Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority community members agree to 18-month extension

Elected leaders of the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) member communities, including the city of Des Moines and Polk County, Iowa, as well as eight suburban communities, have elected to continue as DART community members and work together during the next 18 months to redesign the agency’s system. 

DART will continue to operate under the previously agreed upon phase-in of the new funding formula that was adopted by the DART Commission unanimously in 2021 to better align cost and benefit for all member communities. 

“The suburban members of DART will continue to work with the city of Des Moines, DART staff and consultants to make our public transit system the best that it can be,” said Mayor of West Des Moines and DART Chair Russ Trimble. “Not only is public transit critical to workforce and economic development, but it is literally a lifeline to the central Iowans who rely on it. We owe it to our riders, our staff, our businesses and our taxpayers to provide the most efficient, effective transit system possible. We also are committed to the formula and governance previously agreed on as essential components to retaining suburban value in DART and look forward to continuing to work with Des Moines to move our region forward.” 

“The city of Des Moines believes strongly that public transit is essential to so many people who rely on it to get to school, work and medical appointments,” said Des Moines Mayor Connie Boesen. “We are committed to working with our suburban partners to examine how we redesign the system to better serve those who rely on it every day within the current financial realities we all face. I also look forward to a future in which we hope to be able to provide more and better service with a regional funding source.” 

DART has hired Jarrett Walker + Associates (JWA) and Transpo Group to conduct a redesign of the transit network. According to the agency, JWA is led by Jarrett Walker, author of the book Human Transit, and has completed network redesigns in more than 30 communities. Transpo group is a provider of transit planning in small and mid-sized agencies, with expertise in paratransit and microtransit options.    

The consulting team will be on site in January to share an analysis of DART’s current network and to educate on the choices elected leaders will need to make about how to deliver a public transit network within a limited budget. The agency will present network design concepts for public input in April. 

DART notes the agreement among member communities does not relate to or change the decisions previously made by the Grimes and Pleasant Hill city councils to provide an 18-month notice of their intention to withdraw from the DART member communities. According to the agency, any community providing that notice has the ability to rescind it prior to the DART Commission voting to accept the community’s withdrawal. 

“We appreciate the time and effort elected leaders have given to find a path forward and for their commitment to Reimagine DART,” said DART CEO Amanda Wanke. “A lot has changed in how and where people travel since DART was formed. We look forward to thinking boldly and creatively about how we deliver a service that connects and strengthens our communities for the next decade. We know thousands of central Iowans depend on us and regional public transit is critical to a thriving metro. At a time when other Midwest communities are increasing their investment in public transit, we have a unique opportunity to create a new regional transit network that drives quality of life and economic opportunity in Greater Des Moines.”