DCTA Purchases Site From Denton Regional Medical Center To Serve As Medpark Station - Press Release |
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For Immediate Release – Tuesday, December 16, 2008 Denton, TX – Progress by The Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA) on the A-train regional rail line was accelerated by the recent acquisition of 12.8 acres from the Denton Regional Medical Center (DRMC). The site, located near the corner of MedPark Boulevard and Colorado Boulevard in Denton, will serve as the agency’s MedPark station and will include bus and rail transfer opportunities. The station is one of five rail stations along the 21-mile corridor adjacent to I-35E. The MedPark station will accommodate up to 750 parking spaces. Construction of the station will begin next Summer and is scheduled to open in December 2010. The $3.2 million real estate transaction was finalized between the DRMC and DCTA on Monday, December 15th. The agreement includes infrastructure improvements that will provide additional access from I35E to both the DRMC and the MedPark station. “This is a landmark occasion for DCTA as this is our first property acquisition related to the A-train project. The transaction was a coordinated effort between DCTA, the City of Denton, and the DRMC. The hospital has been a great partner throughout the planning of the A-train project The DRMC understands the benefits of having mass transit adjacent to hospital property, according to Caleb O’Rear, Chief Executive Officer of the DRMC. “The DRMC has been a long supporter of the DCTA. We recognize that the rail service will greatly expand access to our healthcare facilities by residents throughout the county and will benefit our employees by offering an alternative commute to the heavily congested I-35E,” he said. The rail project is the central element of DCTA’s service plan, and has been strongly endorsed by Denton County voters. In addition to the five rail stations, the A-train project includes a bicycle/pedestrian trail and an operations and maintenance facility. The immediate objective of the project is to have full service between Denton and Carrollton to interface with Dallas Area Rapid Transit’s light rail system in December 2010. This timing will coincide with DART’s opening a section of its Green Line, which will complete a 50 mile segment of regional passenger rail that is detailed in the North Central Texas Council of Government’s Mobility 2030 plan. “We have reached another major milestone that will advance our efforts to complete DCTA’s portion of the Denton-Dallas passenger rail corridor,”explained DCTA Board Chairman Charles Emery. “Completion of this entire corridor will be a big step in addressing mobility and air quality issues in our region, preserving energy resources, and expanding transportation options for our residents.” |