The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Build America Bureau has issued the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) System a $908 million Railroad Rehabilitation & Improvement Financing direct loan for the Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project.
“This financing demonstrates the Department’s commitment to serving as a trustworthy partner to regional and local agencies, which are at the forefront of developing infrastructure solutions to meet the needs of their communities,” Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said.
The project will extend a 26-mile passenger railroad from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport eastward to the Plano/Richardson area. The route travels through seven cities and three counties.
The project will use existing DART-owned railroad lines that currently provide freight rail service for short line and regional carriers.
Track will be upgraded to meet passenger rail standards, and the single-track configuration will be converted to double-track. In addition, eight vehicles will be purchased and 10 stations will be built.
Once completed, the project is expected to relieve congestion and improve mobility and accessibility. The Cotton Belt Corridor will link to the Denton County Transportation Authority A-Train as well as DART’s Red, Green, and Orange lines.
Northern Dallas had previously been identified as an area needing mobility solutions and additional capacity.