Arlington City Council moves to update entertainment district rideshare restrictions

The Arlington Entertainment District is expected to have new areas where rideshare pick-up and drop-off won’t be allowed.

The city council voted unanimously to give initial approval to updates adding areas around Globe Life Field to the list of areas where rideshare can’t make stops for passengers.

Arlington police told KERA in an emailed statement that the updates are more housekeeping than anything.

Rules for rideshare and other for-hire drivers in the entertainment district were last updated before the opening of Globe Life Field. The changes also addressed some street name changes that have happened since the last update, such as Legends Way being renamed to AT&T Way.

Many of these areas are already marked as no stopping or no pick-up and drop-off locations.

Police said in the statement that the goal is to keep people safe, keep traffic flowing and make trips through to the Arlington Entertainment District or to events smoother.

“Whenever we host a Cowboys game, Rangers game, or other major event, one of our primary goals is to get the thousands of visitors who attend those events in and out of the Entertainment District as safely and efficiently as possible,” police wrote in the statement.

Having rules that prohibit drivers from stopping in the road to drop-off or load passengers means fewer people being let out at unsafe places and less chance a stopping car will disrupt traffic, police said.

The stadiums in the entertainment district do have dedicated areas for rideshare pick-up and drop-off, though. Uber, Lyft, Via and other rideshare services can stop at Lot C for Globe Life Field events and Lot 15 for trips to and from AT&T Stadium.

Police said those designated spots are clearly marked with signs directing both passengers and drivers to those areas.

“Following events, we often have traffic control measures in place such as lane closures and one-way roadways to help facilitate the mass exit of fans from the Entertainment District,” police told KERA. “As a result, a rideshare driver may not be able to navigate to where their rider is if that rider is at a non-designated location around the stadiums.”

That can be confusing and cause delays for rideshare drivers and frustrating for passengers, police said. Having pick-up and drop-off in designated areas also makes it easier for authorities to keep an eye on things, increasing safety in the area.

Restrictions on rideshare drop-off and pick-up locations aren’t new or uncommon. Cities across Dallas-Fort Worth have adopted similar rules in high-traffic areas in recent years, such as rules about where rideshare drivers can stop in Fort Worth’s West 7th entertainment district.

Arlington’s city council voted Tuesday to give initial approval to the changes. Council members are expected to vote again for final approval at the Dec. 17 evening meeting.