Several public transportation agencies are celebrating notable anniversaries in 2013. Here are a few examples.

DART Marks 30th Anniversary
On Aug. 13, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) will celebrate the 30th anniversary of the vote that authorized its creation. On that day in 1983, residents in Dallas and 13 other cities elected to be a part of the new public transit agency and contribute one percent in sales tax to fund it; later, two of the original municipalities would drop out and another would opt in.

DART officially began operation in January 1984, when the voter-approved one-cent sales tax took effect. Service began with express buses from throughout the service area to downtown Dallas. Two rail operations began in 1996: the first 11.2 miles of the 20-mile light rail transit starter system, and the first 10 miles of Trinity Railway Express commuter rail.

Thirty years after the historic vote, DART operates the longest light rail system in the country. It is part of a multimodal network that also includes bus, commuter rail, paratransit, and high-occupancy vehicle lanes. More light rail extensions, including a connection to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and a modern streetcar line, will open in the coming years.

St. Louis Metro: 20 Years of Light Rail
In anticipation of the 20th ­birthday of MetroLink light rail on July 31, St. Louis Metro commemorated the milestone July 26 with ceremonies at Scott Avenue Transit Plaza at the Grand MetroLink Station in St. Louis. The event kicked off with the arrival of dignitaries, including Metro President and Chief Executive Officer John Nations, on a specially wrapped commemorative train.

The first 14 miles of MetroLink officially opened July 31, 1993, between North Hanley in North St. Louis County, MO, to 5th and Missouri in Illinois. The light rail system now has 37 stations and covers 46 miles, connecting citizens traveling between Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, Shrewsbury, MO, and downtown St. Louis, then as far east as Scott Air Force Base near Shiloh, IL.

Over the past 20 years, MetroLink has also served as a catalyst for economic development, with an estimated $2 billion in residential and commercial development projects already complete around the alignment and other plans for development underway.

10 Years of Service on L.A.’s Metro Gold Line
More than 100 elected officials, project stakeholders, and members of the community gathered July 26 at the Metro Gold Line Del Mar Station in ­Pasadena, CA, to celebrate the 10th anniversary of passenger service on the Metro Gold Line light rail line operated by Los ­Angeles Metro.

The initial segment of the Metro Gold Line opened July 26, 2003, with 13 stations between Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena. The Metro Gold Line Foothill Extension Construction Authority built the line, then turned it over to Metro to operate.

“The Gold Line’s arrival has caused a true renaissance in the city of Pasadena,” said Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard, ­citing nearly 2,300 new residential units, 750,000 square feet of newly constructed retail and commercial space, “as well as numerous other projects that either renovated or adaptively reused our historic buildings.”

The construction authority is currently at work on the Gold Line Foothill Extension, which will connect ­Pasadena to Montclair in two construction segments.

Sound Transit Celebrates 10 Years of Tacoma Link
Sound Transit in Seattle kicked off the 10-year anniversary of the beginning of service for Tacoma Link light rail Aug. 8 with a contest inviting riders to name their favorite destination along the line. The grand prize is a Tacoma Getaway package, including an overnight stay at a hotel, salon treatments, and restaurant gift cards.

Service on the 1.6-mile light rail line from the Tacoma Dome Station to the Theatre District began Aug. 22, 2003. During that time, the line has provided more than nine million rides.

“Since service started in 2003, Tacoma Link has become an integral part of our transportation system and community fabric,” said Sound Transit Boardmember and Tacoma Mayor ­Marilyn Strickland. “On an average work day, 3,600 people ride Tacoma Link to numerous destinations along the six-station route. The city of Tacoma is pleased to be working with Sound Transit to bring this transit service to more citizens while planning efforts to expand this service to more residents and visitors.”

Celebration activities on Aug. 22 will include commemorative give-aways at all Tacoma Link stations and the Farmers Market, and a special appearance by Zap Gridlock, Sound Transit’s traffic-fighting superhero.