Dallas Area Rapid Transit officially opens its Silver Line this weekend, providing a 26-mile railway connecting major urban hubs in the Dallas metro area even as the transit system is cutting services and costs.
Starting Saturday, the Silver Line will run from DFW International Airport to DART’s Shiloh Road Station in Plano.
The new train line links three counties in North Texas — Collin, Dallas and Tarrant.
DART CEO Nadine Lee hopes the line will bring an economic boost to cities hosting stations by connecting suburban riders with jobs and the airport, and as a catalyst for development.
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The agency’s leader sees the line as an alternative to expanding highways and hopes DART will help address congestion she only expects to worsen as the region grows.
“I hope that the people up in the northern part of the service area realize the benefits of having great access to transit,” Lee said.
The Silver Line has 10 stations along its route that runs through seven cities, including a station at the University of Texas at Dallas, and connects to light rail lines, bus routes, airport terminals and Trinity Metro TexRail.
The train takes nearly an hour to travel from its easternmost point at Shiloh Road Station in Plano to its last stop at DFW Airport’s Terminal B.
Service starts Saturday and riders can hop on for free through Nov. 8. The line’s hours are 4 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily and trains will run every 30 minutes during weekday peak hours from around 5-9 a.m. and 2-8 p.m., depending on the station. The train will run every hour on nonpeak hours and on the weekends.
This year, DART leaders approved service cuts including schedule reductions on some bus lines, weekend peak frequency changes and the discontinuation of seven routes with low ridership. The changes, which Lee called painful, go into effect next year and aim to save the agency $24 million per year, pulling back from $60 million in cuts that caused a public outcry in July.
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The Silver Line’s opening comes as the transit agency negotiates with member cities over service and funding. Mayors of several North Texas cities asked Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year to consider legislation to change DART’s funding and governing structure, citing concerns over service and its value to residents. The bills failed to reach the floor for a vote.
Saturday’s opening events include community celebrations at each Silver Line station from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., including games, activities, food trucks, small-business vendors, guided Stadler train tours, community booths and giveaways. The day will end with a free outdoor concert from 6-9 p.m. at the line’s 12th Street Station.
Some stations will also host ribbon-cuttings and dedications. At the 12th Street Red Line Station, DART will unveil a series of windscreen installations with historic photos of the Douglass Community, one of Plano’s oldest historically Black neighborhoods.
Email tips on all things Collin County to [email protected].
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