Denton County Transportation Authority
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Public transportation key to North Texas’ growth
n 2011, the Denton County Transportation Authority opened the A-train, providing regional rail connectivity between one of the fastest growing counties in North Texas and Dallas. Along with the upcoming completion of DART’s Orange Line extension to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and proposed projects to connect Fort Worth and North Dallas via the TEX Rail/Cotton Belt Corridor, these projects mark the start of a new boom in increased regional rail connectivity. And thanks to our region’s tremendous population growth, this expansion in rail projects is coming not a moment too soon. North Texas is proud to be the fastest-growing large region in the U.S., adding a new person every four minutes. Anyone who lives here knows why we are seeing the increase in mov-
A-train
ing vans and out-of-state license plates—our low cost of living; stable, diverse economy; and easy access to both coasts and key international markets through DFW International Airport. But there is one thing that these newest North Texans won’t be bringing in their moving boxes: extra roads and highways. If the real estate and economic development mantra is “location, location, location,” perhaps in our 9,000-squaremile region we should follow that up with one of our own: “transportation, transportation, transportation.” And right now, our region is facing some significant transportation-related challenges. According to the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ 2035 Mobility Plan, the time North Texans spend in their vehicles each day will increase by 114 percent, with an increased travel time of
40 percent. That extra time spent in traffic will equate to more than $10 billion in economic losses, more than doubling the current $4.7 billion cost of congestion today. Highway projects underway today will help alleviate traffic snarls for years to come, but changing trends in car ownership and usage demonstrate the need for new mobility options beyond more concrete. Recent studies have found that the importance of car ownership is less important to Millennials than previous generations. In 2011, only 79 percent of 20- to 24-year-olds had a driver’s license, down from 92 percent in 1983. Indeed, Millennials are the only demographic group to value their computer or mobile phone more than their automobile. Furthermore, research by the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) finds that across all demographic groups
car ownership and vehicle miles travelled have been declining since the mid-2000s. To meet the needs of its growing population, North Texas needs to develop a dynamic transportation ecosystem, characterized by a diversity of mobility options ranging from automobiles to light rail to bicycling. The continued development of our region’s rail connectivity will both help reduce stress on our road network while also meeting the changing mobility preferences of a new generation of North Texans. The transportation network of tomorrow will be able to move people and goods throughout the region quickly and efficiently using a variety of modes. Regional rail will be a key component of that network by increasing mobility without increasing automobile congestion. All aboard!
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