I took a packed A-train down to Dallas on Friday night. Riding it over Loop 288 and the lake was an absolute treat. Being able to walk downtown, board the train, and ride to Dallas felt miraculous. I couldn’t stop wondering what other useful and fun destinations might exist around the other stops.
I’ve heard from several people that taking bikes on the train was fine, and some held the bike in the aisle (leaning against seats), and some held the bike in the handicapped area at the front of the car.
Jeremy Ordaz, owner of Oak Cliff Bike Company, said several customers took the train to Dallas and rode to the shop. The traffic goes both ways, as I ran into a friend from Oak Cliff exploring Denton for the first time in a decade, because of the train.
Initial thoughts:
- It might be slower than driving (in good traffic), but there is high value in talking to friends, reading, listening to music, etc. It’s your time, on the train.
- Downtown Denton has a ton of fun destinations within walking distance, easily more than the other DCTA stops.
- Those destinations are all across Bell Ave, which has no crosswalk. This needs to be corrected ASAP. It’s unthinkable that this was left out of the station planning process. It’s a safety risk for pedestrians and a liability for the city.
- There’s no wayfinding at the station, so you arrive in a desolate industrial area, and nothing points you toward the square.
- Despite endless skepticism and challenges, DCTA made it happen. Bravo!
