Dallas — Extension Opening Delayed

July 2013

An extension of the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority [MATA] heritage streetcar line has been postponed until fall, the Dallas Morning News reported.

The opening date for the McKinney Avenue Transit Authority extension along Olive Street has been pushed back until this fall. John Landrum, the chief operating officer of MATA said the delay is due to late delivery of track switches that will connect the new line to existing trackage. As there are only two suppliers of this type of switch that meet Federal "Buy America" standards, a number of streetcar projects around the country have been affected by limitations in the ability of these firms to keep up with demand.

Landrum hopes that the switches will arrive in time for completion of testing by Thanksgiving.

The new route will run from MATA's main line on McKinney down Olive Street, stopping at Klyde Warren park, and then turn to Federal Street, near DART's Pearl Street light rail station.

The park over the expressway has resulted in a two-third increase in riders on the current St. Paul Street trolley route (which passes the western end of the park) since the park opened last all. Landrum says cars have been running full most weekends as passengers ride to the park.