The DART light rail system serves the metropolitan area of Dallas, Texas.

That makes it the 7th highest ridership of light rail systems in the United States; however, it was one of the worst financial performers.

[7] The following lines are active: DART's initial plans called for 160 miles (257.5 km) of commuter rail.

The election plan was pared down to 147 miles (236.6 km) when Duncanville, Grand Prairie and Mesquite, which would have had rail lines, opted out of joining the agency.

[citation needed] After years of scandals involving finances, delays in construction of the rail system, a failed bond election, and nine pull-out votes (two of which were successful), October 1990 was a turning point for the agency, when DART first broke ground on its light rail system.

To the surprise of critics, the new light rail system was embraced by Dallasites, with ridership exceeding expectations.

The 20 miles (32 km) starter system opened on June 14, 1996,[3] comprising the Red Line from the Westmoreland Road in West Oak Cliff through downtown Dallas to Pearl Street, and the Blue Line from Pearl Street to Morrell Station and Illinois Avenue.

It includes the tunnel from Pearl Street to Mockingbird Lane, the latter being the site of Dallas's first modern transit village.

Later that same year, on September 27, the Blue Line designation was extended to Mockingbird Lane, for its eventual expansion to Garland.

The Blue Line was completed to Garland on November 18, 2002, making it the second suburb to get light rail service.

[12] The final stage of north-central and northeast "suburban" light rail expansion opened six months ahead of schedule when the Red Line extension to Downtown Plano and Parker Road opened on December 9, 2002, providing light rail service to Plano for the first time, and completing the current configuration of the Red Line.

Removed from the final plan was a 6.3-mile (10.1 km) branch of the Red Line from Forest Lane Station to the Addison Transit Center, which would have included several miles of subway under Interstate 635.

DART officials cited the line's high cost, US$700 million, and lack of strong support from the city of Dallas.

DART leaned toward diesel powered commuter rail for the Cotton Belt corridor, similar to the Trinity Railway Express.

[19] The Cotton Belt line would run through former DART member city Coppell between Carrollton and DFW Airport; although no station locations are included in the plan, the promise of a future station could entice Coppell, which withdrew from DART in 1989, into rejoining the agency.

Upon completion of the project in 2013, the size of DART's light rail system doubled to 90 miles (145 km).

DART is cooperating with Love Field to link that airport to the Orange Line, but service is currently connected by a bus shuttle.

[29] In spring 2008, DART announced it had considered 16 possible plans for a second rail alignment, and selected four for more detailed consideration.

[30] However, on April 27, 2010, DART announced financial problems would prevent it from funding construction of the D2 alignment, putting the plan in limbo.

[32] While the D2 Study is being funded by a $700,000 grant, the $500 million to $1 billion alignment is unfunded, and construction is not expected to begin before 2025.

The alignment along Young Street was opposed by the First Presbyterian Church of Dallas, as the light rail would run through its property.

The platforms will be raised to the 15.5 inches (40 cm) floor height of the low-floor middle section of the SLRV trains.

Almost another half of the funding comes from federal resources leaving mostly the planning costs to DART, which is below ten million.

Heading north from Buckner, the line serves Fair Park, Deep Ellum, and the Dallas Central Business District, then turns northwest along the Interstate 35E (Texas) corridor, serving the American Airlines Center, Parkland Hospital, Love Field, Farmers Branch, and Carrollton, where a transfer is available to the A-train line run by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).

The Orange Line runs between Parker Road station in Plano and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.