DART's new $100M campus underway, future tied to grants
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DART's new bus maintenance facility will be completed in the coming months. Photo: Courtesy of DART
The first phase of DART's new operations and maintenance campus will be completed in May.
Why it matters: Replacing DART's aging, flood-prone downtown complex is seen by the public transit system's managers as essential to keep buses on the road — and federal dollars are expected to cover most capital costs.
Catch up quick: The new campus is near the Southeast Connector and will replace DART's 1970s-era downtown facilities, which need more than $63 million in upgrades and have been hit by multiple floods.
- Federal regulators advised relocation, suggesting the campus probably won't get grants for updates due to its flooding history.
Between the lines: Building a new campus will cost less in local tax dollars than renovating the flood-prone site.
- DART CEO Amanda Wanke tells Axios that the federal money can only be used for the new campus, not for things like expanding DART's operations budget.
Flashback: An earlier DART relocation concept at the former Chesterfield School site was dropped after federal regulators noted the area may include remnants of an ancient village.
- An archaeological report later cleared the way for development, and the nonprofit Joppa is now considering developing the school site as a "tiny village" for people exiting homelessness.
State of play: DART commissioners in 2023 approved the first nearly $35 million phase, which includes land and design costs as well as the construction of 90% of a bus maintenance facility.
- The second and third phases will involve completing the rest of the maintenance facility, constructing an administrative office and building a bus storage building.
- A timeline for the upcoming phases depends on securing additional federal grants, with the overall project expected to cost just over $100 million.
What we're watching: The future of DART's current 11-acre campus is still unknown, but its location adjacent to Gray's Station — a fast-growing neighborhood connected to Gray's Park — could make it an attractive spot for redevelopment.
