AN S80 IS CLRED ACROSS THE ACTIVE RWY 18L AT DFW WHILE A COMMUTER FLT IS ON THEIR TKOF ROLL.

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LANDED RWY 18R AND TOLD TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 18L AT TXWY B. THEN TOLD CLRED TO CROSS RWY 18L AND CONTACT GND ON 121.85. AFTER WE CROSSED THE HOLD LINE; TWR TOLD US WITH GREAT URGENCY TO STOP. WE STOPPED WITH THE NOSE OF THE ACFT JUST ONTO THE RWY. WE LOOKED TOWARD THE TKOF END AND SAW A TURBOPROP JUST LIFTING OFF. WE HAD CLRED THAT END BEFORE STARTING TO CROSS AND HE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE MOVING NOR DID WE NOTICE ANY NOSE LIGHT ON. AFTER HE WAS AIRBORNE; TWR INSTRUCTED US TO CONTINUE ACROSS THE RWY. ON TAXI IN; GND CALLED US AND ASKED THAT WE CALL THE TWR ON THE PHONE LINE. WE DID AND DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH THEM. OUR ACFT WAS NEVER ON THE RWY FAR ENOUGH TO CAUSE A PROB AND THE COMMUTER ACFT LIFTED OFF WELL BEFORE OUR POS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 430306: HE DID NOT APPEAR TO HAVE HIS NOSE LIGHT ON; NOT THAT IT WOULD HAVE MADE ANY DIFFERENCE BY TODAY'S PROCS. WE CONTACTED THE TWR AS REQUESTED BY PHONE AND THEY ASKED IF WE HAD ANY PROB WITH THE INCIDENT. THE EXPLANATION WAS THAT THE CTLR HAD THOUGHT THE COMMUTER WOULD HAVE BEEN AIRBORNE MUCH SOONER. THAT PUT THE QUESTION IN MY MIND -- ARE WE NOW DOING 'TKOF AND IF YOU HAVE TO ABORT; HOLD SHORT' CLRNCS NOW? FOR MY PART IT RE-EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF TAKING NOTHING FOR GRANTED AND MORE CAREFULLY VISUALLY CLRING THE RWY BEFORE XING.