TRANSPORTATION UPDATES DART launches new long-range electric bus
COMPILED BY CECILIA LENZEN
ONGOING PROJECTS
CHISWELL RD.
N
Dallas Area Rapid Transit is operating its rst long-range electric bus between Lake Highlands and Lakewood. The $780,000 bus began service in March and operates on DART’s Bus Route 20, which runs mostly along Northwest Highway from Bachman Station to the South Garland Transit Center. The route includes a stop at the intersection of Skillman Street at Merriman Parkway, and another at White Rock Station. DART spokesperson Gordon Shattles said the long-range electric bus joins the agency’s eet of seven short-range electric buses that were launched in 2018. The short-range buses have a range of about 30 miles, while the new long-range bus has a range of about 300 miles. Shattles
Lanshire Drive reconstruction This roadway construction project occurring along Lanshire Drive from Chiswell Road to Audelia Road is part of a city project to reconstruct streets in the Lake Highlands area. It includes repaving the existing asphalt street surfaces and adding sidewalks to improve accessibility. Work on the Lanshire Drive project was originally projected to be nished by March but faced delays due to having to move utility poles, Project Manager John Sakwa said. Timeline: September 2022-May 2023 Cost: $689,700 Funding source: 2017 bond program
Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s rst long-range electric bus began service in March.
COURTESY DALLAS AREA RAPID TRANSIT
said, now that the bus has operated for a few weeks, the agency has seen the bus can sometimes surpass its projected 300-mile range. DART’s eet of electric buses is a sign of the agency evolving and nding more e cient and environ- mentally sustainable transit options, Shattles said. When DART rst launched, its buses ran on diesel, because that was the “fuel of choice” at the time, Shattles said. Since then, DART has used liquid natural gas, low-sulfur diesel and compressed natural gas, which it uses now. “This [electric bus] is a great test
vehicle to determine what is the future of fuel for DART,” he said. The new bus uses six lithium-ion battery packs and regenerative braking that captures the energy lost to heat and returns it to the packs, according to a DART news release. DART will be monitoring how the long-range electric bus responds to Texas’ range of temperatures and weather conditions. The new bus’ performance and long-term viability will help determine whether DART will choose to expand its supply of long-range electric buses in the future, Shattles said.
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF MARCH 30. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT LHLNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.
It’s Crawfish Season! Authentic New Orleans Creole Cooking
Charlie’s Creole Kitchen serves authentic New Orleans Creole, Cajun, and Seafood cuisine. Join us for lunch, dinner, and cocktails on lowest Greenville Avenue in a casual setting. We have been a staple of the community for over 30 years. Full bar & cocktails • Catering available
“
”
2129 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75206
charliescreolekitchentexas.com • (214)-821-8890
9
LAKE HIGHLANDS LAKEWOOD EDITION • APRIL 2023
Powered by FlippingBook