Representatives from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Richardson officials, university administration and students gathered together on Sept. 19 for the groundbreaking of the DART Silver Line. 

Richard Benson, president of UTD, said in a speech at the event that the new Silver Line will pair perfectly with the already established transit-oriented development, Northside apartments.

“UT Dallas will benefit greatly from the enhanced transportation options that the Silver Line makes possible,” Benson said. “We have transitioned from having no bus service for our campus to (having) one of DART’s fastest growing routes, serving almost 1.5 million riders.”

Gary Thomas, CEO of DART, said in his speech that the Silver Line is scheduled to be completed by midnight on December 31, 2022.

“The Silver Line is one of those projects that, as a project, connects Plano, Richardson, Dallas, Addison, Carrollton, Coppell and Grapevine,” Thomas said. “And we’re going to DFW airport for this project.” 

In addition to providing transportation to and from the airport, Paul Voelker, Mayor of Richardson, said the Silver Line will help encourage growth in the area around UTD.

“Patience is a virtue, and this project proves that,” Voelker said. “This Silver Line will pay dividends for our residents, and our businesses, and this university for so many years to come.”

Voelker also said that this project wouldn’t have come to fruition without the network of individuals — within Richardson, DART and UTD — who worked to make construction of the Silver Line possible.

“I get to stand on some pretty broad shoulders: people that had the vision and the insight and the fortitude to start this, but more importantly, to see it through,” Voelker said. “I look forward to standing on this platform and going to DFW and beyond.”