DART may give away $270 million to cities — and Dallas could get nearly half

Dallas Space Speedy Transit is contemplating a one-time payout of $270 million in extra income to Dallas and the 12 different North Texas cities it serves so long as they use the funds on transportation-related tasks.

The DART board of administrators might log off on the deal as early as subsequent month, which was described throughout a July 12 assembly as a “very good olive department” to some metropolis officers who really feel their areas are underserved by the transit company.

The proposal comes as DART challenges have trickled right down to clients in latest months. DART president and CEO Nadine Lee in March vowed to Dallas Metropolis Council members that the company would make enhancements after it shut down rail and bus service amid winter storms the month earlier than. It was the primary time DART had ever suspended bus service and blindsided many riders who depend on the service.

DART officers mentioned final month that the company is down greater than 160 bus drivers, resulting in delays for riders and repair being in the reduction of for a 3rd of the system. DART redesigned its bus community and launched it in January promising streamlined and extra frequent service.

DART supplies bus, rail and shared journey companies overlaying 700 sq. miles from Plano to Glenn Heights.

How a lot every metropolis might obtain remains to be being finalized, mentioned Gordon Shattles, a DART spokesman.

“It’s nonetheless up within the air at this level,” he mentioned. “The aim could be to supply the cities the funds to have the ability to do issues that might improve public transportation.”

Web page Jones, a Dallas spokeswoman, mentioned Monday that town is anticipating it might obtain half — round $134 million of the whole $270 million.

The windfall is made up of $214.3 million in extra tax income collected between 2011 and 2019 and $55.2 million from a DART fund devoted to creating public transportation extra accessible. Federal COVID reduction cash meant DART introduced in more cash than traditional, Shattles mentioned.

The DART board is planning to resolve on whether or not to maneuver ahead with the deal earlier than adopting the company’s subsequent finances in September. If accepted, DART officers would plan to draft agreements with the 13 cities earlier than the top of the 12 months and provides them the cash by 2025.

In a memo to Dallas Metropolis Council members on Friday, Assistant Metropolis Supervisor Robert Perez listed a couple of dozen tasks town might pay for with the additional cash from DART. It included a number of proposals to enhance DART’s infrastructure like paying for incentives for the company to maintain bus drivers and enhancing bus shelters on routes with the longest wait instances.

Different plans referred to as for bike lane upgrades, tasks which might be a part of town’s sidewalk grasp plan and constructing curb ramps in compliance with the People with Incapacity Act. The cash would doubtless solely pay for a portion of the tasks.

The grasp plan is a part of a metropolis initiative to handle greater than 2,000 miles of lacking or damaged sidewalks in Dallas. Final 12 months, metropolis officers estimated it might price $2 billion to restore 50% of Dallas’ faulty sidewalks and fill lacking gaps.

Perez informed council members throughout a gathering final month that Dallas wants $54 million to construct ADA-complaint curb ramps in sidewalk across the metropolis.

At a separate DART assembly July 12, some board members mentioned the cash might go a great distance in enhancing the general public transit system as a complete.

“We need to present that we hear you, we need to be good companions, we’re going to do issues for the area and we additionally need to fund issues which might be vital to your municipality,” mentioned DART board member Rodney Schlosser in the course of the assembly.

Different board members, although, expressed concern about funneling cash out of DART when it additionally has urgent wants.

“I journey the system on a regular basis, and I can let you know it’s not clear,” mentioned DART board member Hosanna Yemiru. “There are elevators that don’t work, escalators that don’t work. There are various, many issues that we could be doing with this cash that doesn’t contain simply giving it away.”