MedPark station

MedPark station is a A-train commuter rail station in southern Denton, Texas. The station is operated by the Denton County Transportation Authority (DCTA).

MedPark
The MedPark station in February 2017.
General information
Location	3220 MedPark Drive Denton, Texas 76208
Coordinates	33°10′49″N 97°05′14″W
Owned by	Denton County Transportation Authority
Line(s)	A-train
Platforms	1 Island platform
Tracks	2
Connections	DCTA UNT: CE 171 GoZone Denton
Construction
Structure type	At-grade
Parking	723 spaces[1]
Accessible	Yes
History
Opened	June 18, 2011[2]
Services
Preceding station DCTA Following station Downtown Denton Transit Center toward [[Downtown Denton station|Downtown Denton]] A-train Highland Village/Lewisville Lake toward Trinity Mills
Location

The station is approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) southeast of the intersection of Interstate 35E and Texas State Highway Loop 288. The station serves southern Denton, the Medical City Denton hospital, and Golden Triangle Mall. It also serves as a park-and-ride lot for commuters traveling to Downtown Denton and the University of North Texas campus.^[3]

On A-train maps and signage, the station is denoted by a red circle containing a first aid kit.^[4]

History

DCTA obtained the 12.8-acre site on December 15, 2008 for $3.2 million.^[5] A groundbreaking ceremony was held on April 3, 2009; it was the second groundbreaking to be held for the A-train.^[6] However, preliminary tree-clearing at the site was temporarily halted in August due to a permitting issue.^[7]

In December 2009, due to ongoing negotiations with the City of Denton, DCTA announced that the northern segment of the line (consisting of MedPark and Downtown Denton Transit Center) may open a year later than the southern segment.^[8] Ultimately, this did not occur.

MedPark station, along with the rest of the A-train, opened on Saturday, June 18, 2011. The line's opening ceremony, dubbed the "Rock n' Rail Station Celebration," offered free rides on the train and live performances at all five DCTA-built stations, including MedPark. Revenue service began the following Monday.^[2]

On August 25, 2014, DCTA extended its Colorado Express shuttle to MedPark. This enabled University of North Texas students and faculty to park at MedPark and travel to the campus.^[9] On August 28, 2017, DCTA also established a fare-free zone on the A-train between MedPark and Downtown Denton Transit Center.^[3]

MedPark was previously a stop on two DCTA bus routes (Routes 2 and 4) and a shuttle to the Denton and Corinth campuses of North Central Texas College.^[10] The NCTC shuttle was eliminated in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic,^[11] and the bus routes were eliminated in 2022 in favor of GoZone, a microtransit service.^[12] The station is still serviced by the Colorado Express shuttle.^[13]

References

1. "Parking". Denton County Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
2. Lewis, B. J. (2011-06-18). "Musical celebration kicks off A-train: Event today brings bands to Denton, Lewisville stations". Denton Record-Chronicle. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 7A – via NewsBank.
3. "Free fare zones coming to DCTA's A-train". Lewisville Leader. Star Local Media. 2017-08-17. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
4. "A-train". Denton County Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
5. Lewis, B. J. (2008-12-18). "DCTA closes on depot property: Station to be one of five on commuter rail line". Denton Record-Chronicle. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A – via NewsBank.
6. Lewis, B. J. (2009-04-03). "DCTA on track with second link: Construction of new train station set to begin soon". Denton Record-Chronicle. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A – via NewsBank.
7. Brown, Lowell (2009-08-06). "Tree clearing brought to a halt: Work at new rail station stopped after city finds company had no permit". Denton Record-Chronicle. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A – via NewsBank.
8. Lewis, B. J. (2009-12-27). "DCTA: A-train still on revised schedule". Denton Record-Chronicle. A. H. Belo Corporation. pp. 1A – via NewsBank.
9. "DCTA service changes begin soon". Lewisville Leader. Star Local Media. 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
10. "Service Area". Denton County Transportation Authority. Archived from the original on 2021-04-19. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
11. Powers, Liesbeth (2020-07-22). "Denton County Transportation Authority discontinues North Central Texas College campus shuttle". Community Impact Dallas-Fort Worth. Retrieved 2024-02-10.
12. Grass, Justin (2022-10-27). "With more bus cuts around the corner, what will DCTA's future network look like?". Denton Record-Chronicle. Denton Media Company. Archived from the original on 2022-11-03. Retrieved 2023-08-26.
13. "University Routes". Denton County Transportation Authority. Retrieved 2024-02-10.

External links

• A-train | DCTA
• University Routes | DCTA (includes Colorado Express)