Panther Island is already behind schedule. Progress could slow more as money tightens.
Panther Island officials say they must watch their money while waiting for the federal government to fund its portion of the $1.17 billion Trinity River project.
G.K. Maenius, Tarrant County administrator and Trinity River Vision Authority board president, expressed caution during a meeting Wednesday over locals spending too much on buying property, cleaning up environmental issues and relocating utilities — projects needed to make the Trinity River channel project ready for the Army Corps of Engineers.
The federal government has been slow to fund its half of the project. Approved for up to $520 million, the Corps has received about $62 million, though a recent meeting between Mayor Betsy Price and top White House budget officials may shake loose some new dollars.
A roughly 1.5-mile channel would expedite the flow of water where the two forks of the Trinity River meet, protecting about 2,400 acres. Meanwhile, the channel would create an 800-acre island north of downtown Fort Worth, opening the door to lucrative riverfront development in the heart of the city.
The city and Tarrant Regional Water District are about nine to 12 months behind on work needed to make the land ready for the Army Corps to dig the channel, said Sandy Newby, water district finance officer. That’s not including delays to three bridges being built ahead of the channel construction.
“I don’t want to fall farther behind, but I don’t want to get too far in front of our skis either because then we may be spending money we don’t need to spend,” Maenius said.
The Army Corps project’s design is about 60 percent complete and could be done in two stages with the north part of the channel dug first. J.D. Granger, authority executive director, said locals could move as fast or as slow as needed to ready the area for the Corps.
“We’re not trying to do all the work at once,” he said during the meeting. “If the money came in much faster we could amend the budget.”
Maenius said he was encouraged by news Price had met with Mick Mulvaney, the White House budget director and acting chief of staff, alongside U.S. Rep. Roger Williams last week. Price said Saturday she was encouraged by the meeting and the possibility of additional money.
The White House budget office has been unwilling to fund the project because it lacks the cost-benefit study typical of Army Corps work.
The Trinity River Vision Authority’s budget for next year amounts to $36.6 million. Part of that, about $21.9 million, will come from the water district for land acquisition, business relocation and environmental cleanup. The city is also expected to relocate utility lines in the way of the bypass channel costing $13.6 million.
That budget will officially be approved in September.
This will be the first time local efforts will have to dip into the $250 million bond package voters approved in May 2018. Previously, Trinity River Vision Authority money has come from a $200 million water district loan.
The city expects its work to be paid back by the water district through the bond package — a point of contention.
In order to pay back the bond debt, the water district needs to extend the life of a special tax district set to expire in 2044.
When federal funding was in doubt last fall, city officials including Price and members of the City Council said they would not approve extending the lifespan of the district until Washington agreed to fund the Army Corps.
City Manager David Cooke, an authority board member, said the city is still waiting for a stronger assurance from Washington.
“We’re still trying to find where that line is,” Cooke said of extending the tax district. “We don’t want to hold up the project.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2019 at 6:29 PM with the headline "Panther Island is already behind schedule. Progress could slow more as money tightens.."
