Monday, March 11, 2002
FTA 07-02
Contact: Gail Taylor
Tel.: (202) 366-4043
DOT
Announces $69.3 Million Grant To Dallas Area Rapid Transit Authority
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta today announced a $69.3
million grant in Federal Transit Administration (FTA) funds to the Dallas Area
Rapid Transit Authority (DART).
“President Bush has proposed $7.2 billion for the Federal Transit Program as part of the FY 2003 budget, further reinforcing the Administration’s commitment to efficient public transportation as a strategic investment,” said Secretary Mineta. “This grant underscores that commitment and will help DART provide safe and reliable transit services to the residents of Dallas and surrounding areas.”
The Secretary made the announcement at the American Public Transportation Association’s Annual Legislative Conference in Washington, DC with Gary Thomas, President and Executive Director of DART and Robert Pope, Chairman of DART Board of Directors.
The grant awarded today, in the amount of $69,300,916, will be used to continue construction of DART’s North Central Light Rail Transit (NCLRT) line extension for the Dallas area. This project will be a 12.5-mile double-track rail system with nine stations extending from the terminus of DART’s “Starter System” at Park Lane in Dallas through the city of Richardson to Parker Road in the city of Plano. DART’s 20-mile Light Rail Transit “Starter System” became operational in 1996. DART is currently constructing two extensions to the “Starter System”: the Northeast Line to Garland and the North Central Line extension to Plano. The funds awarded today will fund the North Central Line extension. DART is using local funds to construct the Northeast Line.
Today’s grant and the FTA’s previous commitment of $161,612,674 will provide a total of $230,913,590 toward the $333 million committed to the project in the Full Funding Grant Agreement that was approved on Oct. 6, 1999.
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