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DALLAS -- Traffic jams. Interstate congestion. Packed and expensive parking lots. Road rage. All in the name of attending a state fair, eating fried banana splits, chocolate covered bacon and watching a little football.
The trip to the Cotton Bowl this weekend could be worse than enduring rowdy Texans.
The combination of the state fair and the University of Oklahoma vs. University of Texas football game is challenging Dallas Area Rapid Transit officials. They are encouraging out of state fans to make use of their light rail system. According to DART's Mark Ball, the benefits of using the light rail will not only save time, money and frustration.
"Every Saturday and Sunday the DART State Fair Shuttle takes you directly from Pearl Station, in downtown Dallas, to the country's biggest state fair," DART's Mark Ball said. "You get a coupon for $2 off fair admission just for riding, plus you avoid the hassle of fighting traffic and paying for parking."
Even though the light rail system has been around for a number of years, it has not been used to its fullest, especially during events like the OU-Texas game.
That trend may have started to move in the other direction last year when DART saw a spike in rail passengers.
"Last year, DART added 18,900 riders to the light rail system on the Saturday of the Texas-OU game," Ball said. "A normal Saturday would carry 29,248 riders. Combine the two and DART provided rides to just under 50,000 on one day."
The light rail has two different systems in use every day. DART's Red Line runs along North Central Expressway from Parker Road in Plano traveling south to downtown Dallas, then to Westmoreland in West Oak Cliff. The Blue Line travels south from downtown Garland to downtown Dallas and onto Ledbetter in South Oak Cliff.
Both red and blue lines serve all downtown Dallas stations. The light rails normally run from 5 a.m. until midnight.
DART also has pickup and dropoff stations located throughout the Dallas area. Many are near hotels that allow free parking.
According to officials, using the rail system is a simple process.
"Step One, park free at any DART rail station park and ride lot and buy a $5 Premium Day Pass from a ticket vending machine," Ball said. "Step two, ride DART rail to the Pearl Station. There is no parking available at Pearl Station. Step three, board the State Fair Shuttle departing every 10 minutes between 9 a.m. and midnight."
One problem with using the light rail on game day is that is doesn't have a location at the Cotton Bowl. The nearest dropoff and pickup location at the fairgrounds is the parking lot near the Superpages.com Center. A bus can then take passengers directly to the stadium.
Starting next year, that will change.
"DART Rail Green Line construction continues around Fair Park and will be open by this time next year," Ball said. "The Fair Park area will be home to two DART Rail stations with the arrival of the Green Line in September 2009."
Until then DART's schedule for its rail trains and buses will be on a special service the day of the Red River Rivalry.
"The buses start rolling at 7 a.m. Saturday," Ball said. "Southbound DART Rail trains will operate every 10 minutes on the Red Line and every 15 minutes on the Blue Line between 8:30 a.m. and the scheduled kickoff at 11 a.m."
Michael Kinney 366-3537 mkinney@normantranscript.com
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