Making DART Run on Time

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., said Dallas Area Rapid Transit must restore public confidence after warning that some projects might be delayed by rapidly rising construction costs.

Suburban mayors met with Cornyn in Addison last week to air concerns about DART’s finances and other transportation issues. In November, the agency said it had badly underestimated building costs for light-rail service for Irving and Rowlett. The actual cost will be about $1.8 billion, or about twice the $988 million budgeted.

After a furor over proposed delays in creating the new Orange Line to Irving en route to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and the Blue Line to Rowlett, DART’s board promised to find a way to finance the projects. The board this week will hear ideas for keeping the Irving and Rowlett lines on schedule.

Cornyn emphasized the importance of DART’s credibility in Congress, which provides funding for the light-rail projects.

DART president Gary Thomas last week said soaring construction costs were not the fault of the transit agency, but that he would not propose delaying plans to extend a rail line to Oak Cliff.

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