Groundbreaking Held for $270 Million TEXRail Extension in Fort Worth, USA

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On October 29, Trinity Metro, the transit authority of Fort Worth, USA, held a groundbreaking ceremony in the Fort Worth Medical District to launch construction of the 2.1-mile (3.4-kilometer) TEXRail commuter rail extension. The project represents a $270 million investment, with the line extending south from Fort Worth T&P Station to the new Near Southside Station. Passenger service is expected to begin in mid-2030.

The new Near Southside Station is located south of Mistletoe Boulevard and west of Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center. The 1.76-acre station site was donated by Baylor Scott & White Health. Station facilities include a 100-space park-and-ride lot, a bus transfer area, and station access roads. Once the extension opens, the total length of the TEXRail line will increase from 27 miles to 29.1 miles, allowing passengers to travel directly from Near Southside Station to downtown Fort Worth, North Richland Hills, Grapevine, and Terminal B at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

The $270 million investment is funded through federal, regional, and local sources. Federal funding channels include the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ), the Surface Transportation Block Grant (STBG) program, the BUILD grant program, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA); regional funding includes the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG); and local funding includes contributions from the City of Fort Worth. In addition, the original TEXRail project opened in 2019 approximately $80 million under budget, of which about $38.9 million in federal share was approved for retention to support the extension, forming part of the project's capital.

The original TEXRail line opened in January 2019, spanning 27 miles and connecting downtown Fort Worth with Terminal B at DFW Airport. After the extension is completed, Trinity Metro plans to further extend the line south to the Tarleton State University Fort Worth campus.