1.0 purpose and need - dart.orgchapter 1 purpose and need preliminary engineering / environmental...

Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-1Chapter 1 Purpose and Need

Preliminary Engineering / Environmental Impact StatementNorthwest Corridor LRT Line to Irving and DFW Airport

1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED

This chapter documents the need for transit improvements in the Northwest Corridor and thepurposes that the proposed action (Build Alternative) is intended to serve. An overview of the studycorridor summarizes current and projected population and employment, and existing and proposedtransportation services and facilities. The chapter also summarizes the planning context andhistory of local decision-making regarding the proposed improvements. It presents the mobility,economic and community development, and environmental objectives to be addressed by theproject.

Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) initiated a Major Investment Study (MIS) in early 1998 toexamine transportation needs in the Northwest Corridor. The Northwest Corridor MIS InfluenceArea included a large part of northwest Dallas County. It extended from downtown Dallas on thesouth, to SH 121 on the west and north, Marsh Lane to the east and Dallas/Fort WorthInternational Airport (DFW Airport) to the west.

The Locally Preferred Investment Strategy (LPIS) adopted on February 22, 2000, includedseveral components, such as Transportation System Management (TSM) improvements, theimplementation of High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes along major highways within the corridor,and two Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines: a line to Farmers Branch and Carrollton, and a line to Irvingand DFW Airport. These two lines have independent utility and were placed on separate planning,engineering and construction schedules. The Final EIS for the LRT line to Farmers Branch andCarrollton is complete. Final design for the facility containing 17.6 miles of double-tracked light railtransit from downtown Dallas to Carrollton is underway, and the project is proposed to beoperational by December 2010. This line is also proposed to connect to a planned commuter railline from Carrollton to Lewisville and Denton, to be constructed and operated by the DentonCounty Transit Authority (DCTA).

Two alternatives were considered in the Draft EIS, a No-Build Alternative and a Build (LRT)Alternative. The No-Build Alternative includes transportation and transit projects that have areasonable expectation of funding and are programmed for implementation. The No-BuildAlternative was used as a basis for determining the potential environmental impacts that would beassociated with the proposed LRT Alternative. The proposed action, referred to throughout thisFinal EIS as the LRT Alternative, is a 9.3-mile light rail transit project derived from the MIS LPIS,and subsequently modified. On April 8, 2008, the DART Board of Directors approved a resolutionthat identified the LRT Alternative as the preferred alternative for the Final EIS. Both alternativesare described in detail in Chapter 2 of the Final EIS.

DART is proposing to implement the Northwest Corridor LRT Line to Irving and DFW Airport withthe staged construction of approximately 9.3 miles of double-tracked light rail transit from a junctionwith the Farmers Branch / Carrollton Line north of Bachman Station to the vicinity of Belt Line Roadand Valley View Lane in Irving. An extension from Belt Line Road to the Central Terminal Area ofDFW International Airport will be evaluated and constructed at a later date, pending DFW Airportguidance and direction regarding terminal interface issues. The Northwest Corridor LRT Line toIrving/DFW Study Area is shown in Figure 1-1.

The purposes of the LRT Line to Irving and DFW are to increase regional connectivity, to improvethe performance and effectiveness of transit services within the corridor, to offer an alternative tosingle-occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel, to provide a seamless interface at the DFW Airport CentralTerminal Area once the extension to DFW Airport is completed, and to improve transit travel time.The project is intended to increase the people-carrying capacity in the corridor and supportincreased economic development opportunities through improved accessibility to sites along thecorridor.

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Figure 1-1

NW Corridor LRT Line to Irving/DFWEnvironmental Impact Statement

Study Area0 4,000 8,0002,000

Feet

Legend

Potential Future Extension to DFW

Proposed LRT Line to Irving/DFWStudy Area



The federal action for FTA would be funding related. The project is proposed to be partly fundedwith federal dollars through the NCTCOG’s Transit Strategic Funding Program (PartnershipProgram 2). Pursuant to FTA regulations, the FTA Administrator must verify that NEPArequirements have been met in order to approve use of federal funding.

The federal action for FAA would be approval of a revision to the DFW International Airport LayoutPlan (ALP). Pursuant to 49 USC § 47107(a)(16), the FAA Administrator (under authority delegatedfrom the Secretary of Transportation) must approve any revision or modification to an ALP beforethe revision or modification takes effect. Any FAA determination to approve revision of the ALP toaccommodate the proposed alterations to the airport for the LRT project will have to take intoconsideration the effect such changes would have on the safety, utility, or efficiency of the airport.

1.1 GOALS AND OBJECTIVESDART is the Dallas area’s regional transit agency providing service within a 700-square mile areacomprised of 13 member cities. The DART Board of Directors established a set of goals fortransportation improvements in the Northwest Corridor during the MIS study process. The goalsand objectives respond to the underlying transportation needs defined in this chapter. They arebased on the goals adopted in May 1983 to guide development of the DART Transit System Planand goals stated in the DART Mission Statement:

The mission of Dallas Area Rapid Transit is to build and operate an efficient and effectivetransportation system that, within the DART Service Area, provides mobility, improves thequality of life, and stimulates economic development through the implementation of the DARTService Plan as adopted by the voters on August 13, 1983, and as amended from time to time.

The primary objective of the Northwest Corridor MIS was to identify an LPIS for transportationimprovements in the corridor. This study identified the following purposes for transportationimprovements in the Northwest Corridor:

• Enhance Mobility by offering travel choices to and from, and through, the corridor;• Provide Additional Capacity for heavily-traveled radial directions;• Reduce Congestion by reducing automobile dependence;• Enhance the Quality and Reliability of Transit Service for existing and potential riders;• Improve Safety and Operating Efficiency of roadways; and• Strengthen Economic Conditions in the corridor.

1.2 RELEVANT SYSTEM PLANNING ACTIVITIESThe two branches of the Northwest Corridor (formerly known as the Stemmons Corridor) havebeen included in DART’s and other regional transportation improvement plans for more than 20years. A summary of these plans is presented in this section.

DART’s 1983 Final Service Plan included a 160-mile fixed guideway transit system. TheNorthwest Corridor was to be built in two phases along the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) line,first to LBJ Freeway, then to Belt Line Road with an extension west to Las Colinas in Irving.Phase II also included a commuter rail extension north from the Trinity Railway Express (TRE)line to Texas Stadium and Las Colinas, along the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) rail line.

The 2010 Service Plan (1988) reduced the fixed guideway system to 93 miles. The NorthwestCorridor showed fixed guideway transit from downtown Dallas to LBJ Freeway with extensions toBelt Line Road along the UPRR line and west to Las Colinas in Irving along the Mañana spur.With the failure of the 1988 bond election, DART re-evaluated the rail system and developed anew cost-effective program in 1989.



The 1989 Transit System Plan showed a light rail line along the UPRR right-of-way fromdowntown Dallas to Valley View Lane in Farmers Branch, and future expansion north to the NorthCarrollton Transit Center. A branch west from the UPRR right-of-way to the North Irving TransitCenter along the Mañana spur was also included. DART purchased the UPRR line in 1990 forfuture use as a rail transit line.

The 1995 Transit System Plan updated the 1989 plan to improve both affordability and cost-effectiveness. The plan changed the Northwest Corridor rail alignments from LRT to commuter railand identified a line along the UPRR from downtown Dallas to the North Carrollton Transit Centerand a branch west along the Mañana spur to the North Irving Transit Center. DFW airport wasserved by a spur north from the TRE commuter rail line.

The Northwest Corridor Needs Assessment (December 1997) identified travel needs in theNorthwest Corridor, resulting in the identification of two subareas within the Northwest Corridor:the Carrollton – Farmers Branch Subarea, which generally parallels IH 35E from downtown Dallasand into Carrollton; and the North Irving Subarea, which generally follows the IH 35E/SH 114corridor through North Irving. This Needs Assessment identified northwest-southeast travel as theprimary need in the North Irving Subarea. This includes travel from residential origins in thenorthwest to employment destinations along the corridor and in downtown Dallas. It also includestravel from residential origins south of downtown Dallas to employment destinations along thecorridor and elsewhere in the region (reverse commute).

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) developed the Mobility 2025 Plan(January 2000) using demographic projections for the year 2025. The plan generally reflected theDART 1995 Transit System Plan, with the exception that it showed LRT instead of commuter railin the Northwest Corridor, based on the MIS results, with two alternative alignments near DFWInternational Airport. One alignment brought rail into the northern end of the airport, while theother alignment brought rail into the central terminal area of the airport. The Mobility 2025 Planwas updated in May 2001, June 2004 and April 2005.

The Northwest Corridor Major Investment Study was initiated in early 1998 and completed inearly 2000. It identified LRT on the UPRR alignment from downtown Dallas to Frankford Road inCarrollton, with a section along Harry Hines Boulevard in the Medical Center area. It alsoidentified a branch at Northwest Highway through Irving and DFW Airport. The DART Boardapproved the LPIS for the Northwest Corridor on February 22, 2000, and amended the 1995Transit System Plan to reflect these changes. The two lines were to be treated as separateprojects, with an EIS to be prepared for each.

In August 2000, DART conducted a special election requesting voter approval for the agency toissue long-term bonds to finance capital improvements. Previously, DART had funded projects ona “pay-as-you-go” basis. The issue passed overwhelmingly, and permitted DART to accelerateimplementation of several projects, including the proposed project. Under the schedule currentlypublished by DART, the proposed project is expected to begin operation in December of 2012.The extension from Belt Line Road to DFW Airport is proposed to begin operation in December of2013.

In 2002 the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Rail Planning and Implementation Studywas completed. This study, sponsored by NCTCOG, DFW Airport, DART, The Texas Departmentof Transportation (TxDOT) and the Fort Worth Transit Authority, explored future rail serviceoptions to the airport. The Study’s goal was “to provide a seamless, customer sensitive,affordable, clearly achievable rail interface between the regional rail system and the DFW AirportCentral Terminal Area.” The selected alternative identified three possible options for accessing theCentral Terminal Area with LRT. The northern and southern options were elevated or at-grade,



while the central option was a tunnel under DFW Airport. As of now, the northern access optionappears to be favored. However, airport access options will continue to be studied and evaluated,and are not proposed to be part of this EIS.

In October 2006, DART updated its 1995 Transit System Plan in accordance with the DART2030 Transit System Plan. This plan reflects the latest year 2030 demographic projects fromNCTCOG and identifies projects to be undertaken by DART through the year 2030.

The LRT Line to Farmers Branch and Carrollton Final Environmental Impact Statement wascompleted in October 2003. The project received a Record of Decision (ROD) in February 2004.Final design has been completed on this 17.6 mile, double-tracked light rail extension fromdowntown Dallas to Carrollton. DART began construction in 2006 with operations scheduled to bephased in from 2009 through 2010. The Irving/DFW LRT Line begins north of Bachman Station onthis line.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) developed the Mobility 2030 Plan(January 2007) using demographic projections for the year 2030. Mobility 2030 describes theNorthwest/Irving Rail Corridor as a light rail system from Northwest Highway (Bachman Lake) toDallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the same as the Build Alternative considered in this FEIS.

1.3 OVERVIEW OF THE CORRIDORThe transportation system in the Irving/DFW LRT Line Corridor includes a major internationalairport; several freeways; a tollway; a network of arterial roadways and local streets; a bus systemoperating daily on surface streets and freeways; a portion of a commuter rail line; two freight raillines; and a people mover system serving the Las Colinas Urban Center.

DFW International Airport, which is foreseen as the ultimate terminus of the Irving/DFW LRT Line,is one of the busiest airports in the world. According to information provided by the airport, DFWhandles nearly 2,000 flights per day and serves 57 million passengers per year. The airline servesas a hub for Fort Worth-based American Airlines. The airport also has the newly-opened SkylinkSystem automated people mover serving passengers and employees traveling between the sixexisting terminals. The bi-directional system has two stations at each terminal and operates duringairport operating hours. A connection with this system is intended in the later phase of the LRTline.

Several freeways interconnect within the project corridor. Texas Stadium serves as a focal point ofthe confluence of four freeways (SH 114, Loop 12, SH 183, and Spur 482). In addition, IH 35Ecrosses the eastern end of the alignment and SH 161 (the President George Bush Turnpike)crosses the western end of the alignment. The principal freeway in the area, SH 114 (JohnCarpenter Freeway), is part of a system of highways that radiates from the Dallas CBD freewayloop, and runs in a general northwest direction through the study area to the north edge of DFWAirport and rapidly-growing suburban communities such as Grapevine, Southlake, Coppell andFlower Mound. The proposed LRT line would parallel this freeway for much of its alignment. Thebusiest freeway within the project corridor is SH 183 (Airport Freeway), which connects northDallas with north Fort Worth and provides access to the south entrance of DFW Airport. At theeastern end of the Irving/DFW LRT corridor, there are few arterial roadways due to the Elm Fork ofthe Trinity River. Towards the western end of the corridor there are more arterial roadways. Aregular, grid street pattern does not exist within the corridor.

The bus system currently includes two express, eight suburban circulator, one rail-feeder, andthree cross-town routes in the corridor. Typically, express routes provide service to downtownDallas, but one of the express routes is a cross-town route that provides east-west service on IH635. The suburban circulator routes operate between transit centers in outer Dallas and in the



suburbs; several of these routes serve Irving. Cross-town service into Dallas, Farmers Branch, andCarrollton is available, but cross-town service to other cities surrounding Irving does not exist asthey are not DART member cities. The single rail feeder route feeds into the TRE. There is onetransit center, the North Irving Transit Center, within the corridor which provides park-and-ridefacilities and serves as a major bus transfer center. It is served by two express bus routes and fivecirculator bus routes on weekdays, and five different circulator bus routes during the weekend.DFW International Airport also operates a free terminal link van service.

In addition to bus service, there is a commuter rail line operated by DART that travels just south ofthe corridor. The Trinity Railway Express (TRE) rail line links downtown Dallas and downtown FortWorth. Located south of SH 183 on O’Connor Road, the closest TRE station to the project corridoris the South Irving Station, which also contains a bus transfer center served by eight bus routes onweekdays.

There are two active freight rail lines operating within the project corridor. One of these rail lines isnow owned by DART and the other is owned by the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad(BNSF). Currently there are active freight operations on both of these rail lines. The primary rail linealong the eastern edge of the corridor is the DART-owned UPRR line, along which construction ofthe new light rail line to Farmers Branch and Carrollton is proposed. The BNSF RR is a majornorth-south rail line that runs through the corridor. It runs through Irving and into Dallas andeventually Farmers Branch and Carrollton, where it intersects with the UPRR line.

Within the Las Colinas Urban Center there is a 1.4-mile elevated people-mover system thatconnects several office buildings. The Las Colinas Area Personal Transit (APT) System, morecommonly known as the Las Colinas people-mover, operates between 10:30 AM and 2:30 PM onweekdays and serves four stations in area office buildings.

DFW International Airport operates the Skylink secure-side, elevated people-mover betweenexisting terminals. The bi-directional system has two stations at each terminal and runs duringnormal airport operating hours.

Existing transportation services and facilities are illustrated in Figure 1-2.

The proposed Northwest LRT Line to Irving/DFW is included in the third phase of expansion toDART’s LRT system. The initial phase included the 20-mile LRT Starter System that was openedin 1996. The second phase included the extensions along the North Central LRT Line toRichardson and Plano that were completed in late 2003, and the Northeast Line to Garland thatwas completed in late 2002. The third phase of LRT development includes the Northwest Corridorto Farmers Branch and Carrollton and the Southeast Corridor, which are in final design, as well asthe Northwest LRT Line to Irving/DFW. Planned and programmed LRT improvements are shownin Figure 1-3.

The Northwest Corridor LRT Line to Irving/DFW branches off of the LRT Line to Farmers Branchand Carrollton at Bachman Station, and parallels several highways, including Spur 482 and StateHighway 114, as it makes its way through Irving and to DFW Airport. The corridor is linked at thesouth end via the Farmers Branch/Carrollton line to the Dallas Central Business District with120,000 jobs, and a variety of employment, education, health, entertainment and residential areas.Major Activity Centers along the corridor include Texas Stadium, The University of Dallas, LasColinas, North Lake College and DFW Airport. In addition to these Major Activity Centers there is avariety of residential, industrial and commercial uses along the proposed alignment.

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Figure 1-2

NW Corridor LRT Line to Irving/DFWEnvironmental Impact Statement ´Existing Transportation Services and Facilities

0 8,000 16,0004,000Feet

Source: Parsons, 2005; DART 2005

LegendBus RoutesTrinity Railway Express StationNorth Irving Transit CenterExisting RailroadsExisting DFW SkylinkExisting Las Colinas APT

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Source: Figure 1-3Planned and Programmed

NW Corridor LRT Line to Irving/DFWEnvironmental Impact Statement

DART, 2007

Light Rail Transit Improvements

.0 1 20 5Miles

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and Rd

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Northwest Corridorto Farmers Branch

and CarrolltonNorthwest Irving /DFW Corridor

West Oak Cliff Line

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Existing LRT

Future LRT Expansion

Trinity Railway Express



1.3.1 Population and EmploymentThe Dallas/Ft. Worth region is growing at a tremendous pace, placing significant demands on thetransportation system. Population in the region is forecast to grow by almost 80% between 2000and 2030. Employment in the region is forecast to grow by almost 72% in this same time period.Growth within the area within one-half mile of the proposed LRT alignment will be strong as well,especially in terms of employment. In 2000, employment in the vicinity of the proposed alignmentoutnumbered population by over 41,600 jobs. In 2025, the surplus of jobs over population in thissame area is expected to grow to more than 87,200. When the area is expanded to include theentire Las Colinas and DFW Airport areas, the surplus of jobs over population in 2030 jumps to272,300. Current population and employment and forecast growth are shown in Table 1-1.

TABLE 1-1FORECAST POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT GROWTH

Population EmploymentArea 2000

12030 % Difference 2000 2030 % Difference

DFW Region2 5,067,400 9,107,900 79.7% 3,158,200 5,416,700 71.5%

Dallas County 2,232,476 2,817,191 26.2% 1,745,100 2,529,400 44.9%City of Dallas 1,202,592 1,404,847 16.8% 1,038,314 1,390,219 33.9%City of Irving 196,632 225,714 14.8% 165,435 276,941 67.4%DFW Airport Area 4,962 4,950 -0.2% 48,785 85,212 74.7%Las Colinas Area 25,066 38,203 52.4% 77,992 142,985 83.3%Irving/DFW Alignment

316,473 21,850 32.6% 58,081 109,106 87.9%

1NCTCOG estimate adjusted from 2000 Census count; does not include group quarters

2Ten-county region as defined by NCTCOG

3Defined as the geographic area within one-half mile of the proposed LRT alignment and based on NCTCOG Traffic

Survey Zone dataSource: NCTCOG 2030 Demographic Forecast, 2003

1.3.2 Travel Patterns and CongestionThe primary flow of traffic within the corridor is north and south along the major arterials withinIrving (Belt Line Road, MacArthur Boulevard, and O’Connor Boulevard), and northwest andsoutheast along the central freeway of the corridor, SH 114, as well as Spur 348 (NorthwestHighway). SH 114 and Spur 348 exhibit traditional commuter traffic patterns in that most traffic istraveling southeast towards Dallas during the AM peak, and most is traveling northwest away fromDallas during the PM peak. However, the Las Colinas Urban Center is a center of employmentwithin the corridor which causes some reverse commuting on SH 114 between Las Colinas andDallas. Finally, SH 161 (the President George Bush Turnpike) provides a cross-town route, whichis an alternative to the more heavily traveled IH 35E when traveling from IH 635 to SH 183 or thesouth DFW Airport entrance.

Traffic volumes in the Dallas urbanized area are considered some of the highest in Texas. Theproject corridor is bounded on the east by IH 35E, which carries an average of 226,000 vehiclesper day north of the corridor. In addition, the project corridor is just south of IH 635 (LBJ Freeway)which, when it travels through north Dallas, carries the highest volumes of traffic in the Dallasurbanized area with approximately 300,000 vehicles per day. The busiest freeway in the projectcorridor is SH 183 which carries an average of 177,000 vehicles per day near Texas Stadium. SH114 carries an average of 86,000 to 100,000 vehicles per day, and SH 161 carries an average of35,000 to 47,000 vehicles per day. Traffic volumes on most of the arterial roadways in the studycorridor are also high, with some carrying over 30,000 vehicles per day. Along many of these majorarterial roadways, high traffic volumes contribute to congestion delays. The high volume-to-capacity ratios on many of these arterials result in unacceptable traffic operating conditions asdefined by local and national standards.



Historically, traffic volumes on Dallas freeways have increased five to ten percent per year between1995 and 2000. Growth slowed in the first years of this decade due to a general economicrecession, but is expected to increase again through the year 2030. Within the project corridor,traffic volumes on the mature freeways (IH 35E, Loop 12, and Spur 482) are projected to grow atabout one percent per year, while traffic volumes on SH 114 are projected to grow at about fourpercent per year. With the connection of SH 161 to the main portion of President George BushTurnpike being opened in late 2005, traffic on this section of the turnpike will increase rapidly in thenext few years. The traffic volume statistics for the major roadways serving the corridor are listed inTable 1-2. These statistics include the existing traffic volumes, existing levels of service, projected2030 traffic volumes, and their projected 2030 levels of service. The level of service is a measureof the relative delay and congestion experienced on a roadway, with level of service A being thebest, and anything worse than level of service D being unacceptable.

TABLE 1-2EXISTING AND PROJECTED TRAFFIC VOLUMES1

Roadway Location 2000 2030Freeways ADT2 LOS3 ADT2 LOS3 %Change

IH 35E (Stemmons Freeway) South of Spur 482 134 E 170 E + 26.9Spur 482 (Storey Lane) East of IH 35E 54 C 72 C + 33.3Loop 12 (Walton Walker Freeway) North of SH 114 130 E 194 F + 49.2

North of Spur 348 1004

D 1914

E + 91.0SH 114 (John Carpenter Freeway)

South of Spur 348 914

E 1814

F + 98.9SH 161 (Pres. George Bush Tpke.) Valley View to Beltline 47

4B 207

4F + 340.4

ArterialsTeleport to O’Connor 6 B 11 B + 83.3

Riverside DriveO’Connor to Spur 348 21 C 27 D + 28.6

O’Connor Boulevard West of Riverside 25 D 13 B - 48.0Loop 12 to Luna Road 36 E 54 F + 50.0

Spur 348 (Northwest Highway)O’Connor to SH 114 28 E 38 F + 35.7

Hidden Ridge Dr. West of SH 114 9 B 18 C + 100.0SH 114 to MacArthur 15 B 18 C + 20.0

Walnut Hill LaneEast of Belt Line Rd. 22 C 27 D + 22.7

Belt Line Road South of Valley View 32 E 41 F + 28.11

Along major roadways paralleling and crossing the proposed LRT alignment2

ADT = Average Daily Traffic volume (in thousands). All freeway traffic counts were collected in 2003, all arterialtraffic counts were collected in 2003 or 2004.3

LOS = Level of Service, a measure of traffic flow and delay. LOS “A” is free flow/no delays, LOS “F” iscongested/long delays. Level of Service determined by NCTCOG.4

Includes traffic on main lanes and frontage roads

Source: Parsons Transportation Group, NCTCOG. 2006

1.3.3 Existing Transit ConditionsThe Irving/DFW LRT corridor is served by a network of 14 bus routes. The bus routes travelingthrough the study corridor have a total average ridership of more than 220,000 passengers eachmonth, almost 91 percent of which use the system on weekdays. These routes account for aboutseven percent of DART’s total system-wide bus ridership. The two highest ridership routes areactually suburb-to-suburb services which travel between the North Irving Transit Center and theCity of Garland.

Several types of transit use occur within the corridor. Some transit users drive to a park-and-ride lotand board a bus bound for downtown Dallas, a cross-town destination, or destinations within thecorridor. Other transit users walk to bus stops near their homes and board the bus bound for theirplace of employment. Depending on their destination, some of these latter transit users may usethe transit center to transfer from one bus route to another in order to reach their final destination.Finally, some transit users use the commuter rail that travels just south of the corridor. These users



are primarily long-haul commuters who drive to the park-and-ride lot in south Irving and ride thetrain into downtown Dallas or downtown Fort Worth.

The first type of transit user described above is usually a resident of the northwestern suburbs ofDallas who would rather drive just part of the way towards their employment destination and usethe transit system for the remainder of it. These transit users are likely using the system to reachemployment centers in and around downtown Dallas. As residential development increases withinthe corridor and to the northwest and as employment opportunities increase in and arounddowntown Dallas, more and more long-haul commuters will likely choose the park-and-ride optionrather than driving in the increasing traffic congestion that will likely occur on highways leading intoDallas.

The second type of transit user described above is usually a “transit-dependent” person who doesnot have access to an automobile. DART’s transit system enables these people to work atemployment centers all over the Dallas area that would normally be accessible only to someonewith an automobile. This allows transit-dependent people living in the corridor to work outside thecorridor, and vice versa. Considering the large amount of employment within the study corridor,DART’s transit system is very important to the economic vitality of the corridor. It provides jobopportunities for people from all areas and demographics, and it provides employers with a widerrange of the labor pool. As employment opportunities increase within the corridor and transit-dependent residential development increases, the transit system will become even more importantto employers and employees alike.

The third type of transit user often prefers the speed and reliability of a train over other forms oftransportation. The implementation of a light rail will provide increased opportunities for this type oftransit user.

1.4 NEED FOR ACTIONCurrent and projected travel patterns, levels of roadway congestion, growth in population andemployment in the region and in the corridor require that the proposed project be built in order toaddress the need for transportation improvements.

The need for transportation improvements is illustrated by the following:

The Dallas-Fort Worth region is currently (as of April 2005) designated as a Serious non-attainment area for 1-Hour Ozone and a Moderate non-attainment area for 8-Hour Ozone bythe Environmental Protection Agency;

The entire study area falls within a region identified for the year 2030 as an “area of severepeak-period congestion” by the Mobility 2025 Plan (Amended April 2005) and the Mobility2030 Plan (January 2007) produced by the North Central Texas Council of Governments(NCTCOG);

Existing and planned roadway improvements are insufficient to meet the demand within thiscorridor;

Travel time delay and congestion levels in the corridor are increasing; and

A significant amount of employment and population growth is forecast for the corridor.

1.4.1 Specific Transportation Needs in the CorridorThe SH 114 corridor, bounded by IH 35 E (Stemmons Freeway) on the east and The George BushTurnpike (SH 161) on the west, is an important and growing employment center featuring high-



density, mixed-use developments like Las Colinas and major educational facilities such as TheUniversity of Dallas and North Lake College. The overall study area added almost 52,000 jobsbetween 1990 and 1998. The corridor connects rapidly-growing suburbs northwest of Dallas todowntown Dallas, which is expected to have over 160,000 jobs in 2030. The corridor also servesDFW Airport, which is one of the busiest airports on the planet and is a critical employment centerin its own right.

Congestion has worsened, resulting in increased travel times for drivers and transit riders.Freeway congestion has grown, leading to further congestion on surface streets. The region’s airquality has declined, and steps must be taken to improve it. These conditions and the expectedgrowth that will lead to further worsening of these conditions indicate the need for majortransportation improvements. These needs are:

Need to reduce travel times in the corridor Need to increase transit effectiveness in the corridor and connectivity in the region Need to provide additional people-carrying capacity in the corridor Need to contribute to improvements in unacceptable regional air quality

1.4.2 Purposes of the Proposed ActionThe construction of the Irving/DFW LRT line from Downtown Dallas to Irving and, eventually, DFWAirport will serve the following purposes:

Improve Transit Effectiveness and PerformanceThe construction of the LRT line will improve transit performance in the corridor by offeringmore reliability and shorter travel times than the current all-bus network, which generallyoperates in mixed traffic, is able to provide. The line will complement other planned transitimprovements in the corridor, such as the construction of HOV lanes and the restructuring ofbus routes through Irving, to promote a multi-modal, user-friendly transit network.

Increase Regional ConnectivityThe existing DART LRT/bus/commuter rail system provides access to job opportunities in thecorridor and elsewhere in the Service Area and region, especially for transit-dependentpopulations. By improving the effectiveness and performance of the overall transit network, theconstruction of the Irving/DFW LRT line will expand those opportunities for current andprospective transit riders both in the corridor and in the region as a whole. Access to thegrowing number of jobs in the corridor from areas outside the corridor, such as southern Dallasor the growing communities northwest of Dallas and access to central Dallas from theNorthwest will be improved. Access to DFW Airport will also be improved, initially through ashuttle service between the airport’s central terminal area and the project and eventuallythrough the project’s extension into DFW Airport. The combinations of residence andemployment locations accessible by transit in the region will increase with implementation ofthis project.

Offer an Alternative to Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) travelTraffic congestion in the corridor has increased and will continue, and options for increasingroadway capacity are limited. These limitations are both physical (right-of-way and land usepattern) and financial (limited available funding). Improving the transit system offers analternative to Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) travel in the corridor and within the DARTService Area.

Increase People-carrying Capacity in the SH 114 CorridorRegional demand for travel in the corridor will increase, and additional capacity is needed tomeet this demand. Northwest-southeast travel patterns include residents from the northwest



traveling to jobs in the corridor and in downtown Dallas, and residents from elsewhere in theregion traveling to jobs in the corridor (reverse commute).

Improve Accessibility and Increase Economic Development OpportunitiesThe Irving/DFW LRT Line will provide access for residents and visitors to the employmentcenters, educational institutions, health services, entertainment, and a major internationalairport in the corridor. This increased accessibility will strengthen economic conditions toexisting activity centers, and provide an opportunity for development of further economicactivity at other locations in the corridor. The Irving/DFW line is also expected to encourageopportunities for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) within the corridor, which seeks toreduce automobile dependence by concentrating commerce, services and residences aroundrail stations. DART has already experienced successful TODs at locations such as MockingbirdStation in Dallas, Galatyn Park in Richardson, and downtown Plano.

The transportation needs described demonstrate that improvements are needed to meet theanticipated demands of travelers in the corridor and region.

The DART LRT, commuter rail and bus system offers travel choices for current and prospectivetransit riders. The proposed expansion of the LRT system in the Irving/DFW corridor will furtheradd to those choices for transit users in the corridor and from throughout the region.

1.5 PLANNING CONTEXTThe evaluation of transportation needs in the Northwest Corridor has been oriented toward theFederal Transit Administration’s (FTA) planning and project development process. The decision-making framework and the process used in selecting the recommended improvements aredescribed below.

1.5.1 Decision FrameworkThe decision-making process is framed by DART’s 1995 amendment to its Transit System Plan,which identified a need in the Northwest Corridor. As shown in Figure 1-4, DART completed aNeeds Assessment in 1997. This initial step examined the corridor needs and defined the issuesto be addressed in the MIS. The needs assessment also defined a comprehensive Public andAgency Involvement Program that provided specific opportunities for review and input from thegeneral public, public agencies and other stakeholders. In the spring of 1998, DART initiated theMIS process for the Northwest Corridor. These efforts were coordinated with the NCTCOG (theMetropolitan Planning Organization for the region), and other affected agencies such as the citiesof Dallas and Irving and the Texas Department of Transportation.

1.5.2 Selection of the LPIS and Subsequent RefinementsThe Northwest Corridor MIS provided a decision-making process for determining transportationinvestments in the Northwest Corridor and relied upon technical analyses and community andagency input for determining the preferred alternative. On February 22, 2000, the DART Board ofDirectors approved an LPIS that combined LRT improvements in the corridor with Highway/HighOccupancy Vehicle (HOV) and Transportation System Management (TSM) components (low-costtransportation improvements and freeway bottleneck removal projects).

The LPIS alignment for the Irving/DFW LRT Line crossed the Trinity River, paralleled Spur 482 andSH 114, and terminated at the north end of DFW International Airport east of International Parkwayand south of SH 114.



Figure 1-4Project Development Process

Since completion of the MIS in 2000, several factors have contributed to revising the alignment ofthe Irving/DFW LRT Line. The construction of SH 161 and plans to expand SH 114 hasconstrained available right-of-way. Significant new development within the corridor has become animpediment to the MIS alignment. This development has also prompted the City of Irving toreconsider how well the proposed project would serve growing activity centers. DART has workedwith the City of Irving, property owners, and other stakeholders to revise the original MIS LPISalignment so as to address these concerns and better serve the activities in the corridor.

Starting in 2001, the DFW International Airport Rail Planning and Implementation Study wasconducted to determine the feasibility and possible routes for providing LRT and commuter rail tothe Central Terminal Area of the airport. The study was completed in February 2002, andidentified three options for the DART Irving/DFW LRT Line to enter the airport from the north,south, or central. No preference for any the three alignments was made nor recommended; thestudy noted that DART would determine the preferred alignment during the Irving/DFW PE/EIS.The three airport access options prompted consideration of alternative LRT options through north

SystemPlanning

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Irving, which were developed, studied, discussed with stakeholders and presented to the publicduring public meetings conducted in 2004 and 2005. A detailed description of the alignmentmodifications made since completion of the MIS is provided in Section 2.1.5 in Chapter 2.Given the complexity of serving the airport and the accompanying need for further study, adecision has been made to phase the project with Phase I terminating prior to entering the CentralTerminal Area of the airport. FTA and DART have determined that an interim terminus at Belt LineRoad is appropriate. Phase I of this project, with an interim terminus at Belt Line Road, and PhaseII, terminating at DFW International Airport, have been determined to have independent utility.

All alignment options through the North Irving Sub-area, termination points and the phasing of theproject were discussed during the Scoping process. Eight stations, two being deferred, areproposed for Phase I, terminating at Belt Line Road.

Figure 1-5 shows the revised preferred alignment of the Irving/DFW LRT Line. The Irving/DFWLRT Line begins at the Northwest Corridor LRT Line to Farmers Branch and Carrollton near theBachman LRT station. Extending southwest parallel to Spur 482 the line crosses IH-35E and theElm Fork of the Trinity River, and continues into the City of Irving. Turning northwest and passingTexas Stadium parallel to SH 114 the alignment crosses into the Las Colinas Urban Center andenters the median of Lake Carolyn Parkway. It then exits the urban center by crossing south of SH114 near Northwest Highway, and continues west, crossing Walnut Hill Lane and onto DFWInternational Airport property southeast of the intersection of Valley View Lane and Belt Line Road.From here any of the three airport access options may be considered for the next phase of theproject. Airport access options extending from Belt Line Road to the DFW Central Terminal Areawill continue to be studied and evaluated by DART, DFW Airport, the Federal AviationAdministration (FAA) and others, but are not proposed to be part of this EIS.

1.5.3 The Role of the EIS in Project DevelopmentFTA, in cooperation with FAA and DART, is using the FTA project development process illustratedin Figure 1-4 to guide the implementation of the proposed action. The EIS is prepared inaccordance with FTA guidelines in order to fulfill the requirements of NEPA. These requirementsdefine the process to be followed to ensure that reasonable and feasible transportation solutionalternatives are evaluated, and that the environmental effects of proposed improvements areassessed thoroughly.

Since the LRT alignment will extend into DFW International Airport, FAA is participating as acooperating agency in the preparation of the EIS. FAA has jurisdiction over airports and willprovide expertise and oversight in airport related content necessary to fulfill NEPA requirements.

The EIS is prepared as a full-disclosure document and is intended to inform the public of potentialenvironmental, social, and economic impacts associated with the proposed LRT project and theNo-Build Alternative. The No-Build Alternative represents the base condition for identifying impactsassociated with the proposed action (Build Alternative).

The EIS serves as the primary document to facilitate review by federal, state, and local agenciesand the general public of the proposed project. The EIS documents the purpose and need for theproject and describes the alternatives considered. It addresses in detail the anticipatedtransportation and environmental impacts of the project and identifies appropriate mitigationmeasures.

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Figure 1-5Proposed Irving/DFW LRT LineNW Corridor LRT Line to Irving/DFW

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The Draft EIS was circulated for the required 45-day review and public comment period. Proir toand during this comment period, the Draft EIS was made available to interested parties includingprivate citizens, community groups, the business community, elected officials and public agencies.A public hearing was held within the project Study Area on February 28, 2008, to formally receivecomments. Public comments were submitted in writing throughout the full comment period(January 25 to March 11, 2008).

After circulation of the Draft EIS, preliminary engineering and environmental studies werecompleted. Mitigation commitments, where necessary, were identified and responses to commentsreceived during the Draft EIS comment period were prepared. This Final EIS incorporates all ofthese elements and has been published and made available to the public. FTA may approve theEIS by issuing a Record of Decision (ROD). The ROD for this EIS is anticipated in 2008. As acooperating agency the FAA may also issue a ROD for the project. Upon receipt of the RODs theproject will be advanced to final design and construction.

System planning, the MIS, and the PE/EIS are considered to be project planning phases.Following the PE/EIS, final design will be conducted. The Phase I Project terminating at Belt LineRoad is not an FTA Section 5309 New Starts Project. The LRT line will be financed through acombination of federal and local funding.

Federal financing will include funds available through the NCTCOG Transit Strategic FundingProgram (Partnership Program 2) designed to flex Congestion Mitigation Air Quality ImprovementProgram (CMAQ) funds to make transit-related improvements in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Theprogram is administered through the Regional Transportation Council (RTC), which serves as thetransportation policy board of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO).On April 10, 2008, the RTC approved the final list of Partnership 2 projects including partial fundingof the Northwest Corridor to Irving/DFW LRT Project.

Local financing includes contributions from DART as well as the City of Irving which, through aninterlocal agreement with DART, has committed $60 million (1999$) towards implementation of thisproject.

The future Phase II Project, extending from Belt Line Road to the DFW Central Terminal Area, is apotential candidate for a FTA Section 5309 New Starts Project in the recently adopted FederalPublic Transportation Law (SAFETEA-LU: the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient TransportationEquity Act: A Legacy for Users), enacted on August 10, 2005.

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