Looks Like Highland Park Is Leaving DART
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DART appears to have dodged a couple of bullets last night, but one hit dead on, with Highland Park residents voting to withdraw their city from the regional transit system.
As previously reported by CandysDirt.com, Dallas Area Rapid Transit has been facing a suburban revolt from member cities dissatisfied with the cost-benefit they’ve been getting from the system. Several cities had withdrawal elections scheduled for May, but all but Addision, Highland Park, and University Park cancelled theirs after DART officials negotiated a revamped funding and representation framework that awaits approval from the state legislature.
Unofficial election results from Saturday night indicate that 70% of voters in Addison and 53.6% of voters in University Park registered their support for staying in DART. In Highland Park, though, nearly 70% of voters said they wanted to withdraw.
“Mass transit and coordinated transportation options are essential to the long-term success of our entire region. However, when existing funding and service delivery models no longer reflect actual usage patterns or community priorities, the town has an obligation to evaluate alternatives,” Highland Park Mayor Will Beecherl wrote in an op-ed for The Dallas Morning News back in March.
“Highland Park is prepared to explore third-party transit providers and other flexible options to meet the modern transportation needs of our residents while maintaining regional connectivity,” he added.
The city is the first member to withdraw from DART since Coppell and Flower Mound voted to exit the system in 1989. Service for Highland Park’s single fixed route along Preston Road will end on May 14, the day after votes are canvassed. The city never had light rail.
Highland Park is projected to contribute roughly $9 million in sales tax to DART this year, amounting to about 1% of the system’s sales tax revenue and less than half of a percent of its budget.
The city will continue to pay into DART despite service suspension to cover its proportional share of outstanding bond obligations, contracts, and liabilities. It was estimated that Highland Park is on the hook for $30-40 million.
Highland Park has been averaging just over 30 riders per day for roughly 22,000 boardings per year. The city’s most recent community survey found that 4-5% of residents said they used DART services on occasion. “A small number reported daily or weekly use, while others reported monthly or occasional use,” the city said.
