Light Rail Expands in Southern Dallas Blue Line extension brings new opportunities As single-family neighborhoods and vacant land entice redevelopment, southern Dallas is emerging as an opportune destination for transit-focused economic growth. DART paved the way to new destinations and opportunities on Oct. 24 with a three-mile extension of the Blue Line farther into South Oak Cliff. Two new stations at Camp Wisdom and UNT Dallas, as well as an updated Ledbetter Station, make the community more accessible. “This extension goes to a part of our community that is in need of more transportation choices,” DART President/ Executive Director Gary Thomas said. “Residents along this section of the line gain improved access to the region.” Connecting higher education The Blue Line extension brings light rail to a sector of Dallas known as the Education Corridor, enabling more people to discover the academic programs offered at the University of North Texas at Dallas, Paul Quinn College and Cedar Valley College. “Mobility matters to college students,” UNT System Chancellor Lee Jackson said. “Rail lines don’t move after they open, and students can make their plans to commute to campus, save money and study while riding, knowing that the service will be there no matter how long their student days last.” Helping Dallas grow south Time and again, DART proves that public transit is more than moving people. DART transforms communities. The Blue Line extension empowers residents of southern Dallas and nearby cities to explore the employment, housing, health care and entertainment destinations accessible by DART. “When you build a rail system, as we have done here in Dallas, neighborhoods stabilize,” U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson said at a ribbon-breaking ceremony. “When people have a way to get to work and back home at a reasonable cost, they can be stable. And the advantage of that is crime goes down, families are more stabilized, and children don’t have to move from school to school.” City and community leaders are optimistic that the combination of available land and improved transportation options will make the area attractive to investors. “Southern Dallas is our city’s greatest opportunity for growth,” Mayor Mike Rawlings said. “That’s not just because of the inventory of land available for development, but also the quality of the people who live, work and learn there. This DART extension is a critical piece of the city’s vision.” Learn more: DART.org/SOC3 The new UNT Dallas (left) and Camp Wisdom (above) stations give residents of southern Dallas improved access to the DART System and establish anchors for future development. 14
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