Fort Worth frets over passenger rail

Officials in Fort Worth, Tex.—perhaps eyeing nearby Dallas’s determination to expand passenger rail opportunities—have noted their city ranks among the lowest in U.S. public transit use, and are calling for expedited action in adding rail to the city’s mix.

Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief believes the city must more aggressively establish its proposed commuter rail line, Tarrant Express (or TEX), from southwest Fort Worth to Grapevine and the north end of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport. "We have a desperate need for commuter rail," Moncrief said during a recent joint meeting of the City Council and the Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) at the city’s convention center.

The line, projected to cost $500 million, is scheduled to begin revenue service in 2015, assuming federal matching funds are found to cover 50% of the project.

At present, the city has only one regional rail connection to Dallas, Trinity Railway Express, while its local bus system is considered inadequate by both city residents and outside observers.

According to Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Fernando Costa, only 1.3% of Fort Worth residents takes transit to work, compared with 4.3% percent in nearby Dallas and 5.0% in Austin, the state capital.