NCTCOG Hosting 4 High-Speed Transportation Open House Opportunities Beginning Aug. 29
8/23/2023
Planners will address components of Phase 2 of DFW corridor study
(Arlington, TEXAS) -- Plans to link Fort Worth, Arlington and Dallas with high-speed rail are moving ahead, and planners want to hear what potential users of the system think. The formal National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review process of the Dallas-Fort Worth High-Speed Transportation Connections Study will kick off in September, and the North Central Texas Council of Governments is hosting four open house events to allow the public a chance to learn more about the project.
The first open house is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29 at NCTCOG’s Arlington offices. Subsequent open houses will be hosted at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 at the Fort Worth Central Station Community Room; 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6 at the Tony Shotwell Life Center in Grand Prairie; and 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7 at the West Dallas Multipurpose Center.
The open houses will encourage an open dialogue, similar to meetings held during the first phase of the study in 2021. A short video will discuss the project and presentation boards throughout each venue will explain different high-speed technologies and illustrate the recommended route.
During Phase 1 of the project, planners evaluated high-speed transportation alternatives, including alignments and various high-speed technologies, that could enhance travel between Dallas, Arlington and Fort Worth. Now, the proposed high-speed transportation project between Dallas and Fort Worth is in Phase 2, focusing on a single corridor and identified station locations, with the goal of evaluating potential social and environmental impacts along the corridor.
Planners and engineers have identified the preferred route to be generally located along Interstate Highway 30 between downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth, with a stop in the Arlington Entertainment District. Currently, they are advancing preliminary engineering design of this alignment to support the social and environmental analysis of high-speed rail.
The high-speed rail line being studied in North Texas would provide connections with local transportation systems and link directly to future high-speed services such as the planned Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail line.
The 12-county metropolitan area currently has a population of 8 million and is expected to add an additional 3 million-plus people by 2045. The projected 2045 population of over 11 million would be approximately 50% larger than in 2018. Implementation of high-speed rail technology will help alleviate the increase in highway congestion that is expected to occur because of the population growth.
About the North Central Texas Council of Governments:
NCTCOG is a voluntary association of local governments established in 1966 to assist local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. NCTCOG's purpose is to strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication and make joint decisions.
NCTCOG serves a 16-county region of North Central Texas, which is centered in the two urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. Currently, NCTCOG has 238 member governments including 16 counties, 169 cities, 19 school districts and 27 special districts. For more information on the NCTCOG Transportation Department, visit www.nctcog.org/trans.
About the Regional Transportation Council:
The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) of the North Central Texas Council of Governments has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for regional transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1974. The MPO works in cooperation with the region’s transportation providers to address the complex transportation needs of the rapidly growing metropolitan area. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise counties. The RTC’s 44 members include local elected or appointed officials from the metropolitan area and representatives from each of the area’s transportation providers. More information can be found at www.nctcog.org.
The first open house is scheduled for 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29 at NCTCOG’s Arlington offices. Subsequent open houses will be hosted at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 31 at the Fort Worth Central Station Community Room; 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 6 at the Tony Shotwell Life Center in Grand Prairie; and 4 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7 at the West Dallas Multipurpose Center.
The open houses will encourage an open dialogue, similar to meetings held during the first phase of the study in 2021. A short video will discuss the project and presentation boards throughout each venue will explain different high-speed technologies and illustrate the recommended route.
During Phase 1 of the project, planners evaluated high-speed transportation alternatives, including alignments and various high-speed technologies, that could enhance travel between Dallas, Arlington and Fort Worth. Now, the proposed high-speed transportation project between Dallas and Fort Worth is in Phase 2, focusing on a single corridor and identified station locations, with the goal of evaluating potential social and environmental impacts along the corridor.
Planners and engineers have identified the preferred route to be generally located along Interstate Highway 30 between downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth, with a stop in the Arlington Entertainment District. Currently, they are advancing preliminary engineering design of this alignment to support the social and environmental analysis of high-speed rail.
The high-speed rail line being studied in North Texas would provide connections with local transportation systems and link directly to future high-speed services such as the planned Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail line.
The 12-county metropolitan area currently has a population of 8 million and is expected to add an additional 3 million-plus people by 2045. The projected 2045 population of over 11 million would be approximately 50% larger than in 2018. Implementation of high-speed rail technology will help alleviate the increase in highway congestion that is expected to occur because of the population growth.
High-Speed Transportation Open Houses
| Date/ Time | Location |
| August 29, 5-7:30 p.m. | North Central Texas Council of Governments 616 Six Flags Drive Arlington, TX 76011 |
| August 31, 4-7 p.m. | Fort Worth Central Station Community Room 1001 Jones St. Fort Worth, TX 76102 |
| September 6, 5-7:30 p.m. | Tony Shotwell Life Center 2750 Graham St. Grand Prairie, TX 75050 |
| September 7, 4-7 p.m. | West Dallas Multipurpose Center 2828 Fish Trap Road Dallas, TX 75212 |
About the North Central Texas Council of Governments:
NCTCOG is a voluntary association of local governments established in 1966 to assist local governments in planning for common needs, cooperating for mutual benefit, and coordinating for sound regional development. NCTCOG's purpose is to strengthen both the individual and collective power of local governments and to help them recognize regional opportunities, eliminate unnecessary duplication and make joint decisions.
NCTCOG serves a 16-county region of North Central Texas, which is centered in the two urban centers of Dallas and Fort Worth. Currently, NCTCOG has 238 member governments including 16 counties, 169 cities, 19 school districts and 27 special districts. For more information on the NCTCOG Transportation Department, visit www.nctcog.org/trans.
About the Regional Transportation Council:
The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) of the North Central Texas Council of Governments has served as the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for regional transportation planning in the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 1974. The MPO works in cooperation with the region’s transportation providers to address the complex transportation needs of the rapidly growing metropolitan area. The Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan area includes Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Hood, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, Tarrant and Wise counties. The RTC’s 44 members include local elected or appointed officials from the metropolitan area and representatives from each of the area’s transportation providers. More information can be found at www.nctcog.org.