DART Delays Expansion to DFW

Over the past few years, the Dallas metro area has been building up the DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit) light rail system. It's been planned for a long time that its Orange Line would make its way to Dallas-Fort Worth International by 2013. Well, on Tuesday it was reported that the project has been delayed for an unspecified amount of time. Not surprisingly it comes down to money - the extension to DFW will cost about $275 million and a new revenue stream would be needed (i.e. a federal grant) to make this station happen on schedule.

Personally, I love mass transit links to airports. I live in Rhode Island, and if I ever have to fly out of Boston, I try to get there by train. There's ample commuter rail service into the city, and it's a quick transfer to a subway or bus rapid transit line to get to the airport. The price is pretty low, and just not having to deal with traffic makes it worthwhile. Instead of sitting in a car for awhile I can actually get things done on a train.

But, if this station doesn't end up happening, Dallas will have a situation similar to that of Washington, DC, where the airport close to the city center (National) has an easy mass transit link and the major international airport (Dulles) doesn't.

As an unofficial Washingtonian this summer (for an internship), I will be the first to admit that I vastly prefer flying out of National. It's proximity to the city reduces travel times, and having Metro access means its a very cheap ride (less than $5) to get to the airport. I don't have a car, and a taxi ride to Dulles will run me about $80.

That leads me to believe that depending on how long the station is delayed, this might actually be good news for the folks over at Love Field, and, by extension, Southwest Airlines. The Love Field DART stop is located on part of the new Green Line extension that is slated to open in December.

Anyway, I'm kind of disappointed by this news but I understand the need for fiscal prudence. It would be nice to see this station happen though.

What do you think about mass transit links for airports? Are they worth the money?