By BJ Austin
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-732117.mp3
Dallas, TX – Three dozen commuters from Fort Worth wait to catch the DART line at Mockingbird Station in Dallas after a briefing from Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and DART officials on light rail and plans for a downtown Dallas streetcar line.
Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief says there's no doubt that RAIL is the future of transit in North Texas.
Moncrief: We've got to have a connection from the west and the east into the airport. Us with TRE from the West, and with DART from the East. And that's going to provide the connection. That's going to be the buckle to the belt of our region will be.
Mayor Moncrief says both cities are working on plans for downtown streetcar lines and are talking about coordinating schedules to share equipment and double purchasing power.
He also says the two cities will be headed to the upcoming session of the legislature to lobby for approval of a menu of financing plans for local cities to adopt to create a seamless Dallas Fort Worth rail system. He says our economy and air quality depend on it.