Trinity Metro gets funding for TEXRail extension to hospital district
Trinity Metro has received the funding it needs to extend the TEXRail line from downtown to the hospital district.
Michael Morris, the director of transportation of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, said Thursday that the agency’s Regional Transportation Council has approved $40 million for the $100 million project. Construction is expected to begin within a year.
Morris said this expansion would be a “game changer” for the hospital district that, according to him, is growing in restaurants and retail. The TEXRail line runs from downtown to DFW Airport, with stops near the Stockyards, Fort Worth, North Richland Hills and Grapevine.
“Having mobility options creates value, and overnight it would make the hospital district both retail, office, and residential, a terrific new opportunity for Fort Worth,” Morris said.
Morris’ announcement came during a press conference as Trinity Metro announced its plans and preparations for the World Cup.
“We have buses, we have trains, no need to rent that rental car, just hop right onto the Tex rail and ride downtown,” Rich Andreski, Trinity Metro President and CEO said.
Trinity Metro is expanding its services during starting June 14 for the nine World Cup matches at AT&T Stadium through July. New bus stops, extended hours, and 911 capabilities to accommodate all languages are planned, according to Andreski.
“Trinity Metro is going to connect all the major destinations, so we’re going to take people off the road. We’re going to make it affordable to get around while you’re here,” Andreski said.
Andreski said he is looking at this like a trial run to see if there is “interest and ridership.” If so they would be happy to continue to provide these services if they can find funding.
The World Cup services are built into the Trinity Metro budget, but at this time there is no funding to keep the services year round.
