Trinity Metro’s 27-mile TEXRail commuter rail line travels from downtown Fort Worth through North Fort Worth, North Richland Hills and Grapevine to the northern entrance of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, ending at DFW Terminal B. Trinity Metro is planning to extend the commuter rail line south from the Fort Worth Texas & Pacific (T&P) Station, where TEXRail currently terminates, to the proposed Near Southside Station in the Fort Worth Medical District.
In Fall 2020, Trinity Metro began conducting the Environmental Assessment (EA) and Conceptual Engineering for the 2.1-mile TEXRail extension project. The final EA and Conceptual Engineering were completed in October 2021 followed by a 30-day public comment period. The project received a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) from the Federal Transit Administration on December 22, 2021. The following documents can be accessed below:
NOVEMBER 16 PUBLIC MEETING
Thank you for joining us for the Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2021 opportunity to discuss the Environmental Assessment for the new proposed TEXRail station.
- VIEW the November 16 Public Meeting recording.
- SCROLL down to the video recording below and play.
- VIEW stakeholders’ comments and questions in the Q&A tab.
- VIEW the Powerpoint presentation.
- Go to the DOCUMENTS section under Project Information tab. Click the file name to view.
STATION PLANNING Q&A
This is a list of Questions and Answers recently asked by stakeholders. We will continue to update the information as questions arise.
| STATION PLANNING Q&A | |
|---|---|
| Service, Connections and Operations | |
| Question | Exactly where is the location of the station planned? |
| Answer | It is south of Mistletoe Blvd. and adjacent to Baylor Scott and White's property to the west side and Fort Worth & Western Railroad right-of-way to the east. Refer to the station map. |
| Question | Will there be weekend service? |
| Answer | Yes. We are planning to mirror our current TEXRail service and operate seven days a week. |
| Question | How will people reach area hospitals? Will there be transportation to the area hospitals from the train station? |
| Answer | Those arriving either by bus or TexRail would walk to the south and go to the upper level, much like those who currently are parking in the hospital employee parking lot and enter the hospital on the south side. Those going to the hospital or the medical office building would walk to the north and go up the sidewalk to enter the hospital area or to continue on to Magnolia Avenue. We also have a pedestrian connection at the northwest corner of the station to Mistletoe. Bus routes will be re-aligned and ZIPZONE service can also be used to the area hospitals. ZIPZONE is a ridesharing transit solution that uses smartphone technology and a fleet of dedicated vehicles to provide trips within specific service boundaries. This convenient on-demand option gives you the flexibility to travel when you choose rather than committing to a preset schedule. ZIPZONE allows you to request trips in real time through the app or over the phone by selecting a pickup point and destination. |
| Question | Will TRE trains have access to the station? If so, will there be longer station platform for both trains? |
| Answer | Currently there are no plans for TRE to operate to the Near Southside Station, only TEXRail will operate to this station as currently designed. |
| Question | Will the schedule be linked with the TRE schedule to limit wait times for trips to Dallas? |
| Answer | We are currently working on developing the operations schedule with the goal to limit wait times. |
| Question | How will this station help mitigate criminal activity in the area? |
| Answer | We plan on installing similar security features that we have at our other stations. This includes emergency phones where individuals can dial-up 911. We will have security cameras, at the station and in the park and ride lots. Those are monitored by the security center. In addition, we provide rolling patrols by a third-party contractor. |
| Question | What is the projected passenger increase due to this station and rail extension? |
| Answer | We are working with the North Central Texas Council of Governments to determine ridership projections. |
| Question | How will this impact current Fort Worth & Western freight operations? |
| Answer | There will not be any impact, as passenger and freight are separate operations. |
| Question | What is the schedule for the next station at Grandberry Rd @ I-20? |
| Answer | We have not identified funding or any scheduled date for extending service past the Near South Side Station at this time. |
| Question | What type of security will be provided on the train? |
| Answer | Safety and security on all our Trinity Metro trains and buses are our top priority. Trinity Metro provides off-duty police presence on TEXRail trains, for the purpose of escorting conductors during fare media validations, as well as response to onboard disturbances and enforcement of fare evasion incidents. As always, call 911, first, in the event of an emergency. |
| Planning and Development | |
| Question | Why will there be platforms on both sides? |
| Answer | Our plan is to construct a center platform, similar to what is at the T&P station so there will be one platform with tracks on both sides. |
| Question | Will there be a second bridge over Lancaster Road between Fort Worth Central and T&P? |
| Answer | No. |
| Question | Will sidewalks be added to Mistletoe Blvd.? |
| Answer | There will be some improvements, and the sidewalk will be extended across the tracks to connect the existing sidewalks. |
| Question | Will the procurement be a design-bid-build or is Trinity Metro considering alternative delivery methods, such as design-build or CM/GC? |
| Answer | While we are looking at an alternative delivery method, such as a CM/GC, a final decision has not yet been made. |
| Question | When will there be a final decision regarding the procurement method? |
| Answer | We hope to have a decision on which path to take by early to mid-summer. |
| Question | Will the current tracks be improved to support somewhat higher speeds between Mistletoe and T&P? |
| Answer | TEXRail will be constructed on new track between the T&P and Near Southside Stations. |
| Question | What is the cost and effect as it applies to the zoning in communities? |
| Answer | The project is not re-zoning any properties. |
| Question | Will there be any artistic additions to the station design elements? Other stations, such as the T&P Station, have investments from Fort Worth Public Art and it would be wonderful for the station to have those artistic elements. |
| Answer | We would expect to have a similar art program as we do with the rest of TEXRail. In addition, we are planning to install windscreens, similar to the Near South Side Station, in which local artists develop art to incorporate the windscreen panels. We have a contract with a local organization that provides displays from local artists. |
| Question | How will Trinity Metro and the city support Transit Oriented Development (TOD) by the station? What will it take to bring a TOD to life (as described in the virtual public meeting) versus a minimal development? |
| Answer | The land is owned by Baylor Scott and White and they would initially work to bring in developers to develop the property. The station, itself, takes up very little land, but there is plenty of land for future development. |
| Question | Has Trinity Metro considered bicycle lockers so that people may travel by bike and keep their bikes stored safely? |
| Answer | While we do not currently have a plan for bike lockers, design of the station includes bike racks where bikes can be locked. |
| Question | Were there any discussions to make Mistletoe Blvd. one way? |
| Answer | No, that is not being considered as part of this project. Traffic analysis for the project is being completed for the environmental assessment. Roadway improvements are limited to those required for the project. |
| Question | Aside from parking, will there be a bike station? Are there any street modification? |
| Answer | There currently is a bike share station in proximity to the project at Enderly Place and West Allen Avenue. Trinity Metro may have a kiosk at the station for the bike share program. As for street modifications, Leslie Street will be re-aligned into the station and upgraded with a sidewalk. Traffic analysis for the project is being completed for the environmental assessment. Roadway improvements are limited to those required for the project. |
| Question | Will there be any improvements made to Mistletoe Blvd? The street is narrow with cars parked on both sides and no light at 8th Ave. It seems narrow for buses or heavy traffic. |
| Answer | Yes, we plan to extend the sidewalk where there is a section between and across the tracks. Traffic analysis for the project is being completed for the environmental assessment. Roadway improvements are limited to those required for the project. |
| Question | How will the extension affect headways? |
| Answer | We are not planning to affect headways. |
| Question | Is the design intent to meet all the city's development standards as defined within the City Code of Ordinances within 'Part II, Appendix A; Chapter 6; Article 3'? |
| Answer | This ordinance does not apply as this site is zoned NS-T51, not industrial. In addition, railroad rights of way are exempt from the requirement. |
| Question | Is massive excavation expected to lower this track to the height of the FWWR line? |
| Answer | The passenger track is currently at the approximate height of the FWWR track. Any excavation for the station will be determined when the platform location is determined. |
| Question | A 45-degree transitional height plan is required between commercial and residential sites in Fairmount and is proposed along Hemphill. Will that 45-degree plan also apply here? |
| Answer | The 45-degree transitional height plan is not applicable. The project has no shared property lines with residential properties. |
| Question | Will the project affect drainage? |
| Answer | We are conducting a drainage study for conceptual engineering to analyze needed improvements for the project. |