Agreement with Environmental Clearance November 2011 Final Design Initiated June 2013 Construction Initiated October 2015 Operating Service

12 13 Tom Shelton, P.E., AICP Senior Program Manager NCTCOG [email protected] (817) 704-5633