Houston vs. Dallas (Addison, Center, West: income, living in, zoning)

[R1070]

Originally Posted by Dallaz

DART's Blue Line South Oak Cliff extension started today. The extension will include two new stations (Camp Wisdom Station and University of North Texas at Dallas Station) When complete in 2016, the DART system will have 93 miles of rail.

That's great news. I always thought they should extend the line on down to the university there. Does the 93 miles quoted not include TRE, MATA and DCTA?

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by R1070

That's great news. I always thought they should extend the line on down to the university there. Does the 93 miles quoted not include TRE, MATA and DCTA?

Nope

[R1070]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I don't buy that excuse, in today's economy where so many people are looking to save money any way they can. I'm sure that countless Dallasites don't use DART because it simply isn't very convenient for them. When you have a rail system that doesn't even go through some of the metro's most important and up-and-coming districts, I can understand why.

I actually have to agree with what he was saying, even though I take the train every day. There is a lot of snobbery around Dallas about using any type of public transportation. People act like only poor people should use it. You get a lot of blank stares or "eww gross" if you tell someone you take the train or the bus.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by dallasboi

OPTIONS. ...is what dallasites have. We dont have to brave the traffic if we dont want to. Even companies offer to pay for your transit to work on Dart. Its because they know you can access DART rail from ANYWHERE in Dallas. And these are companies all over the city not just the ones downtown.

I've given DART it's props, but, again, you can't overrate its accessibility; especially if you have experience with far superior transit systems like the ones in Chicago and New York. Unlike those cities, DART doesn't work for you. You have to make it work. I have friends who live in Dallas, and they're clear about the fact that using DART still requires a significant amount of walking and bus transfers. You can't deny that.

I've ridden on several of your lines, and the thing I found the most confusing is that, instead of going through Cedar Springs, West Village, M Streets, Downtown Lakewood, Las Colinas, or Downtown Addison, you're simply looking at these neighborhoods off in the distance.

DART has got a good thing going, but don't get carried away.

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I don't buy that excuse, in today's economy where so many people are looking to save money any way they can. I'm sure that countless Dallasites don't use DART because it simply isn't very convenient for them. When you have a rail system that doesn't even go through some of the metro's most important and up-and-coming districts, I can understand why.

Light rail cannot go everywhere. That's why we have streetcars.

[Nairobi]

Originally Posted by R1070

I actually have to agree with what he was saying, even though I take the train every day. There is a lot of snobbery around Dallas about using any type of public transportation. People act like only poor people should use it. You get a lot of blank stares or "eww gross" if you tell someone you take the train or the bus.

I'm sure there's some truth to that, but I highly doubt it's responsible for the bulk of people who don't ride. Ridership is low south of downtown as well, and your typical Oak Cliff resident is anything but a snob.

[R1070]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I've given DART it's props, but, again, you can't overrate its accessibility; especially if you have experience with far superior transit systems like the ones in Chicago and New York. Unlike those cities, DART doesn't work for you. You have to make it work. I have friends who live in Dallas, and they're clear about the fact that using DART still requires a significant amount of walking and bus transfers. You can't deny that.

I've ridden on several of your lines, and the thing I found the most confusing is that, instead of going through Cedar Springs, West Village, M Streets, Downtown Lakewood, Las Colinas, or Downtown Addison, you're simply looking at these neighborhoods off in the distance.

DART has got a good thing going, but don't get carried away.

This is true. I live in central Dallas, but i have to take a bus or drive to the nearest train station at Market Center. I think connecting the core neighborhoods with more streetcar lines like the starter one being built to oak cliff will be a great way to connect to the larger system. Until then, getting to the rail stations can be tricky unless you're in specific areas. I will say that West Village has the only subway rail station in Texas so there is one there, Las Colinas has multiple stations including a few in the "urban center" and Addison has the land for a downtown station if the Cotton Belt ever gets kicked off.

[Dallaz]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I'm sure there's some truth to that, but I highly doubt it's responsible for the bulk of people who don't ride. Ridership is low south of downtown as well, and your typical Oak Cliff resident is anything but a snob.

You'd be surprised. Just go to one of the nicer areas of Oak Cliff......nuff said

[R1070]

Originally Posted by Dallaz

You'd be surprised. Just go to one of the nicer areas of Oak Cliff......nuff said

lol... Kessler Park did come to mind, but I do envision the average Oak Cliffer being a laid back hipster. I will say these days that North Oak Cliff is totally different from South Oak Cliff so it's hard to generalize the area as "Oak Cliff" anymore.

[dallasboi]

Originally Posted by Nairobi

I'm sure there's some truth to that, but I highly doubt it's responsible for the bulk of people who don't ride. Ridership is low south of downtown as well, and your typical Oak Cliff resident is anything but a snob.

Southern Dallas is known for being where more lower income families live. Way less people travel north than the people living north travels south for work.most of dallas' slums are located in southern Dallas where alot of people dont evn have jobs.thats one of the reasons the southern portions of the red and blue lines are way shorter than the portions north of downtown.