A new rail for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit's (DART) Silver Line project arrived in Plano last month, part of the DART 2030 Transit System Plan (TSP).

A total of 200 80-ft.-long rail sections — 16,000 ft. of rail — were delivered by special train from Indiana-based Steel Dynamics Inc. to a location east of Shiloh Road in Plano and off-loaded adjacent to the existing tracks.

The 26-mi. Silver Line Regional Rail project currently is under construction. Providing passenger rail connections and service that will improve mobility, accessibility and system linkages to major employment, population and activity centers in the northern part of the DART Service Area, the commuter rail line will traverse seven north Texas cities between DFW Airport, Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson and Plano.

The Cotton Belt "Silver Line" Project would interface with three DART LRT lines: The Red/Orange Lines in Richardson/Plano; the Green Line in Carrollton; and the Orange Line at DFW Airport. In addition, at DFW Airport, the project would connect to the Fort Worth Transportation Authority TEXRail Regional Rail Line to Fort Worth and provide access to the DFW Airport Skylink People Mover.

In August 2018, the DART board approved a service plan amendment for Cotton Belt Corridor, which defined the project alignment, grade separations and station locations. Also in August 2018, the DART board approved a residential betterments program for the Cotton Belt Corridor.

In June 2019, the DART board approved a resolution to name future service running on the Cotton Belt Regional Rail Corridor as the Silver Line. Customers will see the Silver Line in operation after completion in 2023 with 30-minute peak and 60-minute off-peak service.