Officials would like to speed up the arrival of the Cotton Belt—a planned rail line connecting Dallas to Plano—but that might require sacrificing service.
"A key part of fast-tracking rail service on the Cotton Belt line from DFW International to Plano hinges on lowering construction costs," according to an article by Brandon Formby. "To do that, Dallas Area Rapid Transit is considering single-tracking most of the route instead of double-tracking the entire path."
The project is currently expected to be complete by 2035. Single-tracking the line could speed up project completion to 2025.
Meanwhile, Cotton Belt planners are presented with the following dilemma: "Having two sets of tracks the entire way would allow trains to move in both directions without interfering with each other. But that's more expensive. Having one set is cheaper, but also comes with some operational inflexibility."
FULL STORY: Getting Cotton Belt rail service a decade early could come with some limitations
Seeking a Voice for Suburban Transit Interests in Dallas
An advocate for the Cotton Belt line to connect Dallas with suburbs to the north is tired of the project taking a backseat to the transit interests of the urban core.
Dallas Adopts an Urban-Centric Vision for its Transit Future
The Dallas City Council picked a side with regard to the D2 line (it prefers a subway to above ground light rail) and the proposed Cotton Belt line (it can wait).
DARTzoom System Redesign Launched for Dallas and Surrounding Cities
The Dallas region is the latest to update its transit system on a high-frequency grid with on-demand transit service to fill in the gaps.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
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The Five Most-Changed American Cities
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San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions