Cotton Belt Rail Line
Encyclopedia
The Cotton Belt Rail Line is a planned 67.7 miles (109 km) commuter rail
line in Tarrant County
, Dallas County
, Collin County
and Rockwall County
, United States
that will provide service from Dallas's
northeast suburbs to Southwest Fort Worth with a major terminal at DFW Airport. The project has been broken up into several segments under development by Dallas Area Rapid Transit
and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority
.
Together, the corridor would connect downtown Fort Worth, Grapevine, and DFW Airport with Carrollton
(at a junction with both the Denton County Transportation Authority
A-train
commuter rail line and DART's Green Line
light rail line), Addison
, Richardson
, and Plano
.
The current name for the line comes from the St. Louis Southwestern Railway
, a former subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad
commonly known as the Cotton Belt Railroad, which previously owned the line. DART purchased the right-of-way in 1990 for future transit use.
In 2010 the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments sought permission to enter a public-private partnership for the rail line. Using private money to build the rail line, they argue, the project's construction timeline could be shortened.
This section is being planned by Dallas Area Rapid Transit
(DART) and will serve as a crosstown route in northern Dallas County, connecting the in Plano
, the Addison Transit Center
, the in Carrollton
(where it will also connect with the Denton County Transportation Authority
's northbound A-train
), and the at DFW North Station
(where it will connect to the Southwest-to-Northeast Rail Corridor segment to southwest Tarrant County). It will also pass through a portion of the city of Coppell
, a charter member of DART that later pulled out of the system in 1989, though the possibility of rail service may entice Coppell to rejoin.
Stations identified for this segment:
, United States
that will provide service from southwest Fort Worth
to DFW Airport via Grapevine
and other Tarrant County communities. It is being planned by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority
and is scheduled to open in 2013; no color designation has been given for this planned line. The new line is expected to cost $USD
330 million, of which 10 percent would be Grapevine's share.
Officials with the T are hoping the new rail line will entice non-T member cities along the line to join the transit agency in its quest to become a regional transit entity. Cities along the route include Colleyville
, Haltom City
and North Richland Hills
. The route also goes through small parts of Hurst
and Southlake
. Unlike Grapevine, those cities do not have room under the state-mandated 8.25% sales tax cap for the 1/2 cent need to join. Unlike Hurst/Bell Station
on the Trinity Railway Express
, FWTA will not build a station along the line in those cities unless they are a member city first.
citizens voted 8,058-2,898 on November 7, 2006 to levy a full cent sales tax, of which three-eights of a cent would authorize Grapevine to contract with The T for rail service and another 1/8 cent for other transit improvements, like a downtown parking garage. This includes an expansion of the commuter rail system to link southwest Fort Worth to the north end of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
.
The T's Board of Directors finalized their plans in October 2006 for the southwest-to-northeast expansion. Two commuter routes, a light rail route and a bus rapid transit
route were under consideration. The Board's recommendation was a commuter rail line that runs in the southwest part of the city near Altamesa and Dirks road, run by Texas Christian University
and the Medical District on its way to the existing T&P Station
and Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center
. At that point it turns northwest toward the Stockyards
before turning northeast toward DFW airport. Preliminary plans call for nine new stations with eleven total, though that has not been finalized, and could be contingent on other cities along the corridor joining the agency.
Stations identified for this segment:
to Wylie, with stations in downtown Murphy, Texas
and downtown Wylie, Texas
.
Stations identified for this segment:
Commuter rail in North America
Commuter rail services in the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide common carrier passenger transportation along railway tracks, with scheduled service on fixed routes on a non-reservation basis primarily for short-distance travel between a central business district and adjacent suburbs and...
line in Tarrant County
Tarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, it had a population of 1,809,034. Its county seat is Fort Worth. Tarrant County is the sixteenth most populous county in the United States and the third most populous in Texas. The county is named in honor...
, Dallas County
Dallas County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 2,218,899 people, 807,621 households, and 533,837 families residing in the county. The population density was 2,523 people per square mile . There were 854,119 housing units at an average density of 971/sq mi...
, Collin County
Collin County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 491,675 people, 181,970 households, and 132,292 families residing in the county. The population density was 580 people per square mile . There were 194,892 housing units at an average density of 230 per square mile...
and Rockwall County
Rockwall County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 43,080 people, 14,530 households, and 11,972 families residing in the county. The population density was 334 people per square mile . There were 15,351 housing units at an average density of 119 per square mile...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that will provide service from Dallas's
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
northeast suburbs to Southwest Fort Worth with a major terminal at DFW Airport. The project has been broken up into several segments under development by Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority is a transit agency based in Dallas, Texas . It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs...
and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority
Fort Worth Transportation Authority
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority is the operator of the bus system in Fort Worth, Texas and Richland Hills, Texas popularly known as The T...
.
Together, the corridor would connect downtown Fort Worth, Grapevine, and DFW Airport with Carrollton
Carrollton, Texas
-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was 112°F in 1980.*The average coolest month is January.*The lowest recorded temperature was 1°F in 1989.*The most precipitation on average occurs in May....
(at a junction with both the Denton County Transportation Authority
Denton County Transportation Authority
The Denton County Transportation Authority is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas, USA, which is northwest of Dallas County...
A-train
A-train (Denton County Transportation Authority)
The A-train is a commuter rail line in Denton County, Texas, United States that parallels Interstate 35E and acts as an extension with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton. It is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority and serves Denton...
commuter rail line and DART's Green Line
Green Line (Dallas Area Rapid Transit)
The Green Line is a light rail line in Dallas, USA, operated by the Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority . The US$1.7 billion project opened in phases, starting in 2009...
light rail line), Addison
Addison, Texas
Addison is a city in Dallas County, Texas . The population was 14,166 at the 2000 census, and 15,737 according to a 2009 estimate. Addison is a northern suburb of Dallas...
, Richardson
Richardson, Texas
Richardson is a city in Dallas and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 99,223. In 2011 the population was estimated to be 107,684. Richardson is an affluent inner suburb of Dallas and home of the Telecom Corridor with a high...
, and Plano
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
.
The current name for the line comes from the St. Louis Southwestern Railway
St. Louis Southwestern Railway
The St. Louis Southwestern Railway , known by its nickname of "The Cotton Belt Route" or simply Cotton Belt, was organized on January 15, 1891, although it had its origins in a series of short lines founded in Tyler, Texas, in 1870 that connected northeastern Texas to Arkansas and southeastern...
, a former subsidiary of the Southern Pacific Railroad
Southern Pacific Railroad
The Southern Pacific Transportation Company , earlier Southern Pacific Railroad and Southern Pacific Company, and usually simply called the Southern Pacific or Espee, was an American railroad....
commonly known as the Cotton Belt Railroad, which previously owned the line. DART purchased the right-of-way in 1990 for future transit use.
In 2010 the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments sought permission to enter a public-private partnership for the rail line. Using private money to build the rail line, they argue, the project's construction timeline could be shortened.
Segment 1: Dallas County
The Dallas County segment of the Cotton Belt runs 22.3 miles (35.9 km) from Plano to DFW Airport. This section of the line is part of DART's 2030 Plan, which had initial hopes of opening sometime near 2013.This section is being planned by Dallas Area Rapid Transit
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
The Dallas Area Rapid Transit authority is a transit agency based in Dallas, Texas . It operates buses, light rail, commuter rail, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes in Dallas and 12 of its suburbs...
(DART) and will serve as a crosstown route in northern Dallas County, connecting the in Plano
Plano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
, the Addison Transit Center
Addison Transit Center
Addison Transit Center is a bus-only station located along Quorum Drive and Addison Road in Addison, Texas . The station opened in 1999. This transit center will become a future rail station on the Cotton Belt as part of DART's 2030 Transit System Plan....
, the in Carrollton
Carrollton, Texas
-Climate:*On average, the warmest month is July.*The highest recorded temperature was 112°F in 1980.*The average coolest month is January.*The lowest recorded temperature was 1°F in 1989.*The most precipitation on average occurs in May....
(where it will also connect with the Denton County Transportation Authority
Denton County Transportation Authority
The Denton County Transportation Authority is the transit authority that operates in Denton County, Texas, USA, which is northwest of Dallas County...
's northbound A-train
A-train (Denton County Transportation Authority)
The A-train is a commuter rail line in Denton County, Texas, United States that parallels Interstate 35E and acts as an extension with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit Green Line at Trinity Mills Station in Carrollton. It is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority and serves Denton...
), and the at DFW North Station
DFW North Station
DFW North Station will be a DART light rail station located on Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport property in Grapevine, Texas. It is proposed to serve as a branch of the . The station will be a transit hub for regional rail lines on the DART Cotton Belt line...
(where it will connect to the Southwest-to-Northeast Rail Corridor segment to southwest Tarrant County). It will also pass through a portion of the city of Coppell
Coppell, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 35,958 people, 12,211 households, and 9,781 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,418.5 people per square mile . There were 12,587 housing units at an average density of 846.6 per square mile...
, a charter member of DART that later pulled out of the system in 1989, though the possibility of rail service may entice Coppell to rejoin.
Stations identified for this segment:
- Bush Turnpike StationBush Turnpike StationBush Turnpike Station is a DART Light Rail station located in Richardson, Texas at the President George Bush Turnpike near US 75 . It opened on December 9, 2002 and is a station on the , serving the area around Collin Creek Mall....
- UTD/Synergy Park
- Renner Village
- Preston Road
- Knoll Trail
- Addison Transit CenterAddison Transit CenterAddison Transit Center is a bus-only station located along Quorum Drive and Addison Road in Addison, Texas . The station opened in 1999. This transit center will become a future rail station on the Cotton Belt as part of DART's 2030 Transit System Plan....
- Downtown Carrollton StationDowntown Carrollton StationDowntown Carrollton Station is a DART light rail station located in Carrollton, Texas for service on the . The station opened as part of the Green Line's expansion in December 2010....
- North Lake
- DFW North StationDFW North StationDFW North Station will be a DART light rail station located on Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport property in Grapevine, Texas. It is proposed to serve as a branch of the . The station will be a transit hub for regional rail lines on the DART Cotton Belt line...
- DFW Airport StationDFW Airport StationDFW Airport Station will be a rail station located at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for service on the DART and local commuter rail systems. The station is planned to open in December 2013 and will serve as the terminus of the Orange Line and the DART Cotton Belt rail lines. - External...
Segments 2 & 3: Tarrant Express (TEX)
The Tarrant Express (formerly known as the Southwest-to-Northeast Rail Corridor) is the planned segment in Tarrant County, TexasTarrant County, Texas
Tarrant County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, it had a population of 1,809,034. Its county seat is Fort Worth. Tarrant County is the sixteenth most populous county in the United States and the third most populous in Texas. The county is named in honor...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
that will provide service from southwest Fort Worth
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
to DFW Airport via Grapevine
Grapevine, Texas
Grapevine is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census the city population was 46,334. The city's moniker is derived from the native grapes prevalent in the area. In recent years several wineries have...
and other Tarrant County communities. It is being planned by the Fort Worth Transportation Authority
Fort Worth Transportation Authority
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority is the operator of the bus system in Fort Worth, Texas and Richland Hills, Texas popularly known as The T...
and is scheduled to open in 2013; no color designation has been given for this planned line. The new line is expected to cost $USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
330 million, of which 10 percent would be Grapevine's share.
Officials with the T are hoping the new rail line will entice non-T member cities along the line to join the transit agency in its quest to become a regional transit entity. Cities along the route include Colleyville
Colleyville, Texas
Colleyville is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Located roughly from Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the population was 22,807 at the 2010 census. Emerging from a number of small, rural settlements along the Cotton Belt Route, Colleyville was established in the...
, Haltom City
Haltom City, Texas
Haltom City is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Haltom City is an inner suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 42,409 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Haltom City is located at ....
and North Richland Hills
North Richland Hills, Texas
North Richland Hills is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States, and a suburb of Fort Worth. The population was 63,343 at the 2010 census, making it the fourth largest city in Tarrant County. In 2006, North Richland Hills was selected as one of the "Top 100 Best Places to live in America"...
. The route also goes through small parts of Hurst
Hurst, Texas
Hurst is a city in Tarrant County, Texas, United States. Hurst is one of the Mid-Cities between Fort Worth and Dallas, but is a suburb of Fort Worth. The city was founded by William Letchworth Hurst...
and Southlake
Southlake, Texas
Southlake is a city in northeast Tarrant and southeast Denton counties, Texas. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 26,575. A suburb of Fort Worth and Dallas, Southlake is known for exemplary public schools, Southlake Town Square, and Carroll High School's 7-time state champion football...
. Unlike Grapevine, those cities do not have room under the state-mandated 8.25% sales tax cap for the 1/2 cent need to join. Unlike Hurst/Bell Station
Hurst/Bell Station
Hurst/Bell Station is a Trinity Railway Express commuter rail station located in Hurst, Texas on Bell Spur Drive at Trinity Boulevard...
on the Trinity Railway Express
Trinity Railway Express
The Trinity Railway Express is a commuter rail line in the Dallas – Fort Worth Metroplex. It was established by an interlocal agreement between Dallas Area Rapid Transit and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority . Each transit authority owns a 50% stake in the joint rail project and...
, FWTA will not build a station along the line in those cities unless they are a member city first.
History
GrapevineGrapevine, Texas
Grapevine is a city in northeast Tarrant County, Texas, United States located within the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census the city population was 46,334. The city's moniker is derived from the native grapes prevalent in the area. In recent years several wineries have...
citizens voted 8,058-2,898 on November 7, 2006 to levy a full cent sales tax, of which three-eights of a cent would authorize Grapevine to contract with The T for rail service and another 1/8 cent for other transit improvements, like a downtown parking garage. This includes an expansion of the commuter rail system to link southwest Fort Worth to the north end of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is located between the cities of Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas, and is the busiest airport in the U.S. state of Texas...
.
The T's Board of Directors finalized their plans in October 2006 for the southwest-to-northeast expansion. Two commuter routes, a light rail route and a bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit
Bus rapid transit is a term applied to a variety of public transportation systems using buses to provide faster, more efficient service than an ordinary bus line. Often this is achieved by making improvements to existing infrastructure, vehicles and scheduling...
route were under consideration. The Board's recommendation was a commuter rail line that runs in the southwest part of the city near Altamesa and Dirks road, run by Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ...
and the Medical District on its way to the existing T&P Station
T&P Station
Fort Worth's Texas & Pacific Railroad Passenger Station is a Trinity Railway Express commuter rail station located at 1600 Throckmorton Street in Fort Worth, Texas, on the south side of downtown. It is the western terminus of the TRE commuter line, serving the Fort Worth Convention Center, the...
and Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center
Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center
The Fort Worth Intermodal Transportation Center is a Trinity Railway Express commuter rail and Amtrak intercity rail station located in Fort Worth, Texas at the corner of 9th and Jones Streets, on the northeast side of downtown Fort Worth...
. At that point it turns northwest toward the Stockyards
Fort Worth Stockyards
The Fort Worth Stockyards is a historic district that is located in Fort Worth, Texas, north of the central business district. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Fort Worth Stockyards Historic District in 1976...
before turning northeast toward DFW airport. Preliminary plans call for nine new stations with eleven total, though that has not been finalized, and could be contingent on other cities along the corridor joining the agency.
Stations identified for this segment:
- Sycamore School Road Station
- I-20/Granbury Station
- TCU/Berry Station
- Medical Center Station
- 7th Street (Western Bypass) Station
- North Main (Western Bypass) Station
- North Side Station
- Beach Street Station
- Haltom City Station
- N Richland Hills/Iron Horse Station
- N Richland Hills/Smithfield Station
- Colleyville - John McCain Station
- Grapevine Main Street Station
- DFW North StationDFW North StationDFW North Station will be a DART light rail station located on Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport property in Grapevine, Texas. It is proposed to serve as a branch of the . The station will be a transit hub for regional rail lines on the DART Cotton Belt line...
- DFW Airport StationDFW Airport StationDFW Airport Station will be a rail station located at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport for service on the DART and local commuter rail systems. The station is planned to open in December 2013 and will serve as the terminus of the Orange Line and the DART Cotton Belt rail lines. - External...
Segment 4: Downtown Wylie
An additional segment of the Cotton Belt line has been labeled for future expansion. Although no planning has occurred, Segment 4 would extend the route from the in PlanoPlano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
to Wylie, with stations in downtown Murphy, Texas
Murphy, Texas
Murphy is a city in Collin County, Texas, United States and a suburb of Dallas, located to the north east of the city. The 2010 census reported Murphy's population as 17,708.-About:...
and downtown Wylie, Texas
Wylie, Texas
Not to be confused with the unincorporated area of Wylie, Texas just outside Abilene, Texas.Wylie is a city in Collin, Dallas, and Rockwall Counties in the U.S. state of Texas, and a suburb of Dallas. At the 2000 Census, the population was 15,132; 2004 estimates pegged it at 25,850...
.
Stations identified for this segment:
- Downtown Murphy
- Downtown Wylie
