What changed to finally get Panther Island project funded? Here’s who deserves credit

A front is bringing in gusty wind, but if you already feel the breeze, it might be a collective sigh of relief from Fort Worth elected officials and other leaders.

U.S. Rep. Kay Granger made the announcement Wednesday that she and others have been eager to make for years: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will spend $403 million on the Trinity River bypass channel necessary to create Panther Island.

Granger, Rep. Marc Veasey, the new leadership at the Tarrant Regional Water District and former Mayor Betsy Price were key to reversing the fortunes of a project that was languishing. They deserve credit.

Amid the agony of bridges over dry land and disputes over how to proceed, it was easy to lose sight of the project’s importance to Tarrant County and the city. It will provide improved protection against a catastrophic flood, the kind that Fort Worth saw decades ago. That’s why, in spite of the turmoil and uncertainty, we’ve remained supportive of the project. The need has grown only more acute as huge rainstorms arrive more frequently.

That flood risk has made the valuable land north of downtown difficult to develop. Doing so now will be a boon for the city. And not just in terms of increased property tax rolls — done right, Panther Island can be one of our city’s top attractions.

Let’s also hail a moment of rare bipartisan achievement. Granger told us in 2020 that opposition in the Trump White House, in the person of Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, was the impediment to funding. With the change to a Democratic administration, Veasey’s participation was likely important, and Granger pointedly thanked him in her statement. With a key portion of Panther Island being quietly shifted to his district in this round of map-drawing, Veasey will remain a vital advocate for the project.

A few years ago, the project was mired in confusion about priorities, questions about leadership and quarreling among the local-government partners. Price, still mayor at the time, was instrumental in pushing for a reboot. She publicly called for a comprehensive review and started talk of alternatives to getting the project done.

New water-district leadership has worked to improve oversight and practices at the agency, not all of them related to Panther Island. There’s more work to do, but a better spirit of transparency has taken hold under board President Leah King and Dan Buhman, the district’s general manager.

Going forward, these partners must continue to cooperate to make the vision of a booming area combining recreational, residential and retail space a reality. And they need to make sure the benefits of the development spread to all, including minority contractors and the long-suffering businesses in the area, who’ve fought through construction disruptions with the new bridges.

This is a rare opportunity to remake a key portion of the city’s interior. Fort Worth must get it right.