Fort Worth — Streetcar Study Scaled Back

Rail Transit Online, April 2010

On Apr. 6, Fort Worth City Council approved an $800,000 study of a proposed downtown streetcar system by consultant HDR Engineering, Inc. The company will not perform any engineering or environmental work but will analyze potential ridership, routes, economic impact and other issues, co-ordinating its efforts with regional transportation plans.

The council had originally planned to vote on a nearly $1.9-million study, but scaled it back after the city failed to win a $25-million federal grant from the government's first round of streetcar funding.

One council member said Fort Worth may have missed out because its proposal was not well defined. A tentative initial route would connect commuter rail and bus stations with the city center. The streetcar could be expanded to three lines serving entertainment, educational and cultural venues and the medical district.