40 Years of Modern Transportation
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART), is a public transportation agency that serves Dallas and 12 surrounding cities with multimodal public transit services and customer facilities tailored to make exploring North Texas easy, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. It transports passengers to employment and arts districts, entertainment and special events. DART is offering free rides on August 13, the official anniversary. On Tuesdays, two people can ride for the price of one.
Created in 1983 by voters and now one of the largest transit agencies in the country, DART began operating in 1984. Its buses, light rail vehicles, commuter rail vehicles, paratransit vehicles and streetcars serve more than 220,000 passengers each weekday. In addition to light rail, DART operates a network of bus routes that serve the Dallas area and neighboring cities. The bus service complements the rail system and helps ensure broader coverage of the region.
The agency has made significant investments in its infrastructure over the years to ensure that it can continue to meet the needs of its customers. In 2010, the Green Line light rail extension added 28 miles of rail service to the system, connecting downtown Dallas with Carrollton, Farmers Branch and Richardson.
DART has implemented several initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint and promote sustainable living such as the first compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling station which is used to fuel its CNG buses, in 2011. It also operates a fleet of hybrid buses that use less fuel. The agency has also partnered with organizations to promote healthy living initiatives, including bike sharing programs and walking trails. This summer, DART is presenting these 40 ideas for the perfect summer staycation enjoyment.
For more information, call l-214-979-1111 or visit DART.org.
Dallas claims two aquariums - both DARTable. The Children's Aquarium Dallas, near the Green Line's Fair Park Station, brings out your inner kid with stingray interactions and much more. The Dallas World Aquarium features a large rainforest exhibit, sharks and penguins, near West End Station on all four rail lines. And for a family outing, it's hard to beat catching DART Rail to Dallas Zoo Station. More than 400 species of wildlife await. For a longer adventure, take the Trinity Railway Express<https://trinityrailwayexpress.org/> and visit the Fort Worth Zoo or the SeaQuest aquarium.
Plenty of art in North Texas is at off-the-beaten-path venues. Check out the ArtCentre of Plano, right across Haggard Park from Downtown Plano Station on the Red Line, or the Janette Kennedy Gallery, walkable from Cedars Station on the Red or Blue Lines.
Gardens provide a peaceful respite in the city. The kid-friendly Texas Discovery Gardens, near the Green Line's Fair Park Station, is resplendent with native plantings and a butterfly habitat. The Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden offers vibrant seasonal displays and year-round programming, and you can get there on Bus Route 214.
History
Options for history buffs include The Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza and the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, both a short walk from West End Station on all four DART Rail lines. The African American Museum in Fair Park is a prized institution just steps from Fair Park Station on the Green Line. A short walk from the Orange Line's Las Colinas Urban Center Station, you'll find the Mustangs of Las Colinas Museum & Sculpture.
Iconic Spots
These selfie-worthy places give our cities a sense of identity. The Mustangs at Las Colinas, a larger-than-life bronze sculpture of galloping horses, is walkable from Las Colinas Urban Center Station on the Orange Line. In downtown Dallas, the 30-foot-tall "Giant Eyeball" has become one of the city's most distinctive landmarks. It's a few blocks from Akard Station on all four DART Rail lines. And don't miss Traveling Man, a three-part sculpture of a stainless-steel, musically inclined robot, all surrounding Deep Ellum Station on the Green Line.
Museums
There is a treasure trove of art museums in the Dallas Arts District, including the Dallas Museum of Art, the Nasher Sculpture Center, and the Crow Collection of Asian Art. All are walkable from Pearl/Arts District Station on all four DART Rail lines.
Nostalgia
Celebrate the unique heritage of North Texas communities. Farmers Branch Historical Park is an outdoor gem with numerous 19th-century buildings, including a train depot, school, and old church. The park is walkable from Farmers Branch Station on the Green Line. Dallas' Old City Park is a collection of buildings and furnishings as old as 1840. Get there on Bus Route 13. Haggard Park, next to Downtown Plano Station on the Red Line, is home to the Interurban Railway Museum, with interactive exhibits and a historic railcar.
Parks and Trails
Some of the region's signature parks and trails are DARTable. Klyde Warren Park is walkable from St. Paul Station on all four DART Rail lines or the M-Line trolley. The Spring Creek Nature Area is accessible from Richardson's Galatyn Park Station on the Red Line, while the extensive Campion Trail is near Irving's Las Colinas Urban Center Station on the Orange Line. These are only a few options.
