When Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s first Silver Line train rolled out of the Shiloh Road station in Plano at the end of October, it ushered in a new era for rail travel in Texas. Confetti was released as the train burst through a commemorative banner, live music played, and free rides were given to the train’s first-ever commuters.
First proposed in the 1980s, DART’s 26-mile line runs from Plano to DFW Airport, connecting Plano, Richardson, Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Coppell and Grapevine, and the University of Texas at Dallas along the way. DART had pitched the long-awaited train as a new tool for North Texas commuters as well as an investment in the region, one of the fastest growing places anywhere in the country.
“This project connects neighborhoods, employers, and the world’s third-busiest airport in one seamless ride,” Nadine Lee, DART president and CEO, said in a release at the time. “It’s a catalyst for economic growth and a step toward a more connected North Texas.”…