Trinity Metro has selected AECOM to conduct the environmental assessment and preliminary engineering for the TEXRail extension project.
Trinity Metro plans to extend the commuter rail line south from downtown Fort Worth, Texas, connecting the Fort Worth T&P Station to the future TEXRail station in the Fort Worth Medical District. The extension will serve the more than 40,000 people who work in the fast-growing medical district, plus residents and businesses in the surrounding Near Southside neighborhood.
“We’re thrilled to continue supporting Trinity Metro and the city in its efforts to make public transportation more accessible,” said Lara Poloni, AECOM president. “AECOM looks forward to leveraging its global transportation expertise on this project and remains committed to advancing key infrastructure during this economic recovery.”
“Trinity Metro’s commuter rail line already has nine stations in Fort Worth, North Richland Hills and Grapevine, and this expansion is intended to improve transit equity by providing access to healthcare services for local residents who may not have a vehicle and will ease the commute for healthcare workers traveling in and out of the district,” said Dev Rastogi, AECOM vice president and Dallas executive.
The TEXRail commuter rail line opened in January 2019 and extends northeast for 27 miles between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport’s Terminal B. Stations are located along the corridor in North Fort Worth, North Richland Hills, Grapevine and DFW Airport. Currently, the rail line only goes as far south as the Fort Worth T&P Station but does not yet serve the city’s medical district or southern neighborhoods. The new project will extend the line 2.1 miles with a proposed station south of Mistletoe Boulevard, near Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, ridership on TEXRail had increased by more than 50 percent to more than 50,000 per month, providing a more efficient and environmentally conscious transportation method for riders. As project consultant, AECOM’s role will include a study to review the environmental impact of the project. AECOM will prepare the preliminary engineering plans, environmental documentation and support public outreach consistent with all Federal Transit Administration and National Environmental Policy Act requirements. In a similar role, AECOM supported Trinity Metro throughout the development of the initial phase of the TEXRail project.
“We are excited about moving forward with this extension to the TEXRail commuter rail line,” said Jon-Erik “AJ” Arjanen, vice president and chief operating officer of Trinity Metro. “Working through the environmental assessment and preliminary engineering are important phases in this project.”