Recommended Phase One Streetcar Route

HDR, Inc. has released their recommended Phase One Fort Worth Modern Streetcar route.  This route was selected for a combination of factors – strong ridership (both initial and future), high development potential, connectivity between developing neighborhoods and Downtown, connectivity to other local and regional transportation systems, viability of funding, and others.  Phase One of the Fort Worth Modern Streetcar would link Downtown with the Near Southside and the Trinity River Vision’s Trinity Uptown area via the following route:

The route would have a northern terminus near LaGrave Field.  It would link to Downtown via North Main, switching to a Houston/Commerce couplet in the Downtown core.  It would reach 9th Street and connect to the Intermodal Transportation Center.  From there, it would link to the Near Southside via 9th and Jennings.  From there, the route takes Vickery over to South Main, then takes South Main to the southern terminus at John Peter Smith Hospital at South Main and Magnolia.

Phase One links important destinations in Trinity Uptown, Downtown, and the Near Southside.  It connects to commuter rail at both the ITC and the T&P Station (both the existing Trinity Railway Express and the future Southwest-to-Northeast line).  It connects to local bus service at both stations as well.  At the ITC, it further connects to Amtrak and Greyhound service.

Identified funding for the Phase One route consists of the $25 million Federal streetcar grant Fort Worth has already won, combined with funds from the Tax Increment Finance (TIF) Districts on the route, particularly the Trinity River Vision and Near Southside TIFs.  Operations costs are covered by The T and other private sources like farebox revenue, sponsorships, etc.  The Phase One alignment is financially viable without any money from the city’s general fund – no taxing of Fort Worth citizens, no money taken from potholes and parks.

Conservative estimates indicate this route would provide over $335 million in new development & investment along the route within 15 years – a cost-to-benefit ratio of 4 to 1, making Fort Worth’s Phase One route one of the strongest in the United States from an economic development standpoint.

In addition, Phase One would serve as a “spine” for potential future expansions to many parts of the central city, such as Magnolia Avenue, West 7th Street, East Rosedale, the Stockyards, and more (though Phase One doesn’t commit us to any expansions – the route is viable on its own).

A PDF of HDR’s presentation to City Council on the recommended Phase One route is available here.