North Fort Worth suburb hopeful for traffic-relieving bridge with state funding
The mayor of Haslet is asking the state to provide funding for a bridge that could alleviate extensive traffic congestion in northwest Tarrant County.
In May, the Texas Legislature approved a grant program to provide money for grade separation projects related to railways, such as bridges or underpasses. The pot of money amounts to $250 million that can be handed out to any number of entities, so the amount that the state might provide Haslet is unknown.
Traffic along the east-west Avondale-Haslet Road thoroughfare in Haslet often backs up because of the trains leaving the BNSF Alliance yard.
“Our roads are so bad, we are known throughout the Metroplex as the place with the trains and the traffic,” Councilmember Chris Carathers said in the Monday night meeting.
A short bridge costing $16 million was previously designed to go over BNSF railroad tracks with federal funding. Haslet Mayor Gary Hulsey said BNSF rejected the proposal in October because support columns for the bridge would block the rail company’s right of way.
The new design of the bridge as submitted to the state does not have that problem. As drawn, the bridge passes over Farm Road 156 and School House Road — and the BNSF railways. Hulsey said he is sure the rail company will be in favor of the new design.
The proposal creates a bridge between Avondale-Haslet Road and Haslet Parkway, which is not yet finished. As the roads stand now, Avondale-Haslet stops at Blue Mound and Haslet Parkway dead ends about a mile and a half west of Interstate 35W.
Until the grant is approved or denied, Hulsey said the allotted $16 million for the initial bridge plan will be paused and the Texas Department of Transportation will suspend work on the project.
Hulsey said the city has “a very high chance” of receiving grant money because there is not a more prominent project in Texas, nor a more prominent inland port in the United States.
Haslet’s proposal was moved on into the second phase of consideration at the state level. If the city receives funding, the project must begin within three years.
This story was originally published December 15, 2025 at 11:50 PM.