By BJ Austin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-717138.mp3
Dallas, TX – DART officials came to a City Hall meeting of the Transportation Committee to give an update on the Green Line, the second downtown Dallas light rail line, and a downtown STREETCAR LINE. That's an idea applauded by Councilmember Angela Hunt.
Hunt: It's an economic generator first and foremost. What areas do we want to revitalize in downtown? And in the future, can we adapt this to other areas?
Oak Cliff Councilmember Dave Neumann thinks so, especially along Davis and adjacent to Methodist Hospital.
Neumann: not only because it makes good transportation sense and good for the environment, but it provides a new, and additional dimension to the quality of life that we're trying to build here in Oak Cliff.
City Council Transportation Chair Linda Koop is also on the Regional Transportation Council and is lobbying the North Central Texas Council of Governments for seed money.
Koop: I'm working to get the planning money for that increased through COG from two million to eight million to cover your design work on that.
Koop says funding sources could include tax increment financing; toll road revenues, and public-private partnerships.