(Source: U.S. Department of Transportation press release, December 28, 2016)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As more and more Americans flock to our nation’s 11 urban “megaregions,” it’s more important than ever for communities to take a regional approach to Americans’ mobility needs.
That’s exactly what community leaders are doing in Fort Worth, Texas, where we all gathered to celebrate a new federal funding agreement for the TEX Rail project, not too long ago.
According to the Census Bureau, the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area saw the second-largest population growth in the nation from 2014 to 2015 – growth that is expected to continue as the regional economy continues to add jobs and opportunities.
All of that growth, while welcome for a dynamic economy, puts a lot of strain on transportation infrastructure. Fort Worth commuters can testify to the difficulty of continuing to rely solely on roads and interstates bursting with traffic.
Enter TEX Rail: a 27-mile commuter rail line that will connect downtown Fort Worth with Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), including stops along the way in fast-growing suburban areas like North Richland Hills and Grapevine.
FTA is proud to support this project with a $499 million grant through our highly-competitive Capital Investment Grant program.
With TEX Rail, the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (“The T”) is embracing a regional approach to public transportation – not only by connecting with communities throughout Tarrant County and beyond, but also by linking to other transportation options like Dallas Area Rapid Transit, Amtrak, the Trinity Railway Express, and the T bus system.
Fort Worth, part of the “Texas Triangle” megaregion, is exactly the kind of community that USDOT’s Beyond Traffic initiative envisions being burdened by more and more pollution and gridlock unless forward-thinking investments are made to produce a truly robust and multimodal transportation system.
It’s great to see this area coming together to address urgent mobility needs. TEX Rail is a milestone investment that will benefit Fort Worth and the entire region for a long time to come.