DART greenlights up to $71.5 million for bus stop investment
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) leaders have approved an investment package they say is aimed at modernizing bus stops across the system's service area.
DART's board of directors approved a five-year contract with Tolar Manufacturing Company to create and install upgraded passenger amenities at DART bus stops. The contract, which also includes two one-year options, authorizes an investment of up to $71.5 million.
The board said it will add and replace critical infrastructure at the stops, which include 1,350 shelters that have benches, real-time arrival displays and modern passenger technology. Also included are 1,500 steel benches, 3,000 trash cans and 500 lights. DART said it will also expand amenities at bus stops over the next several years while adding 350 new shelter locations, upgrading more than 1,000 existing shelters and improving accessibility with new concrete pads, sidewalks and curb ramps.
DART said the upgrades are intended to boost accessibility and comfort with better lighting, seating and protection from weather, while also providing passengers with real-time service information. The upgrades will occur in phases through 2030.
"Investing in modern bus stop amenities is about improving the daily experience for our riders," outgoing DART CEO Nadine Lee said in a statement Thursday. "These upgrades will make our system more accessible, safer, and more comfortable while delivering the reliable travel information our customers expect. This investment reflects DART's commitment to enhancing transit infrastructure and improving mobility across North Texas."
The board's announcement noted the investment comes after years of planning and pilot programs that tested new shelter designs and incorporated rider feedback. DART said surveys conducted with more than 4,200 riders found that 90% of respondents believed the proposed shelter design is an improvement over those at existing stops.
