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JULY 2010 1 SCOPING INFORMATION BOOKLET
orridor
R E G I O N A L R A I L P R O J E C T
About the Project
The Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail
Project proposes a new regional rail
line within the 26 -mile Cotton Belt
Corridor between Dallas -Fort Worth
International Airport (DFW Airport) and
the existing Dallas Area Rapid Transit
(DART) Red Line Light Rail Transit
(LRT) corridor in the Richardson /Plano
area.
The Cotton Belt Corridor traverses
Tarrant, Dallas and Collin Counties,
and includes the communities of
Grapevine, Coppell, Carrollton,
Addison, Dallas, Richardson, and
Plano, as well as portions of DFW
Airport.
The proposed project would lie within
right -of -way purchased by DART in
1990 and designated as a preserved
corridor for future regional rail service.
The corridor has been included in
various DART and North Central Texas
Council of Governments (NCTCOG)
planning documents since 1983 as an
alignment alternative for regional rail.
The base corridor includes numerous
roadway crossings including major
roadway facilities such as State
Highway (SH) 121, Interstate Highway
(IH) 635, the President George Bush
Turnpike, IH 35E, the Dallas North
Tollway (DNT) and US 75 (North
Central Expressway). It is anticipated
the Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail
Project would interface with six other
major regional rail lines, including
This booklet is designed to help you participate in the scoping process for the Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project.
Within this booklet you will find descriptions of the alternatives currently under consideration and important background
information about the project.
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DATE /TIME
Thursday I July 29, 2010
6:30 p.m.
LOCATION
Addison Conference Centre
15650 Addison Road
Addison, Texas
Meeting locations are accessible by transit. Visit DART's
website at www.DART.org to plan your trip.
Please notify the DART Community Affairs
representative at (214) 749 -2590 at least one week in
advance of the meeting date if language translation or
hearing- impaired signing is needed. The building used
for the scoping meeting is accessible by persons with
disabilities.
PRIVACY NOTICE
Your privacy is important to us. Your contact information
will be used for the sole purpose of this project and
will not be sold, shared, distributed or used for any
other purpose. However, we wish to inform you that all
comments received during Scoping will be part of the
public record.
projecrreiaiea issues wren projeci starr ana view aispiays io neap you
understand the proposed project options. The meeting will include
a brief presentation that will focus on the scoping process, project
purpose and need, and alternatives currently under consideration.
After the presentation, you will have an opportunity to comment on
the purpose of and need for the project, alternatives to be evaluated,
and potential environmental issues and benefits of the proposed
project.
The scoping information is also available on the project web site at
http://www.DART.org/cottonbeit.
A separate Interagency Scoping Meeting will be held to receive input
from federal, state, tribal, regional and local government agencies
that may have an interest in the project. For more information see
contact information below.
Get involved early in the process and contribute your ideas. Your
input, whether oral or written, will help shape your community's
quality of life. Oral comments can be made at the scoping
meeting —a court reporter will be documenting the meeting. Written
comments can be given at the scoping meeting, mailed, or made on
the project web site. Written comments should be sent by the close
of the scoping comment period on August 30, 2010, to Mr. John
Hoppie at the address provided below.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Mr. John Hoppie, Project Manager
Dallas Area Rapid Transit
P.O. Box 660163
Dallas, TX 75266 -7213
Telephone: (214) 749 -2525
Fax: (214) 749 -3844
E -mail: jhoppie @dart.org
DART's Orange, Green and Red LRT
lines, a proposed BNSF Corridor
service that would interface with the
Cotton Belt in downtown Carrollton,
a proposed extension of the Denton
County Transportation Authority
(DCTA) A -Train service to downtown
Carrollton, and the planned Southwest
to Northeast (SW2NE) rail corridor
connection at DFW Airport by the Fort
Worth Transportation Authority (The
T).
BACKGROUND
The DART 2030 Transit System
Plan (TSP) identifies the Cotton Belt
Corridor as a priority project with
implementation in the year 2025-
2030 timeframe. Given the regional
desire to accelerate the segment from
DFW Airport to the DART Red Line,
Mobility 2030: The Metropolitan
Transportation Plan for the Dallas -
Fort Worth Area identifies this
project, and possibly portions of the
SW2NE project, as a candidate for
a public - private partnership (PPP) to
design, build, operate, maintain and /or
finance the corridor.
DART initiated the PPP effort in May
2009 with a Request for Information
(RFI). On May 11, 2010 the DART
Board of Directors authorized
the President /Executive Director
to execute the Memorandum of
Understanding between DART and
the Regional Transportation Council
(RTC) concerning the identification of
funding sources to implement regional
rail service on the Cotton Belt Corridor.
As a result, the RTC /NCTCOG issued a
Request for Proposals entitled "Cotton
Belt Passenger Rail Corridor Innovative
Finance Initiative (Planning Services)."
Based on early input during the DART
PPP RFI, potential private partners
noted that a more detailed project
definition and environmental clearance
would be needed before advancing
the project. As a result, DART is
advancing preliminary engineering and
conducting an Environmental Impact
Statement (EIS), which includes
identification of environmental
impacts, design considerations
and cost estimates to inform the
innovative finance effort.
PURPOSE OF AND NEED
FORTH PROJECT
The primary purpose for the proposed
Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail
Project is to provide regional rail
connections that will improve mobility,
accessibility and system linkages
to major employment, population
and activity centers in the northern
part of the DART Service Area.
The connection of three LRT lines
and two planned regional rail lines
(DCTA A -Train and The T's SW2NE
Project) makes regional connectivity
a key component of the Cotton Belt
Corridor. The Cotton Belt Corridor
also offers opportunities to connect
with the proposed BNSF regional rail
corridor between Frisco and Irving,
with a connection in downtown
Carrollton.
GOALS AND
OBJECTIVES
ENHANCE CORRIDOR MOBILITY AND
ACCESSIBILITY
o Provide connectivity to existing and planned
regional rail facilities
o Provide transportation investments serving
future population and employment growth
o Improve access to existing and emerging major
activity centers
o Increase transit usage for existing and new
riders
o Improve access to transit
o Provide cost - effective options
REDUCE CONGESTION
o Increase transit capacity and improve travel
times through more reliable transit
o Improve air quality
o Reduce demand on local roadways
o Reduce number of single occupant vehicles
ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
o Encourage employment opportunities
o Encourage economic development
opportunities
o Encourage sustainable and livable development
opportunities
o Encourage consistency with regional and local
transportation and comprehensive plans
o Encourage strategies for land use development
and redevelopment
PROVIDEAN ENVIRONMENTALLY-SENSITIVE
TRANSIT INVES
o Minimize negative impacts to the community
o Minimize negative impacts to the environment
o Minimize negative impacts to natural, social
and economic environments
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Why is Scoping Important?
Regional demand for travel in
the study area is projected to
increase along with congestion.
Implementation of regional rail service
would improve transit performance
in the study area by offering a new,
more reliable service. By providing
a new transportation option, peak
period congestion would be reduced,
providing improvements to regional air
quality.
THE SCOPING PROCESS
What is Scoping?
The first step in the project
development process is to involve the
community in outlining the "scope" of
the project.
The scoping process ensures
that citizens, elected officials, and
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appropriate government review
agencies are involved early in the
decision - making process and in
outlining the scope of the study
so comments and concerns can
be addressed during the project
development phase.
Throughout the scoping process, you
will have an opportunity to review
information and offer your comments
either orally at the upcoming public
scoping meeting or in writing.
The purpose of scoping is to inform
the public that the environmental
review process is beginning. In
addition to initiating dialogue on the
proposed alternatives, scoping is
instrumental in identifying issues to be
considered and /or resolved during the
project development process.
At the scoping meeting, the project
team will explain the scoping process
and environmental review process,
describe the alternatives currently
being considered, and ask for your
ideas and comments. You are invited
to comment on the alternatives to be
addressed; the alignments and station
locations to be considered; and the
environmental, social, and economic
concerns to be analyzed. Interested
individuals, organizations, or agencies
may propose the consideration of
additional, specific alternatives or
the study of a specific potential
environmental effect associated with
an alternative.
What is the Outcome of
Scoping?
At the conclusion of the scoping
comment period, comments received
will be considered by DART to make
The region is a non - attainment area for air quality. Mobile source emissions
from vehicles must be addressed with multi -modal transportation solutions,
such as those being considered in the Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project.
The Cotton Belt Corridor project is a major step to advance the implementation
of regional rail improvements to address existing, as well as projected
congestion, and to improve air quality, or at least to not degrade it any further.
a
project decisions that are in the best
overall public interest. A Scoping
Summary Report will be prepared
and it will contain comments received
during the comment period, describe
the content of the meetings, and
document the process by which the
alternatives were refined. The Final
Scoping Summary Report will be
published on the project web site.
Following project scoping, preliminary
engineering will begin, which will
include developing a design for how
the project will look and operate and
where stations will be located within
the corridor.
ENVIRONMENTAL
REVIEW PROCESS
The Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail
Project is being evaluated by a process
set forth by the Federal Transit
Administration (FTA) in accordance
"The NEPA process is intended to help public officials make decisions that are
based on understanding of environmental consequences, and take actions that
protect, restore, and enhance the environment"
National El7vronmental PolicyAct
with the National Environmental
Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969, as well
as provisions of the enacted Safe,
Accountable, Flexible, Efficient
Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy
for Users (SAFETEA -LU). Compliance
with NEPA and SAFETEA -LU's
implementing regulations is necessary
for a project to be eligible for federal
capital funds. DART is complying
with all federal, state and local
regulations regarding the evaluation
of alternatives to provide needed
transit services within the study area.
The EIS process allows for careful
consideration of the design, costs, and
benefits of transportation alternatives
and will document probable effects
and potentially significant impacts to
social, economic and environmental
factors associated with the
proposed alternatives. Preliminary
engineering will define physical and
operational aspects of the proposed
project in sufficient detail to assess
environmental effects. The proposed
project may generate environmental
benefits, so the EIS will document
positive impacts as well.
A Draft EIS will be available for public
and agency review and comment and
a public hearing will be held. Following
the comment period on the Draft
COTTON BELT CORRID REGIONAL RAIL PROJECT EIS PROCESS AND SCHEDULE
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WE ARE HERE
Public
Scoping
Draft EIS
Process
Distributed
Final EIS
Scoping
Draft
Public
Distributed
Meetings
Preliminary
Hearing
and
Engineering
and 45-Day
30-Day
Anticipated
Notice of
Comment
and Draft EIS
Comment
Final EIS
Comment
Record of
Intent
Period
Preparation
Period
Preparation
Period
Decision
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AUG2010to
JUL
AUG /SEP
OCT
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2010
2010
JUN 2011
2011
2011
2011
2011
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EIS, a Final EIS will be prepared that
will respond to comments received
during the circulation of the Draft EIS,
identify additional analyses that will
be required to adequately respond to
public comment or resolve issues in
the Draft EIS, and identify mitigation
measures and develop a mitigation
monitoring program.
The FTA and DART announced the
decision to prepare an EIS for the
proposed project with a "Notice of
Intent" that was published in the
Federal Register on July 8, 2010.
Once the preferred alternative
is selected as a result of the EIS
process, it is anticipated that the
FTA will proceed to the "Record of
Decision" (ROD) after which funding
negotiations with FTA or other
partners will advance. The ROD must
be issued prior to entering into the
Final Design phase of the project if a
Build Alternative is selected.
ALTERNATIVES
CURRENTLY BEING
CONSIDERED
Alternatives to be reviewed in the EIS
include a No -Build Alternative and the
Build Alternative, which may include
design options and various station
and demographics. It includes transit
capital and service improvements that
are programmed to be implemented
by DART and other transit providers
in the study area, as well as all other
planned, programmed, and funded
transportation projects for the planning
year 2030. Regardless of whether or
Build Alternative
The Build Alternative would consist of
regional rail service within the Cotton
Belt Corridor and it is anticipated
that the vehicle type would comply
with the requirements of the Federal
Railroad Administration (FRA) safety
locations. A note about the SW2NE project. ...TheT completed a Draft EIS for the SW2NE
project in October 2008 and the Final EIS is expected to be complete in 2010.
Build Alternative The SW2NE project is anticipated to receive environmental clearance for the
Thhe e i nclusion and analysis of the section of the Cotton Belt Corridor from north of DFW Airport to Fort Worth and
"No-Build" Alternative is required
in the EIS process. The No -Build for a new rail corridor extending from the Cotton Belt Corridor south into DFW
Alternative is included as a benchmark Airport Terminal B.
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6
against which the impacts of other not the Cotton Belt Corridor Regional
alternatives can be compared. For Rail Project is implemented, the
this study, the No -Build Alternative projects associated with the No -Build
assumes a 2030 condition of land use Alternative would be funded and built.
standards (FRA- compliant vehicle).
Service would be provided every
20 minutes during the peak periods
and every 60 minutes during the
off -peak period. A base alignment
and potential station locations will be
examined along with various options
for the eastern terminus, stations,
passing siding /double -track locations,
and possible horizontal and vertical
alignment deviations at strategic
locations.
At its western terminus, the proposed
project would interface with DART's
future Orange Line LRT service, which
will extend from DFW Airport through
Irving to downtown Dallas, and with
The T's planned SW2NE regional rail
corridor service from southwest Fort
Worth to DFW Airport. At the eastern
terminus, the base corridor assumes
an interface with the existing DART
Red Line at the intersection of the two
corridors, which would require a new
LRT station at the location. Additional
options for the Cotton Belt Corridor
eastern terminus include: turning
south to connect to the existing DART
Red Line Bush Turnpike Station,
turning north to connect to the existing
Red Line Downtown Plano Station
(which may allow an option for service
to continue farther north into Plano or
McKinney), or extending farther east
on the Cotton Belt line to terminate
near Shiloh Road in Plano.
Several new rail stations would be
provided, depending upon the build
alternative selected. Station platforms
would be approximately 300 to
The Cotton Belt Corridor project team encourages you to keep expressing
your concerns, offering suggestions, and asking questions during " Scoping"
and throughout the project development process. Your concerns about
the environment and community will guide us in designing regional rail
improvements that will best respond to the transportation problems and
concerns of your community and the region.
500 feet in length. Potential station
locations include: DFW Airport, North
Lake, Downtown Carrollton (Green
Line interface), Addison (existing
Transit Center), Knoll Trail, Preston
Road (State Highway 289), Renner
Village, UTD — Synergy Park, the Red
Line Interface, and Shiloh Road.
Additional alternatives that emerge
during scoping that reasonably address
the project's purpose and need
and that have not been previously
evaluated will be considered.
For Additional Information,
Documents and Upcoming
Events
Visit DART's website at http: / /www.
DART.org /cottonbelt for additional
project information including key
Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail
Project information, documents and
upcoming events.
The Scoping comment period for the
Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail
Project will close on Monday, August
30, 2010.
MORE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR INVOLVEMENT
This is just the beginning! The
scoping meeting is just one of many
opportunities that you will have to
provide comments, gather information,
and make inquiries about the Cotton
Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project.
Public comments, suggestions, and
requests for information are recorded
and distributed to project team
members.
We want you to help our team design
a system that meets your needs. Your
comments are encouraged and will be
considered throughout the Cotton Belt
Corridor Regional Rail Project.
OW1111 carran Ku
0 Dallas Area Rapid Transit
1401 Pacific Avenue
P.O. Box 660163
Dallas, TX 75266 -7232
Cotton Belt Corridor Regional Rail Project
Scoping Informabon Booklet
PublicMeetng
Thursday, July 29, 2010
6:30 p.m.
Addison Conference Centre
15650 Addison Road
Dallas, Texas 75001 -3285
Keller Springs Rd.
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