Credits City Council Becky Miller, Mayor Tim Hayden John Mahalik Pat Malone Matthew Marchant Larry Williams Ron Branson Herb Weidinger Steering Committee Nancy Putnam Janet Mayberry Jack Stotz Craig Simpkins Doug Hrbacek Mark Stokes Dave Oldfield Judy Scamardo Dick Calvert Jim Abadie J Stephen Dean Staff Chris Barton, AICP Tom Hammons, PE Cesar Molina, PE Marc Guy Ravi Shaw, AICP Marcos Fernandez, PE Abbreviations: AAR Association of American Railroads CRT Commuter Rail Transit DART Dallas Area Rapid Transit DCTA Denton County Transportation Authority DFW Dallas / Fort Worth DGNO Dallas Garland Northeastern Railroad BNSF Burling Northern / Santa Fe Railroad FEIS Federal Environmental Impact Statement FTA Federal Transit Administration LRT Light Rail Transit NCTCOG North Central Texas Council of Governments SHPO State Historic Preservation Officer TIRZ Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone TRE Trinity Railway Express Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. Goals and Objectives (Guiding Principles) 3. Existing Conditions 4. Policy Context 5. Case Studies 6. Rail Freight and Passenger Operations 7. Mercer Yard 8. Plan for Passenger and Rail Service 9. Passenger Station Operations 10. Patronage Projections 11. Parking Requirements 12. Planning Framework Concept 13. Program 14. Preliminary Development Review 1. Introduction The Downtown Carrollton Rail Located at the juncture of the connecting Plano with the DFW air- phase, covered in this report, Station Master Plan is intended to Union Pacific, commonly known as port. In May of 2005, The Denton focuses on early development of achieve an integrated vision for a the “Katy”, Cotton Belt, Burlington County Transportation Authority key issues affecting other pas- transit centered community built Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF) and (DCTA) adopted a “locally pre- senger and freight operators, around a key transit hub for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) ferred alternative” that includes essentially setting the constraints metroplex. The future Downtown rail lines north of Belt Line Road, a station at downtown Carrollton or framework for the project. The Rail Station complex will improve the project will connect DART and extends rail service north to second phase will include con- local and regional access, and and the proposed Denton County Denton. ceptual project development strengthen linkages between trans- Transportation Authority (DCTA) (Preliminary Engineering) of the portation, land use and economic system, with future connections to In addition, the North Central transportation component (align- development. The project is also DFW Airport, Plano and Frisco via Texas Council of Governments ment, track work and station), and an opportunity for Carrollton to de- the Cotton Belt and BNSF lines. (NCTCOG) completed a North development of a Master Plan for velop a true urban center serving Texas Regional Rail Corridor Study new development and infrastruc- as the symbolic center of the city. The DART Northwest Corridor FEIS in December 2005 establishing the ture related to the station. The The master plan will provide a (October 2003) established the need for a regional rail station on project area of the master plan is development framework within the purpose and need for the DART the Burlington Northern / Santa Fe bounded by Belt Line Road to the constraints and opportunities of Downtown Carrollton Station. Line (BNSF) at the Carrollton junc- south, Interstate 35 (IH-35) to the passenger and freight operations tion. This line will connect Frisco west, Hutton Branch to the north, to achieve this vision. The master DART is currently in final design of with Irving and DFW. The junc- and Jackson Road to the east. All plan will also address parking and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) sta- ture of four rail lines in downtown development outside of the imme- access, infrastructure needs, pub- tion with revenue service planned Carrollton will transform Carroll- diate station area will be coordi- lic-private financing, and transit for 2010. The DART 2030 Draft ton into a primary destination and nated with the Downtown Carollton funding strategies as the project System Plan also includes provi- transfer point within the Metroplex. Station component of the Carroll- progresses. sions for a station on the Cotton ton Renaissance Initiative update Belt Corridor with service planned The Master Plan is being devel- being developed under a separate for the 2020 -2030 time frame oped in two phases. The initial contract by Townscape Inc. 1 Project Vision • Creation of Regional Transit Connections • Integration of Transportation Modes • Development of an Urban Community • Gateway and Symbolic Center of the City • Catalyst for Revitalization Figure 1.0: Study Area 2. Goals and Objectives The primary goal of the project is reflect the project parameters and 2. The project will be coordinated the eventual relocation of Mercer to initiate the design of a new mul- establish the basis of the project with the parallel Transportation Yard, the existing railroad yard in timodal station complex for down- scope. These conditions will con- and Parking Study sponsored by the Downtown Carrollton Station town Carrollton integrating multi- tinue to be validated and modified the City and under contract to area. This is a significant goal as modal, multi-agency transit service as the project progresses. Jacobs Civil Inc. The study will the character of the yard is incon- with a new urban center and include traffic volume projections, sistent with future transit support- gateway to the City of Carrollton. 1. The project is divided into two area parking requirements/facili- ed development. The station complex will include phases. The initial phase focuses ties, and traffic network mitigation passenger rail operations for the on early development of key is- measures. 5. Other stakeholders include DART Northwest Corridor, DCTA, sues affecting other passenger property owners, downtown busi- DART Cotton Belt (Crosstown) and freight project stakeholders. 3. Primary project stakeholders nesses, developers, and special Line, and potentially the Burlington The second phase includes project include DART, DCTA, Burling- interest groups as identified by the Northern/Santa Fe (BNSF) line. development of the transportation ton Northern/Santa Fe Railroad design team and the City of Car- The station complex will provide component (rail station) consistent (BNSF), and Dallas, Garland & rollton. connections between passenger with a 20% level of project comple- Northeastern (DGNO) railroads. platforms, provide passenger ame- tion (Preliminary Engineering), and Secondary stakeholders may 6. The project includes coordinat- nities, a place for public interac- development of a Master Plan for include intercity bus operators, ed Steering Committee meetings tion, and integrate transit-related new development and infrastruc- shuttle services, and taxi cab op- with the goal of building community mixed-use development. ture related to the station within an erators. support for the project and accep- area bounded by Belt Line Road tance of the design concept. Project Analysis Conditions to the south, IH-35 to the west, 4. The success of the project re- The project analysis conditions Hutton Branch to the north, and quires coordination with the BNSF, 7. The Master Plan portion of the listed below were developed from Jackson to the east. and DGNO railroads to assess project will be coordinated with the preliminary discussions between impacts of freight movements, Carrollton Renaissance Initiative the design team and City of Car- determination of passenger rail and ongoing refinements to that rollton staff. These assumptions operating rights and priorities, and plan. 3 8. Accommodation of on-site park- Project Objectives ing, passenger drop-off, bus circula- per page 2 tion, and hike & bike trail connec- • Develop a station layout for the tions as defined in the Trails Master ultimate configuration and opera- Plan adopted by Resolution 2986 tions based on the project goals. will be required. • Develop a mutually supportive 9. The rail station complex defini- freight and passenger operation tion will include determination of plan that improves freight service enclosed space, vertical and hori- and enhances passenger opera- zontal circulation, climate control, tions. passenger amenities, public plazas, • Develop a phased implementa- integration of public facilities, and tion plan assuming that the current transit-related retail. In short, the DART LRT platform will be phase “people” facilities necessary to ac- one. commodate host passenger flows from 3-4 separate rail services. • Define the relationship between private development and the ulti- 10. The concept for mixed-use mate station layout and phasing. development will be based on the updated Renaissance Initiative and • Define the parking requirements market analysis under separate for the ultimate rail station configu- contract with Leland Consulting ration and proposed development. Group sponsored by the City. De- • Define the theme and architec- velopment density and phasing will tural character of the surrounding be verified by the Carter & Burgess development. Team. Figure 2.0: DART NW LRT Station Plan 2. Stakeholder Goals and Objectives In addition to the overall project City of Carrollton DART DCTA goals, individual stakeholder goals • Guide decisions for integrated • Provide scheduled revenue ser- • Improve transportation for Den- have emerged over the course of station development vice to Carrollton