Dallas — McKinney On Track

Rail Transit Online, December 2001

A mile-long extension of the McKinney Avenue Trolley from its current terminal in the Arts District north to the DART’s Cityplace light rail station could be ready to open early next year, connecting the latter area’s shopping centers and office buildings to uptown  and the McKinney Avenue entertainment district.  Now that utility relocation has been completed, track laying and traction power installation is underway.  The photo at left by Casie Pierce shows track laying on Blackburn Street.  The project is costing $5.8 million and is the first of two planned extensions, the other being to the West End LRT station.  The heritage line would then become part of the local transportation system instead of just a tourist attraction, with service stepped up from 30-minute headways to 10- or 15-minute intervals.  The 1.4-mile trolley is operated by volunteers who have organized the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority, a private, nonprofit organization, with a franchise from the city of Dallas.