Blue Line Express

A project report from Dallas Area Rapid Transit || March 2010

Leadership Rowlett takes DART Tour Blue Line Facts Recently, the 2010 Leadership Rowlett class annual, nine-month educational program P at a Glance participated in a special Blue Line tour, devoted to the development of emerging which involved riding DART Rail from community leaders through exposure to 4.5 miles the Downtown Garland Station to DART real life civic and business experiences. Headquarters at Akard Station in downtown The program is open to anyone living Total Project Cost: $275 million Dallas. From there, the class took a bus tour and/or working within the City of Rowlett. Austin Bridge & Road (prime to DART’s Service and Inspection Facility For more information or to request a contractor): $188 million and Rail Control Center. Leadership Rowlett application, contact the Chamber office at (972) 475-3200. 42% participation goal for Chris Masters, DART’s assistant vice Minority/Women-owned Business president of Rail Program Support, gave a Enterprises brief Blue Line Extension project update, Opening to the public in December and Patrick Hamilton, DART’s senior 2012 manager of Operations Control, conducted Blue Line service to Downtown the guided tour. Garland opened in 2002 Sponsored by the Rowlett Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Rowlett is an Construction Radio Disney brings safety measures to Safety Tips Rowlett schools Be aware of your surroundings around The Radio Disney – DART Safety Recently, program organizers hosted three the Blue Line Program, now in its ninth year, promotes Radio Disney programs at Coyle Middle extension project, just as you would safe behaviors near rail construction sites School, Stephens Elementary School and near any construction site. Here are to elementary and middle school students. Rowlett Elementary School in Rowlett. The some tips. Share them with your high-energy, music-filled program consisted children! of a series of safety-related trivia questions posed by the Radio Disney host, Jay Jensen, Walk only in designated areas along with entertaining student/teacher Adhere to all posted signs dance contests and giveaways. Be aware, alert and observant at all At the Radio Disney network, kids help times in construction zones pick the music and are encouraged to To avoid distraction, do not use cell interact directly with the Radio Disney phones in construction zones studio. The network’s playlist includes Do not enter construction sites recording artists like Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana, Jonas Brothers, Taylor Swift, and Jordin Sparks. Locally, Radio Disney can be heard on AM 620 – Dallas. Evans is owner and president of The Safety in this case, Austin Bridge & Road. But Blue Line Profile Advisors, a full-service consulting firm DART and Austin agreed that Evans was D. J. Evans, Safety Supervisor that specializes in Occupational Safety well-suited for the task. Evans has 35 years and Health Administration (OSHA), of experience in safety and 28 years as the One of the most important aspects of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) head of The Safety Advisors. any project is safety. On the Blue Line and worker compensation compliance Extension project, D. J. Evans gets the issues. On the Blue Line Extension “The Blue Line Extension will bring us job done when it comes to safety. Evans project, Evans holds the position of safety closer to so many things we like to do is charged with training employees, supervisor – a role is usually reserved for outside of our neighborhood. My wife loves conducting safety inspections and ensuring an employee of the general contractor, it, and I know you will, too,” Evans says. the safety of team members and the public.

“I live in the Garland – Rowlett area. “I live in the Garland – Rowlett area. This is more than a job This is more than a job to me. I take it to me. I take it personally because I want my community to personally because I want my community understand the importance of safety on this project.” to understand the importance of safety on this project,” Evans says. – D. J. Evans, Safety Supervisor

Project Update Realigning existing DGNO freight line at State Highway 78 Contact Us The Blue Line Extension linking Building and designing new LRT bridge p downtown Garland and downtown at State Highway 66, adjacent to existing DGNO freight bridge Rowlett began construction in December Dawn Dorman  2009 and is scheduled to open in Performing earthwork and grading (Community Affairs December 2012. The following is a list of operations Representative) specific construction elements under way Constructing storm drainage systems 214-749-2598 in the first quarter of 2010: Rowlett Austin Bridge & Road Garland Relocating franchise utilities (Atmos, (Prime Contractor) Relocating franchise utilities (Atmos, Verizon, Time Warner, Sprint, Oncor) 972-651-0414 Verizon, Time Warner, Sprint, Oncor) Building and designing new LRT bridge Designing and building a new Dallas, adjacent to existing DGNO freight Garland and Northeastern Railroad bridge at Rowlett Creek Websites & (DGNO) freight bridge adjacent to an Building and designing new LRT bridge Social Media existing DGNO freight bridge at State adjacent to existing DGNO freight 8 Highway 78 bridge at Main Street Reconfiguring existing DGNO freight Peforming earthwork and grading Blue Line Project bridge at State Highway 78 to new light operations www.DART.org/about/expansion/blue.asp rail transit (LRT) bridge Constructing storm drainage systems Austin Bridge & Road www.austinprojects.com (click on Austin Bridge & Road and select DART Blue Line Expansion) Dowtown GARLAND ROWLETT N FIRST ST Garland Social Media twitter.com/dartmedia facebook.com/dartdallas 66

78 Be on the lookout for DART’s Dowtown S FIRST ST Rowlett doorhangers and postcards of the Blue Line Extension upcoming activities.

Currently open E CENTERVILLE RD E CENTERVILLE Rowlett Extension RD ROWLETT Opens Dec. 2012 Park & Ride 142-026-210mc