Dallas Area Rapid Transit is pulling back some of the most controversial proposed service changes in response to public outcry.
That includes avoiding cuts to paratransit service, which was the most contentious measure in an earlier version of the plan.
During a meeting of the DART board on Tuesday, directors heard from Rob Smith, vice president of service and planning, on the new staff-recommended plan.
“We are not proposing any changes to the ADA paratransit service area,” Smith said. “That was the number one item that was talked about in the public meetings.”
Smith was referring to the public hearing on July 8 where hundreds of DART riders and advocates spoke out against proposed cuts, according to The Dallas Morning News.
Smith says existing GoLink services will also stay intact, including the South Dallas GoLink Zone and zone-to-zone pilots.
The agency is still making system-wide cuts in order to direct 5% of its annual sales tax revenue into a new General Mobility Program. Eligible cities, including Plano, Carrollton and Richardson, can use GMP funds to pay for non-DART transit projects.
The program was created following months of debate between DART and member cities that included a legislative battle in Austin over a proposed bill that would have cut a quarter of the agency’s funding from cities.
After public backlash at last month’s meeting, Smith said the following was proposed in the staff-recommended plan:
- No changes to the paratransit service area.
- No changes to current Trinity Railway Express service running at 30-minute peak frequency and 60-minutes off-peak.
- No discontinued GoLink Zones or zone-to-zone pilots.
- Midday weekday and weekend service will remain at current levels for most bus routes.
- Routes 209, 225, 2554 and 255 will be discontinued.
- Light rail, local bus and express route frequency would change from 15 to 20 minutes during peak morning service.
- Routes 28/41/47 would change from 20 minute to 30 minute frequency midday.
- City-wide GoLink service in Plano.
- Circulator shuttles added in Plano and Addison.
Upcoming Silver Line frequency will also remain at 30-minute peak service. DART told KERA in an email that an announcement on the opening of the new commuter rail is just weeks away.
Smith said the changes would still be subject to review under the Title VI policy, which requires transit agencies to analyze whether major service changes have disparate impact or burden on historically underserved or low-income areas. He added that under the policy, the plan includes “mitigation” measures that would restore discontinued routes if there is enough funding in the future.
Patrick Kennedy, one of the Dallas reps on the DART board, called the Title VI mitigation plan a "pinky swear to restore service," but said he still has concerns over the cuts.
“I very much appreciate the effort to minimize the amount of the frequency reductions that we're staring at for the next two years and possibly beyond," he said, "because I hate that we have to do it."
Board members agreed to further discuss and vote on the proposed plan, along with fare changes, at a scheduled meeting on Aug. 26. If the DART approves the changes, they are set to go into effect in January.
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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