(FORT WORTH, TEXAS) Oct. 23, 2018 –The City of Forest Hill and Trinity Metro are celebrating a new bus route with a ribbon cutting at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 26, at the Forest Hill Civic & Convention Center, 6901 Wichita St. Operations will begin on Monday, Nov. 5.
The Forest Hill City Council has approved an agreement with Trinity Metro to provide transit service to the residents of Forest Hill. This route will benefit the city by getting people to jobs, education, and healthcare. The route will provide additional service to Tarrant County College (TCC) South as well as access to shopping, senior living and other landmarks within the city. More than 6,000 people will be within a quarter of a mile from a bus stop, and there are 1,800 jobs that are accessible on the new route.
Trinity Metro’s Board of Directors approved the new route earlier this week. Trinity Metro Board Chair Scott Mahaffey said the service reflects Forest Hill’s desire for transit options and Trinity Metro’s commitment to expanding and improving its transportation network. “This is another great example of partnering with others in the community,” he said. “Trinity Metro works with them to determine their needs and the two partners collaborate on how the city can help fund the service that we provide.”
The Forest Hill service will be Route 71 and will connect with 5B, 25 and 28 on Mansfield Highway and 3, 5A, 5B and 67X at TCC South. The route will have 32 bus stops, including city offices, convention center, Foodland, Forest Hill Senior Center and the Villas of Forest Hill. Service would be provided by a Trinity Metro trolley similar to those used in downtown Fort Worth.
“We are excited about the opportunity to offer service to the City of Forest Hill,” said Detra Whitmore, vice president of Administration/Planning & Development. “The city officials have been very enthusiastic about bringing public transportation to their residents. No longer will there be a barrier to education, employment and healthcare.” Whitmore credits the North Central Texas Council of Governments for working with Trinity Metro and Tarrant County Commissioner Roy Brooks to make this funding happen
“This historic extension of Trinity Metro bus service to the City of Forest Hill is the first step in extending ridership to South Tarrant County,” said Brooks, who will be in attendance at the ribbon-cutting event. “Further, it is one more step toward a regional transit system, which every world class metro area must provide.”
Other attendees include Judge Lisa Woodard, Board Chair Scott Mahaffey, Forest Hill Mayor Lyndia Thomas, Mayor Pro Tem Beckie Hayes and Detra Whitmore. Pastor Percy Thompson of the Greater Sweethome Missionary Baptist Church Forest Hill will provide the invocation. Other invited guests include Congressman Marc Veasey, Sen. Konni Burton, State Rep. Nicole Collier, Tarrant County Commissioners, Judge Glen Whitley, Constable Michael Campbell, Everman Mayor Ray Richardson, Crowley Mayor Billy Davis, Kennedale Mayor Brian Johnson and Forest Hill council members.
Trinity Metro President/CEO Paul J. Ballard cites the Forest Hill route as another important step in the Transit Master Plan. “Providing more service in new areas is one of the key components of our plan. I’m delighted that the Forest Hill residents can improve their mobility and enjoy new transportation options.”
Mayor Lyndia Thomas said she is anxiously awaiting the start of bus service in Forest Hill. “After working on getting transportation in our city for the last 15 months, I am excited to know that our citizens will finally have the transportation that they need. Forest Hill is making history!”
Funding, fare structure
Funding for the Forest Hill route is provided through a $1 million grant to provide public transportation as a pilot project in Everman, Crowley and Forest Hill. Trinity Metro will be working with other cities to bring transit to their residents. The two-year pilot will utilize a third of the grant for Forest Hill. In the third year, Forest Hill will be responsible for paying for the service, which is $200,000.
The fare structure will be the same as Trinity Metro’s other bus routes: $2 for a single ride or $5 for an all-day pass that is valid for all buses and rail in Tarrant County. For those who qualify, a reduced day pass is available for $2.50.
About Trinity Metro
Trinity Metro is a regional transportation system that provides public transportation to meet the mobility needs in Tarrant County. The agency offers connections throughout the North Central Texas region, annually providing 10 million passenger trips on buses, vanpools and the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), a 34-mile commuter rail line jointly owned and operated with Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART). Trinity Metro is constructing TEXRail, a 27-mile commuter rail line that will operate from downtown Fort Worth to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B, with revenue service beginning in January 2019. Trinity Metro is governed by an 11-member board of directors, consisting of eight Fort Worth City Council appointments and three Tarrant County Commissioners Court appointments.