| Fair Park | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DART light rail station | |||||||||||
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| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | 3710 Parry Avenue Dallas, Texas | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 32°46′55″N 96°45′57″W / 32.782062°N 96.765932°W / 32.782062; -96.765932 | ||||||||||
| Owned by | Dallas Area Rapid Transit | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 2 side platforms | ||||||||||
| Connections | DART Routes 23 and 214 South Dallas GoLink Zone (M-Sun) | ||||||||||
| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | At-grade | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | 2 lockers, 1 rack | ||||||||||
| Accessible | Yes | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | September 14, 2009 (2009-09-14) | ||||||||||
| Passengers | |||||||||||
| FY23 | 888 (avg. weekday)  4.7% | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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Fair Park station is a DART light rail station located in the South Dallas neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. The station is on the Green Line and serves Fair Park, which is home to the annual State Fair of Texas and the Cotton Bowl stadium.
Station
The station is located on the eastern side of Parry Avenue and consists of two side platforms with two passenger shelters on each side. The westernmost gate of Fair Park is directly adjacent to the station. Northbound buses board from the rail station, while southbound buses board from a bus shelter across the street.
The architecture of the station's shelters is notably distinct from all other DART rail stations, boasting an Art Deco aesthetic with limestone columns and granite benches. The design, created by Brad and Diana Goldberg, is based on the ticket booths that were constructed for the 1936 Texas Centennial Exposition. In 2010, the station (alongside fellow Green Line art piece The Traveling Man) was one of 40 projects included in the annual Public Art Year in Review by Americans for the Arts.
Service
The station is serviced by the Green Line, which typically runs trains every 20 minutes. During important events such as the state fair, additional Green Line trains run between Victory and Lawnview, decreasing the headways to 10-minute intervals. The station can also be serviced by special-event Red Line trains, which connect Fair Park to the northern segment of the Red Line; this is typically reserved for the day of the Red River Showdown, which is the busiest day of the fair.
The eastern entrance to DART's Central Rail Operating Facility is connected to the rail network between the Fair Park and MLK Jr. stations. Northbound trains leaving the rail yard start at Fair Park, and southbound trains leaving the rail network make their final stop at Fair Park.
History
The Parry Avenue entrance of Fair Park was historically a stop on Dallas's streetcar network. At its height, the line contained four sets of tracks.
In 1997, DART began preliminary studies for light rail service to the South Dallas area, including Fair Park, which would be opened between 2003 and 2008. However, the project was delayed due to debates regarding the Deep Ellum and Love Field stations on the line. Construction of the line ultimately began in June 2006 with a planned completion date of 2009. Construction was temporarily halted during the 2007 and 2008 fair seasons.
Fair Park station opened on September 14, 2009 as part of the first phase of the Green Line, which stretched from Victory to MLK Jr. When the state fair opened two weeks later on September 25, a small ceremony was held at the station to commemorate the new service.
References
- "Bicycle Parking". Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Retrieved August 23, 2024.
- ^ Mosier, Jeff (September 13, 2009). "DART hosts riders as it tests span of Green Line project". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 9B. Retrieved June 9, 2009 – via NewsBank.
- "DART Reference Book" (PDF). Dallas Area Rapid Transit. March 2023. p. 33.
- Hudson, Travis (June 23, 2009). "In Deep Ellum, meet the man of steel: DART prepares 'Traveling' exhibits near rail station". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1B – via NewsBank.
- "A Stroke of Genius: Your Guide to Art Along the Green Line" (PDF). Dallas Area Rapid Transit. pp. 18–19. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 17, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- Bever, Lindsey (July 27, 2010). "Public-art accolades give DART reason to swagger". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. B3 – via NewsBank.
- "Fair Park Station". Public Art Network Year In Review Database. Americans for the Arts.
- "DART to The State Fair". Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- "Game Day". Dallas Area Rapid Transit. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
- Stone, Rachel (September 24, 2020). "When the Dallas streetcar stopped at the State Fair of Texas". Lakewood/East Dallas Advocate. Advocate Media. Retrieved November 20, 2024.
- Aubespin, Eleska (December 16, 1997). "DART hears rail wishes". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1Y – via NewsBank.
- Hartzel, Tony (March 17, 2002). "Historic status may alter light-rail plan: DART considers other paths as case is made to save Deep Ellum tunnel". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 33A – via NewsBank.
- Hartzel, Tony (August 7, 2002). "Dallas leaders want suburban rail delayed to allow Love stop Mayors, others urge DART to keep word to voters, stay on track". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 21A – via NewsBank.
- Hartzel, Tony (June 14, 2006). "DART turns attention to rail growth: Some suburbs soon to see results after years of paying for transit". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 7B – via NewsBank.
- Hartzel, Tony (October 30, 2005). "DART straightening the curve at downtown tunnel". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 7B – via NewsBank.
- Menzer, Katie (September 26, 2007). "Ride to the State Fair just got a little easier: DART suspends construction of two light-rail stations near site to relieve traffic". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1B – via NewsBank.
- Meyers, Jessica (September 24, 2008). "DART construction will take a break: Work to halt to reduce gridlock, but light rail stops to open by '09". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 6B – via NewsBank.
- Lindenberger, Michael A. (September 26, 2009). "Fairgoers go Green: DART's newest line puts steady stream of riders on track for a day of fun at the big event". The Dallas Morning News. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1B – via NewsBank.
External links
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