Fort Worth is taking strides towards safer, more efficient streets with a resolution passed by the Fort Worth City Council on Tuesday. This resolution is a push to secure a significant grant for the McPherson-Summer Creek Safe Streets project through the 2025 Transportation Alternatives Program, supervised by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). If obtained, the grant amounting to $5,099,220 could transform local roads into more bike-friendly and safe zones, as per the City of Fort Worth.
With these funds, the city aims to lay the groundwork for a network of bike lanes and safety enhancements along McPherson Boulevard and Summer Creek Road. The intended areas for improvement are heavily trafficked corridors, critical in connecting an array of local amenities and educational institutions—the project promises a safer path to three schools, including Summer Creek Middle School and North Crowley Ninth Grade Campus, and North Crowley High School, a regional park and a community center, as well as a patchwork of commercial and residential developments. Notably, the project is designed to maintain the existing lanes on the roads while adding this new infrastructure.
In a deeper commitment to revamping Fort Worth's mobility, NCTCOG has also invested energy in the Fort Worth76104 Transit Needs Assessment in association with Transportation and Public Works (TPW) and the FW Lab. This effort seeks to pioneer transit solutions to break barriers in access to fundamental services such as healthcare, food, and employment. Notably, a public meeting held in November on the city's Historic Southside gathered community input and spotlighted the transit situation in the 76104 ZIP code area.
The transit assessment, scheduled for completion by the end of 2025, has highlighted several key areas for project suggestions. These proposals range from a "transit loyalty program" that incentivizes regular riders to strategies for increasing bus efficiency, such as prioritizing traffic signals, expanding on-demand transit services during peak hours, and extending bus service times to serve the 76104 community better. Pop-up events and pedestrian access studies are also on the agenda, aiming to promote better connectivity and raise transit awareness. Public commentary on the draft recommendations is being encouraged until Feb. 17, reflecting Fort Worth's commitment to ensuring these transit services evolve hand in hand with community needs.
