1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED

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1 1.0 PURPOSE AND NEED This chapter documents the need for transit improvements in the Northwest Corridor and the purposes that the proposed project is intended to serve. An overview of the study corridor summarizes current and projected population and employment, and existing and proposed transportation services and facilities. The chapter also summarizes the planning context and history of local decision-making regarding the proposed improvements. It sets out the mobility, economic and community development, and environmental objectives to be addressed by the project. Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) initiated a Major Investment Study (MIS) in early 1998 to examine transportation needs in the Northwest Corridor. The Northwest Corridor MIS Influence Area included a large part of northwest Dallas County. It extended from downtown Dallas on the south, to SH 121 on the west and north, Marsh Lane to the east and Dallas/Fort Worth Airport to the west. The Locally Preferred Investment Strategy (LPIS), adopted on February 22, 2000, included two Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines, the LRT Line to and the Irving/DFW Line. DART is proposing to implement the Northwest Corridor LRT Line to Farmers Branch and Carrollton with construction of 17.6 miles of double-tracked light rail transit from downtown Dallas to Carrollton. The Irving/DFW Line has independent utility and is on a separate schedule and would be implemented at a later date. The Northwest Corridor LRT Line to Farmers Branch and Carrollton Study Area is shown in Figure 1-1. The purposes of the LRT Line to are to increase regional connectivity and transit effectiveness, to offer an alternative to single-occupancy vehicle (SOV) travel, and to improve travel time. The project is intended to increase the people-carrying capacity in the corridor and support increased economic development opportunities through improved accessibility to sites along the corridor. 1.1 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES DART is the Dallas area s regional transit agency providing service within a 700-square mile area comprised of 13 member cities. Citizens and staff from the Cities of Dallas, Farmers Branch and Carrollton have contributed to DART s consideration of alternative transportation investments in the Northwest Corridor. The DART Board of Directors has established a set of goals for transportation improvements in the Northwest Corridor. The goals and objectives respond to the underlying transportation needs defined in this chapter. They are based on the goals adopted in May 1983 to guide development of the DART Transit System Plan and goals stated in the DART Mission Statement: The mission of Dallas Area Rapid Transit is to build and operate an efficient and effective transportation system that, within the DART Service Area, provides mobility, improves the quality of life, and stimulates economic development through the implementation of the DART Service Plan as adopted by the voters on August 13, 1983, and as amended from time to time. The primary objective of the Northwest Corridor MIS was to identify an LPIS for transportation improvements in the corridor. This study identified the following purposes for transportation improvements in the Northwest Corridor: Enhance Mobility by offering travel choices to and from, and through, the corridor; Provide Additional Capacity for heavily-traveled radial directions; Reduce Congestion by reducing automobile dependence; Enhance the Quality and Reliability of Transit Service for existing and potential riders; Improve Safety and Operating Efficiency of roadways; and Strengthen Economic Conditions in the corridor. Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-1

2 Figure 1-1 Study Area Map Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-2

3 1.2 RELEVANT SYSTEM PLANNING ACTIVITIES The Northwest Corridor (formerly known as the Stemmons Corridor) has been included in DART s and other regional transportation improvement plans for nearly 20 years. A summary of these efforts is presented in this section. DART s 1983 Final Service Plan included a 160-mile heavy rail system. The Northwest Corridor was to be built in two phases along the Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) line, first to LBJ Freeway, then to Belt Line Road with an extension west to Las Colinas. The 2010 Service Plan (1988) reduced the heavy rail system to 93 miles. The Northwest Corridor showed rail from downtown Dallas to LBJ Freeway with extensions to Belt Line Road along the UPRR line and west to Las Colinas along the Mañana spur. With the failure of the 1988 bond election, DART re-evaluated the rail system and developed a new cost-effective program in The 1989 Transit System Plan showed a light rail line from downtown Dallas to Valley View Lane in Farmers Branch, and future expansion north to the North Carrollton Transit Center. A branch west to the North Irving Transit Center was also included. DART purchased the UPRR line in 1990 for future use as a rail transit line. The 1995 Transit System Plan updated the 1989 plan and showed a 19-mile commuter rail line along the UPRR from downtown Dallas to the North Carrollton Transit Center and a branch west to the North Irving Transit Center. The Northwest Corridor Needs Assessment (December 1997) identified north-south travel as the primary need in the Dallas-Carrollton-Farmers Branch subarea. This includes travel from residential origins in the north to employment destinations along the corridor and in downtown Dallas. It also includes travel from residential origins south of downtown Dallas to employment destinations along the corridor and elsewhere in the region (reverse commute). The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) developed the Mobility 2025 Plan (January, 2000) using demographic projections for the year The plan generally reflected the DART 1995 Transit System Plan, with the exception that it showed LRT instead of commuter rail in the Northwest Corridor based on the MIS results. The Mobility 2025 Plan was updated again in May The Northwest Corridor Major Investment Study was initiated in early 1998 and completed in early The study identified LRT on the UPRR alignment from downtown Dallas to Frankford Road in Carrollton, with a section along Harry Hines Boulevard in the Medical Center area. It also identified a branch at Northwest Highway through Irving and to DFW International Airport. The DART Board approved the LPIS for the Northwest Corridor on February 22, 2000, and amended the 1995 Transit System Plan to reflect these changes. The two lines were to be treated as separate projects, with an EIS to be prepared for each. The Irving to DFW line Preliminary Engineering (PE) and EIS efforts are anticipated to begin in early In August 2000 DART conducted a special election requesting voter approval for the agency to issue long-term bonds to finance capital improvements. Previously, DART had funded projects on a pay-as-you-go basis. The issue passed overwhelmingly, and permitted DART to accelerate implementation of several projects, including the proposed project. DART initiated an update to its Transit System Plan in mid The plan will reflect the latest year 2030 demographic projections from NCTCOG. Previous planning efforts reflected Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-3

4 population and employment projections for the year DART expects to complete the effort in Fall OVERVIEW OF THE CORRIDOR The transportation system in the project corridor includes three major freeways, a grid system of arterial and local streets, a portion of the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) line, and a bus system operating daily on surface streets and the freeway. The bus system includes five local, two express, five circulator, one rail-feeder, and six cross-town routes in the corridor. The circulator routes operate between transit centers in outer Dallas and in nearby suburban communities. Existing transportation services and facilities are illustrated in Figure 1-2. The proposed project is included in the third phase of expansion to DART s LRT system. Phase 1 includes the 20-mile LRT Starter System that was opened in Phase 2 includes recent openings of extensions along the North Central LRT Line to Richardson (July 2002) and Plano (December 2002), and the Northeast Line to Garland (November 2002). Phase 3 of LRT development would include the Northwest Corridor projects to and Irving/DFW, and the Southeast Corridor project, as shown in Figure 1-3. The proposed project parallels IH 35E (Stemmons Freeway) from downtown Dallas north through the cities of Dallas,. The corridor is linked at the south end to the Dallas Central Business District with its 120,000 jobs, and a variety of employment, education, health, entertainment and residential areas. These corridor activity centers include the new American Airlines Center professional sports and entertainment arena and associated Victory office, retail, and residential development; the Stemmons Business Corridor/Dallas Market Center wholesale district; the health services, medical research and employment in the Medical Center District area; Dallas Love Field; various commercial and industrial activities; and employment centers and residential areas in Dallas, Population and Employment The Dallas/Fort Worth region is growing at a tremendous pace, placing significant demands on the transportation system. Population in the region is forecast to grow by 67% between 1995 and Employment in the region is forecast to grow by 72% in this same time period. A significant amount of this growth will occur in northern Dallas County, northeast Tarrant County, and southeast Denton County, at the outer edges of the Study Area. In 1995, employment within the Study Area outnumbered population by over 200,000 jobs. In 2025, the surplus of jobs over population is expected to grow to more than 250,000. Current population and employment and forecast growth are shown in Table 1-1. Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-4

5 Figure 1-2 Existing Transportation Services and Facilities Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-5

6 Figure 1-3 Planned and Programmed Light Rail Transit Improvements Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-6

7 TABLE 1-1 FORECAST POPULATION AND EMPLOYMENT GROWTH Population Employment Area % Change % Change Dallas 1,034,400 1,263, ,150 1,195, Carrollton 90, , ,200 73, Farmers Branch 24,500 29, ,850 79, Corridor Study Area 81, , , , Dallas/Ft. Worth Region 4,212,900 7,076, ,296,200 3,952, Source: NCTCOG North Texas 2000 Demographic Forecast, November Travel Patterns and Congestion Existing and projected traffic volumes are shown in Table 1-2. Traffic volumes are currently at or near capacity on almost all major roadways approaching IH 35E and IH 635 (LBJ Freeway). IH 35E carries an average of 155,000 to 289,000 vehicles per day within the Corridor. IH 635 provides east-west access through the corridor and carries an average of 166,000 vehicle per day west of the corridor and 297,000 vehicles per day east of the corridor. The freeways in and near the corridor operate at Level of Service (LOS) F at peak periods. Volumes stay high at many locations (near capacity), and will worsen by 2025 without improvements. TABLE 1-2 EXISTING AND PROJECTED TRAFFIC VOLUMES Roadway Location Freeways ADT 1 LOS 2 ADT 1 LOS 2 % Change IH 35E Stemmons Frwy. Frankford Road 155 F 226 F + 45 Valley View Lane 207 F 173 F - 16 Royal Lane 243 F 294 F + 21 Webb Chapel Extension 160 F 128 F - 20 Inwood Road 289 F 235 F - 19 IH 635 LBJ Frwy. Webb Chapel Road (E. of IH 35E) 297 F 252 F - 3 Luna Road (W. of IH 35E) 166 F 255 F + 53 Arterials Harry Hines Blvd. Lombardy Lane 37 F 36 F - 3 Burbank St. (S. of Loop 12) 30 F 27 F - 23 Denton Drive Burbank St. (S. of Loop 12) 12 D 19 F + 58 Merrell St. (N. of Walnut Hill Lane) 9 D 12 F + 33 Royal Lane Brockbank 26 D 39 F + 50 Belt Line Road Josey Lane 36 F 39 F + 8 Luna Road 30 D 31 F + 3 Keller Springs Road McCoy Road 21 D 43 F Frankford Road Dickerson Parkway 27 D 26 D ADT = Average Daily Traffic volume (in thousands) 2 LOS = Level of Service, a measure of traffic flow and delay. LOS A is free flow/no delays, LOS F is congested/long delays. Source: NCTCOG Mobility 2025 Update, 2001 Traffic volumes on Dallas freeways have increased 5% to 10% per year since Traffic volumes on IH 35E are expected to be as much as 294,000 vehicles per day in 2025, representing increases of as much as 45%. The high volumes and poor levels of service on the freeway will have the effect of making congestion worse on adjacent surface streets in the corridor. 1.4 NEED FOR ACTION Current and projected travel patterns, levels of roadway congestion, growth in population and employment in the region and in the corridor require that the proposed project be built in order to address the need for additional capacity. The need for transportation improvements is demonstrated by the following: Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-7

8 The Dallas-Fort Worth region is currently designated as a serious non-attainment area for ozone by the Environmental Protection Agency; The project corridor parallels IH 35E (Stemmons Freeway), one of the most congested highway corridors in the region; The corridor intersects IH 635 (LBJ Freeway), the highest volume corridor in the Dallas metropolitan region; The entire Study Area falls within a region identified for the year 2025 as an area of severe peak-period congestion by the NCTCOG; Existing and planned roadway improvements are insufficient to meet the demand within this corridor; Travel time delay and congestion levels in the corridor are increasing; and, A significant amount of employment and population growth is forecast for the corridor Specific Transportation Needs in the Corridor The Stemmons Business District, which extends north of downtown Dallas along IH 35E, is bounded on the west by the Trinity River and on the east by Harry Hines Boulevard. This area has been growing and is expected to continue to grow at a rate greater than that of the region. It added 8,100 jobs from 1995 to 1998, and is forecasted to contain 31% of total employment in the Dallas-Fort Worth region by Roadway congestion has worsened, leading to further congestion on surface streets and increasing travel times for drivers and transit riders. One effect of this is deteriorating air quality. The expected growth that will worsen these conditions indicates the need for major transportation improvements. These needs are: Need to reduce travel times in the corridor; Need to increase transit efficiency and effectiveness in the corridor; Need to increase connectivity in the region, particularly from residential areas in the region to employment in the study area; Need to provide additional people-carrying capacity in the corridor; and Need to contribute to improvements in unacceptable regional air quality Purposes of the Proposed Action The proposed project would serve the following purposes: Increase Regional Connectivity / Transit Effectiveness The existing DART transit system provides reasonable access to job opportunities in the corridor and elsewhere in the Service Area and region, especially for transit-dependent populations. The proposed extension of the LRT system would expand those opportunities for current and prospective transit riders both in the corridor and in the region as a whole. Access to jobs in the corridor from southern Dallas and access to central Dallas from the north and northwest would be improved. The combinations of residence-employment locations accessible by transit in the region would increase. The implementation of this project would improve access opportunities for transit patrons, thereby enhancing regional desires to balance jobs and housing. Offer an Alternative to Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) travel Traffic congestion in the corridor has increased and will continue at a significant pace. Options to increase roadway capacity are limited. These limitations are both physical (rightof-way and land use pattern) and financial (limited available funding). Improving the transit system offers an alternative to Single-Occupancy Vehicle (SOV) travel in the corridor and is an effective operational strategy to reduce peak period congestion levels. Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-8

9 Increase People-carrying Capacity in the Corridor Regional demand for radial travel in the corridor will increase, and additional capacity is needed to meet this demand. North-south travel patterns include residents from the north traveling to jobs in the corridor and in downtown Dallas, and residents from the south traveling to jobs in the corridor (reverse commute). Again, the proposed project would be most effective in peak periods when congestion levels are highest and people-carrying capacity is needed most. Improve Accessibility and Increase Economic Development Opportunities The proposed project would provide access for residents and visitors to the employment centers, health services, entertainment, and regional airport in the corridor. Access to and from the regional destinations served by DART s LRT and bus service would also be enhanced. This increased accessibility would strengthen economic conditions at existing activity centers, and provide an opportunity for development of further economic activity at other locations in the corridor. The described transportation needs demonstrate that improvements are needed to meet the anticipated demands of travelers in the corridor and region. The DART LRT, commuter rail and bus system offers travel choices for current and prospective transit riders. The proposed project would further add to those choices for transit users in the corridor and from throughout the region. 1.5 PLANNING CONTEXT The evaluation of transportation needs in the Northwest Corridor has been oriented toward the Federal Transit Administration s (FTA) planning, project development and funding approval process. The decision-making framework and the process used in selecting the recommended improvements are described below Decision Framework The decision-making process is framed by DART s adoption of its Transit System Plan in 1995, which identified a need in the Northwest Corridor. As shown in Figure 1-4, DART completed a Needs Assessment in This initial step examined the corridor needs and defined the issues to be addressed in the MIS. The Needs Assessment also defined a comprehensive Public and Agency Involvement Program that provided specific opportunities for review and input from the general public, public agencies and other stakeholders. In the spring of 1998, DART initiated the MIS process for the Northwest Corridor. These efforts were coordinated with the NCTCOG, and other affected agencies such as the cities of Carrollton, Dallas, and Farmers Branch, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Selection of the LPIS The Northwest Corridor MIS provided a decision-making process for determining transportation investments in the Northwest Corridor and relied upon technical analyses and community and agency input for determining the preferred alternative. On February 22, 2000, the DART Board of Directors approved an LPIS that combined LRT improvements in the corridor with Highway/High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) and Transportation System Management (TSM) components (low-cost transportation improvements and freeway bottleneck removal projects). Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-9

10 FIGURE 1-4 PROJECT DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Ongoing System Planning Begin early 1998 Major Investment Study Begin mid 2000 PE / EIS Needs Assessment Select LPIS Record of Decision Late 1997 Early 2000 Mid 2003 Final Design Construction Operation * *Subject to change based on DART Financial Plan. Source: FTA, DART; 2003 The Northwest Corridor LRT Line is being advanced in accordance with the project development process outlined by the FTA for major transit capital investments and in accordance with FTA rules and regulations specified under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). During the preliminary engineering (PE) process, a 10% level of engineering detail was developed to fully support this EIS document. Public and agency involvement has continued in this phase to ensure that the EIS is consistent with local guidelines, took public input into consideration, identified possible impacts, and recommended appropriate mitigation measures Description of Federal Project (New Starts) For purposes of defining the Federal Project for a FTA Section 5309 New Starts submission, DART has combined the Southeast Corridor project and a majority of the Northwest Corridor. This Federal Project forms a single, federally funded, comprehensive, and cost-effective project to meet the wide range of mobility, community, and financial needs in both the Northwest and Southeast Corridors. A separate EIS is being done for each of the corridors. The 22-mile Minimum Operable Segment (MOS) reflects an LRT line from Farmers Branch (Northwest Corridor) through the Dallas CBD, to Buckner Boulevard (Southeast Corridor), as shown in Figure 1-5. This Federal Project would link key activity and employment centers in the MOS corridor, including Dallas Love Field Airport, Medical Center District (Parkland, Children s, Zale Lipshy, St. Paul and University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center), Market Center, Victory Development and the American Airlines Center, the Dallas CBD, Baylor Hospital, Deep Ellum, and Fair Park, with the rest of the regional Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-10

11 Figure 1-5 Federal New Starts Project Definition Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-11

12 rail system. If approved, the project would be completed and opened for revenue service in staged line segments during the years 2007 and 2008 (working schedule, subject to change). DART s dedicated local sales tax, as well as long term bond financing, would fund the remainder of the Northwest Corridor LRT line from Farmers Branch to Frankford, also planned to be open for revenue service in 2008 (subject to change). Given the definition of the Federal Project and the similar revenue service dates for the Northwest and Southeast Corridors, the ridership forecasts and operating plans in each project s EIS document assume both corridors are in place for the Build Alternatives. Each No-Build Alternative assumes neither corridor is in place. This ensures an accurate portrayal of future ridership and operating plans, while addressing the effects of each corridor in separate EIS documents The Role of the EIS in Project Development The EIS is prepared as a full-disclosure document to meet the requirements of NEPA and is intended to inform the public of potential environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with the proposed LRT project and the No-Build Alternative. The No-Build Alternative represents the base condition for identifying impacts associated with the proposed project (Build Alternative). The EIS serves as the primary document to facilitate review by federal, state, and local agencies and the general public of the proposed project. The EIS documents the purpose and need for the project and describes the alternatives considered. It addresses in detail the anticipated transportation and environmental impacts of the project and identifies appropriate mitigation measures. The Draft EIS was circulated for a required 45-day review and public comment period from June 14 to July 30, During this comment period, the Draft EIS was made available to interested parties including private citizens, community groups, the business community, elected officials and public agencies. Three public hearings were held in July 2002 in the Study Area to formally receive comments. Public comments were submitted in writing throughout the full comment period (See Chapter 6). The Draft EIS included design options in two areas of consideration: the Medical Center area and the Love Field area. It also identified three candidate sites for the Northwest Rail Operating Facility (NWROF) as part of the project. The Draft EIS identified potential impacts associated with the LRT Alternative s Base Alignment and the Design Option alignments for both of these areas, and for the candidate NWROF sites. After the Draft EIS comment period, on August 13, 2002, the DART Board selected NWROF site 3, located at Denton Drive and Lombardy Lane. On September 17, 2002 the DART Board selected Design Option D in the Medical Center area and the Base Alignment in the Love Field area for implementation. Medical Center Design Option D was presented as a refinement to the Draft EIS Medical Center Design Options in response to public and stakeholder comments (See Chapter 2). After circulation of the Draft EIS, and following the preceding actions by the DART Board, preliminary engineering and environmental studies were completed, including mitigation commitments where necessary. Subsequent coordination efforts with Parkland hospital representatives on Option D resulted in proposed project alignment and station changes not addressed in the Draft EIS or at the July public hearings. The reasons for these changes are described in Section As a result of the changes, DART held an additional public hearing on April 10, 2003 to obtain comments on the proposed changes. An environmental study which summarized the changes and any associated potential impacts and mitigation was made available prior to the public hearing to allow interested persons an opportunity to review the changes prior to the public hearing. On May 13, 2003, the DART Board approved the proposed project changes. Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-12

13 This Final EIS reflects the decisions made by the DART Board and also includes responses to comments received during the Draft EIS comment period and during the April 10, 2003 public hearing on the subsequent project changes. This Final EIS has been published and made available to the public. The Final EIS identifies the selected LRT alignment, and also describes areas where design options were under consideration (Medical Center and Love Field). Refer to Chapter 2 for a full description of the Selected LRT Alternative. Completion of the Final EIS, followed by the signed Record of Decision (ROD) by the FTA, will permit the project to be advanced to the final design and construction phases. The Federal Aviation Administration, as a cooperating agency, will not issue a ROD for the project, since the preferred project does not include the Love Field Design Option. Final Environmental Impact Statement 1-13