City News

Bird casualties downtown make this a somber edition of Dallas news

These guys are not just sleeping.

Photo by Ben Jones

This week's roundup of Dallas city news is heavy on transportation, with lots of news about DART and some news about Dallas Love Field. Also some sad news about birds.

Here's what happened in Dallas this week:

Second airport entry
Dallas Love Field will host a virtual public meeting on Tuesday September 22, and it's open to anyone who'd like to try and pepper Mr. LoveFieldCEO with questions about the airport's Alternate Entry Analysis.

The airport is pushing the idea that having only one entry is "risky." But the options for where a second entry might go are limited.

They presented 11 options to the Park Board, but five were bogus and tossed out immediately. A preliminary plan by Dallas Love Field seems to show that a connector would run from Northwest Highway riiight across Bachman Lake. The plan depicts a possible exit but doesn't show what happens beyond airport property.

The meeting will be from 6-7:30 pm and you can register here.

Downtown DART line
Also on September 22 at 6:30 pm, the DART Board of Directors will conduct a virtual public hearing to receive comments on the proposed D2 Subway line, including alignment, grade separations, and station locations.

The project starts near Victory Park and travels through downtown to reconnect with the Green Line near Deep Ellum. It'll go underground between Woodall Rogers Freeway and I-345 on the east, running under Commerce Street.

Five new stations would be built: three subway and two at street level. The Deep Ellum station, currently at Good Latimer and Swiss, will be repositioned to Good Latimer and Live Oak Street.

The Orange and Green lines would shift to D2, leaving the Red and Blue on the original track, to allow room for the system to grow. Right now, trains are limited to stops every 15 minutes and during rush hour and events, a higher frequency is needed.

Written comments and emails received any time before the hearing is adjourned will become part of the official record. Submit via email to dartpublichearingcomments@dart.org prior to the public hearing, or snail-mail to DART Community Engagement - 7232, D2 Subway Service Plan Amendment Public Hearing, P.O. Box 660163, Dallas, TX 75266.

DART service is back on
Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) is restoring 90 percent of pre-pandemic service levels beginning October 19. They cut back both bus and rail service on April 6, reflecting a decrease in ridership due to COVID-19.

Service restoration includes 65 bus routes being restored to pre-pandemic service levels. A total of 7 core frequent bus routes, as well as all light rail train operation service, will move to 20-minute frequency until 7 pm on weekdays.

More information on the anticipated service change is on dart.org.

Dead birds
GreenSourceDFW is documenting dead birds in downtown Dallas that died during migration. The birds become disoriented by the city's bright lights and fly straight into buildings to their deaths.

In the past week, two dozen volunteers with Texas Conservation Alliance, a nonprofit wildlife advocacy group, have collected about 30 dead birds including warblers, hummingbirds, and orioles.

The group is part of the Lights Out Texas campaign, which aims to protect migrating birds by reducing light pollution.

The migration will last through the end of October. What would it take for downtown buildings to turn off their lights at night for 45 days?

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Nick and Nora news

Dallas takes steps to protect White Rock Lake eaglets as they learn to fly

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Visitors to White Rock Lake may notice new restrictions and barricades near a bald eagle nesting area, as three eaglets begin learning to fly.

According to a release from the City of Dallas, Dallas Park and Recreation is monitoring the eagle couple, affectionately nicknamed "Nick and Nora" by local residents, closely because they now have three young eaglets ready to take flight. (While their exact location is widely known, down to the very tree, this CultureMap story is not going to disclose it out of an abundance of caution for the fragile family.)

The city is asking area visitors to keep noise levels low and dogs on leashes near the nest.

The release says water-filled barricades are in place along East Lawther Drive between the playground and the Dreyfuss split, temporarily affecting vehicle access in the area. Drivers should expect short delays, and cyclists are being asked to slow down nearby. The playground near the nesting zone is also temporarily closed.

Officials say the Dreyfuss area, White Rock Trail, and Lake Highlands Drive will remain open for walking and biking.

The three eaglets are in a developmental phase known as “branching,” when young bald eagles begin leaving the nest and learning to fly. During this period, the eaglets may be seen on the ground or perched in lower tree branches.

Texas Parks and Wildlife officials say this is a particularly sensitive stage because the young birds can appear injured or distressed as they develop their flying skills. Adult eagles may also become more protective during this time.

"Keeping a safe distance helps prevent problems for both the eagle family and park visitors," park officials say.

Dallas Park and Recreation is coordinating with Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect the eagle family, the release says.

Bald eagles have been spotted near the lake since at least 2019, and have returned in subsequent years to make a nest in the area.

After nearly disappearing decades ago from most of the United States, the bald eagle population is now flourishing across the nation.

Bald eagles are protected under federal law. Disruption of their natural activities is prohibited and a violation of the federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA) and the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. A violation can result in a fine of $100,000, imprisonment for one year, or both.

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