It usually does not shock me when industries respond to growth, but the apartment building along the Dart Rail and the under construction new Silver Line that will be the fourth commuter line of 26 miles or more (in addition to the light rail which is the largest in the nation) but now, I am feeling the amount of apartments in the metroplex. Some 45K might even be under reported.
A few days ago, I got on the light rail's red line and went four stations north to the City Line station at the Geo. Bush Turnpike in Plano. There is no more vacant land as the entire length between the four stations is solid construction from new framing to completed buildings. Several years ago, it was zoned for 3-story construction. Then, 4 and then 5 and then 6 and now I'm seeing 7 stories with garaged connecting buildings on each floor. In other words, if you live on the 6th floor, you can drive up the ramps to level 6, park your car and then walk into a common hall way on your floor.
So, City Line has become a really hot spot for housing, entertainment, dining, parks and nature trails as well as the growing use of Park and Ride parking lots at the rail stations. They have been there all along---it's just that people are now using them like never before. If you live in residential neighborhoods near the stations but work some distance that is connected to a rail station, you drive a couple of miles, park your car, get on the rail and get off at your workplace served by the rail. I have even heard people say that they use the park and ride lots to get on the rail, then get off near their work and use a ride share or the Go Link connection vans to their job site. They still save on gas over all and the price of gas in the metroplex is still cheaper than anywhere else in the US. Go figure. Talk about running the numbers--- one could only conclude that people are doing that these days.
The new Silver Line station in Plano is nearing completion. Now, the connection to the Light Rail Red Line at 12th street is underway. There will be what looks like a stairway or even an elevator west of the station up to the platform of the Red Line. Since the Silver Line will run east to west to DFW. The Green Line runs north and south several miles west of the Red Line. The Blue line runs NE but Blue,Green Orange,Red all run through downtown Dallas. It's like a big U with arms NE and West. Some print works report it at 90 miles. And, if the bullet train with its elevated rails from Houston to south Dallas does turn left to Arlington and then Fort Worth, it will complete a massive rail loop of the metroplex with a long arm to the Gulf and the Texas Gulf Coast, not to mention being able to ride the train to AT&T stadium for Cowboys games or to see a Rangers Baseball game in a massive entertainment district in Arlington.
It's the coming-of-age generation that will reap the full benefits of New York style transportation. One can already see the a visionary view of the years ahead and even begin to ride it more than most think possible currently.
I was watching an HD on Tap live camera the other day that is a big UP train area and have watched the new Amtrak engines and cars being towed east from the plant in Sacramento. It was on that cam that I saw late last week a commuter electric diesel like the Silver Line being run on its on power east. Some city is getting one of those electric diesel commuter trains that will be like our present TEXrail and future 2026 Silver Line train. I've ridden the TEXrail and it is quiet, smooth and very comfortable with charging stations, tables, even a quiet car. The quote the line from that famous movie, "Field of Dream": "If you build it, they will come". All Aboard!
