Denton’s 2010 rail plans on track

by Mary Pharris of North Texas Daily

The Denton County Transit Authority plans to begin construction on the county's A-train rail system in March, with the rail running through Denton by December 2010

Denton County residents could be saying goodbye to Interstate Highway 35 traffic jams sooner than they expected.

The Denton County Transit Authority plans to begin construction on the county's A-train rail system in March, with the rail running through Denton by December 2010, said Dee Leggett, vice president of communications and planning for the transit authority.

The 21-mile track will have five stations including two in Denton - one in downtown Denton between Hickory and Sycamore streets and the other near the Denton Regional Medical Center - and will connect with Dallas Area Rapid Transit's green line train at Trinity Mills in Carrollton, according to the A-train's Website.

The green line is also scheduled to open in December 2010, providing 28 miles of light rail from Carrollton and Farmers Branch to downtown Dallas, said Mark Ball, a spokesman for the rapid transit.

Leggett said the rail would give UNT faculty, staff and students an alternative to driving or simply provide transportation for those who don't have an automobile.

The authority plans to accommodate students who use the rail by offering an express bus service to both the Texas Woman's University and UNT campuses, she said. The introduction of the rail system will also allow the university to limit the building of parking lots and focus resources on other projects, Leggett said.

Education sophomore Cindy Daniel said she commutes from Carrollton and wasn't aware of the A-train. However, she said the rail will be beneficial in commuting to campus. Daniel pays $180 for the premium parking tag, and using the rail would help save money, gas and time, she said.

"I do get stuck in traffic when the highway becomes two lanes," she said. "That's when it's the worst."

The transit authority and the university are currently working together to find the right method for students to access the rail at minimal costs, Leggett said. While fares haven't been set, the authority also wants to create a seamless transition from the A-train to the green line, and is cooperating with DART to ensure that transition, she said.

The total travel time from Denton to Dallas would be about 70 minutes, Leggett said, and the A-train's operation schedule would mesh with the green line's schedule, limiting waiting time.

Denton Mayor Mark Burroughs said the introduction of the A-train is a step forward for Denton and will let residents to be better connected to the Dallas area. The rail will also help increase tourism and development in Denton, he said.

"The city of Denton has attempted to adjust some of its zoning to accommodate development so that you have more people and events and sites that are travel destinations near the transit station," he said.

As Denton's population continues to increase, the rail will help accommodate that growth and limit highway congestion, Burroughs said. The rail will also help improve air quality and mitigate the number of accidents on Interstate 35, Leggett said.

Leggett said she can't see any disadvantages to the A-train, but said there could be some inconveniences for residents who live along the construction corridor. The tracks for the rail are already in place, Burroughs said, and the people affected by the A-train are already impacted by the freight train that uses the tracks. However, both Burroughs and Leggett said the authority is committed to working with communities to help mitigate any inconveniences experienced because of the new rail system.

Corinth City Councilman Jim Mayfield said he doesn't think noise from the train will be a big issue, but is more concerned with ridership. He said the Dallas-Fort Worth area doesn't have a high enough population density like New York City to support or make rail mass transit convenient.

"I'd be surprised if we had more than 1 percent [riding the rail]," he said.

Denton County voters approved the A-train project in 2002, Leggett said, with a price tag of $314 million. The rail vehicle itself costs $75 million and the rest of the funds will go toward construction, she said. About 20 percent of the $314 million comes from sales tax from the cities of Denton, Lewisville and Highland Village. The remaining 80 percent comes from regional total revenue generated from State Highway 121 tolls, she said.

"We're shooting for hopefully improving the quality of life for Denton County residents," Leggett said.

For more information on the A-train, visit mya-train.com.

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