DALLAS — Change can be good.
“Every day is a new day, a different adventure,” said Linnell Dixon, a DART rider.
Change can also be an inconvenience.
“I’ve got a bad knee. It gives out on me sometimes. I lean on a cane. Sometimes I can walk without it. Sometimes I can’t," said Dixon.
Dixon rides DART Bus Route 13 almost every other day.
“Going back and forth to the hospital,” Dixon said. “This bus, here, takes me directly downtown… It’s convenient because it’s closer to my home.”
That will soon change. In completing the remainder of the $79 million SM Wright Phase II Project, TxDOT said the Colonial and Pennsylvania avenues stop is closing down.
“I think a lot of people were sort of disappointed,” said Jackie Bradford, St. Philips School and Community Center’s Community Advance.
Bradford has been working with seniors in the South Dallas community for 15 years. She said the stop is close to Aunt Bette’s Community Pantry and down the street from senior apartments.
“I would love for it to stay because it’s convenient for those who need it,” said Bradford.
The project will improve Interstate 45 and U.S. 175. It includes cutting out what is commonly known as Dead Man’s Curve and making the area more pedestrian-friendly.
Gordon Shattles is the assistant vice president of external relations for DART. He said DART will not close the stop until a new stop is determined, and construction is complete in 2024.
“The closest stop near there is a little bit further north. It’s about point-one mile. It’s about a one-minute walk, but is that going to serve our customers well?” Shattles asked.
“We’ll also be testing out all those routes to make sure they serve our riders, but our operators are easily able to navigate that area," he said.
Shattles said riders can also use Gold Link which is included in riders’ DART fare. It offers pick-up and drop-off services.
“It is what it is,” Shattles said. “It’s improvement, so we just have to deal with it.”