Car crashes into DART power lines near Downtown Dallas

DALLAS - A Monday morning car crash damaged DART’s electrical lines and impacted two rail lines.

Dallas police said a speeding car went off a bridge from Houston Street near Young Street around 1 a.m. Monday. It landed on the DART tracks below.

A massive operation is underway near Downtown Dallas to repair part of the DART rail line heavily damaged by a violent crash overnight.

"Unfortunately, quite a bit of damage. Some extensive damage down there," said DART Spokesperson Gordon Shattles.

Monday morning, a black Toyota Camry speeding on the Houston Street Viaduct went airborne over the barriers and dropped some 30 to 40 feet off the bridge, landing next to the train tracks.

As the car fell, it struck the electrical lines that supply power to the DART trains. The wires fell onto a train. Witnesses saw two women running from the scene.

"So this is going to be unfortunately affecting our red and blue line passengers down by EBJ Union Station," Shattles said.

DART busses were brought in to help riders navigate around the affected area.

I've certainly never ridden a bus before and a car hit something that stopped the train from going through," said rider Dawn Wolfington. "So they're giving us directions on how to get on the shuttle bus to get us to another train line."

Wolfington and her friend were headed to the Dallas Zoo when they got sidetracked.

"It's okay. It's all going to work out," said rider Michael Price. "We're just taking a short ride on a connecting bus to the red line.

Shattles says repairs could take up to a week.

All of the overhead electrical lines need to be replaced as do the poles that hold up the lines.

Riders should plan ahead and download the Go Pass app.

"Definitely recommend all of our riders," Shattles said. "You'll look for a red sign. It'll say rail disruption. That's where those busses will come to pick you up."

Passengers who ride the trains south of Downtown Dallas should expect delays. 

Shuttle buses are being used to take people from the EBJ/Union and Victory stations to the 8th and Corinth Station. 

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