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Project Profiles

DART Orange Line

Location

Dallas, Texas Metropolitan Area

Project Sponsor / Borrower

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART)

Program Areas

Project FinanceTIFIANon-Road Pricing Revenue

Fiscal Year Approved

Fiscal Year 2012

Mode

Light Rail Transit

Description

The DART Orange Line is a partially open, light rail transit line connecting downtown Dallas with the City of Irving and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport northwest of Dallas. The line runs concurrently with the existing Green Line (which opened in 2009 and 2010) from Downtown Dallas to Bachman Station in Northwest Dallas. From Bachman Station, the Orange Line heads northwest to the Las Colinas Urban Center and the newly constructed Irving Convention Center and on toward DFW Airport, as planned. The 14.5-mile, $1.3 billion project is being opened in three sections. The TIFIA loan for this project will advance construction on the third phase of its light rail Orange Line extension project.

  • Irving-1: Bachman Station to Irving Convention Center Station (5.4 miles, 3 stations). Opened on July 30, 2012
  • Irving-2: Irving Convention Center Station to Belt Line Rd. (3.9 miles, 2 stations). Opened on December 3, 2012
  • Irving-3: Belt Line Rd. to DFW Airport Terminal A (5.2 miles, 1 station [DFW Airport]). Opened on August 18, 2014.

Cost

Total Phase III Project Cost: $397.0 million

Funding Sources

Irving-1 and Irving-2: approximately $900 million

  • Revenue bond proceeds and cash (backed by 1.0 percent sales tax and farebox revenue) - $789 million
  • ARRA grant $60.6 million + 50.4 million CMAQ

Irving-3: $397.0 million (TIFIA eligible project costs)

  • TIFIA loan - $120.0 million
  • Revenue bond proceeds and cash (backed by 1.0 percent sales tax and farebox revenue) - $276.4 million
  • Other Federal Grant Funds (Section 5307) - $600,000

Project Delivery / Contract Method

Design-Build

Project Partner

Design-builder: Kiewit, Stacy and Witbeck, Reyes, Parsons (KSWRP)

Project Advisors / Consultants

To the Borrower:

  • Estrada Hinojosa, First Southwest - Financial Advisors
  • Bracewell & Giuliani LLP and West & Associates LLP - Legal Advisors

To USDOT TIFIA JPO:

  • Nixon Peabody LLP - TIFIA Legal Advisor
  • Montague DeRose and Associates and High Street Consulting Group - TIFIA Financial Advisors

Lenders

USDOT TIFIA

Duration / Status

FTA ROD (Irving-1 and 2) - September 2008

Construction start (Irving-1 and 2) - June 2009

FTA and FAA FONSI (Irving-3) - October 2011

Construction start (Irving-3) - April 2012

Revenue service:

  • Irving 1 - July 20, 2012
  • Irving 2 - December 3, 2012
  • Irving 3 - August 18, 2014

TIFIA Credit Assistance

Direct Loan: $120.0 million

Financial Status / Financial Performance

TIFIA credit agreement was executed on December 13, 2012

Innovations

  • The Orange Line is expected to lead to $4 billion in private and municipal transit-oriented development. New development includes the master-planned community of Las Colinas, while existing destinations includes the University of Dallas.

Related Links / Articles

DART Orange Line Fact Sheet

Orange Line Newsletter - Winter 2012

Contacts

Carlos Huerta
DART Community Affairs
Tel: (214) 749-2721
chuerta@dart.org

Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000
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