Trinity Metro Eyes 2.1-Mile TEXRail Extension
November 16,2020
See full Railway Age article by Marybeth Luczak here.
Trinity Metro owns and operates the 27-mile TEXRail line, which debuted in January 2019. TEXRail runs from downtown Fort Worth, across northeast Tarrant County, through North Richland Hills and Grapevine, and into Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B. It serves seven new stations, and connects with the Dallas-Fort Worth Trinity Railway Express (TRE) commuter line at the Fort Worth T&P and Fort Worth Central stations. Trinity Metro and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) jointly own and operate the 34-mile TRE.
Prior to the pandemic, ridership on TEXRail had increased by more than 50% to more than 50,000 per month.
TEXRail commuter service, which operates between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B, would extend south 2.1 miles from the Fort Worth T&P Station to a proposed new station in the Fort Worth Medical District.
The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) signed a $499.39 million Full Funding Grant Agreement in 2016 for the $1.034 billion TEXRail project. Trinity Metro is able to use $38.9 million in remaining federal funds for the new line.
As project consultant, AECOM will prepare the preliminary engineering plans and environmental documentation for the extension, and support public outreach consistent with all FTA and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) requirements. AECOM supported Trinity Metro in a similar role throughout the TEXRail project’s first phase of development.
“We are excited about moving forward with this extension to the TEXRail commuter rail line,” Trinity Metro Vice President and Chief Operating Officer for Rail Jon-Erik “AJ” Arjanen said. “Working through the environmental assessment and preliminary engineering are important phases in this project.”
“We’re thrilled to continue supporting Trinity Metro and the city in its efforts to make public transportation more accessible,” AECOM President Lara Poloni said. “AECOM looks forward to leveraging its global transportation expertise on this project and remains committed to advancing key infrastructure during this economic recovery.”
Location Mentioned: Fort Worth Central Station