TEXRail extension construction coming to Fort Worth Medical District

The city of Fort Worth is investing in its public transit system after seeing an increase in ridership over the past year. 

Trinity Metro’s TEXRail — a 27-mile commuter rail system running from downtown Fort Worth through North Fort Worth, North Richland Hills and Grapevine to DFW International Airport at Terminal B — is getting an extension. Referred to as a “core corridor for Fort Worth and Trinity Metro,” the 2.1-mile extension will be from Texas and Pacific Station, where it currently terminates, to the proposed Near Southside Station in the Medical District, according to project information provided by Trinity Metro.

“As Fort Worth and North Texas continue to grow rapidly, we simply cannot build our way out of congestion with highways alone,” said Ted Zimmerman, Trinity Metro’s vice president of marketing and communications.

Construction on the $167 million extension will begin in December and is expected to finish in late 2029. The extended service will operate seven days a week, mirroring the current service. 

Funding for the project has come from a combination of federal grants, support from the Regional Transportation Council, the city of Fort Worth and Trinity Metro. The land on which the station is being built was donated by Baylor Scott & White Hospital. 

“It has been part of the community’s long-term transportation vision for decades, and the corridor continues to align with the city’s growth patterns and regional transportation goals today,” Zimmerman said. 

The city views investing in public transit as an economic strategy. The Fort Worth Medical District currently supports approximately 50,000 jobs in various sectors. President and CEO of Trinity Metro Richard Andreski said in an April city council meeting the rail service had sustained growth, and March had seen the service’s highest numbers to date. Andreski said Trinity Metro has seen 15-20% compounded annual growth since 2021. 

Ridership growth reflects the increased demand for reliable and alternative modes of transportation. Zimmerman said the service’s consistency and recent connection to DART’s Silver Line, as well as higher gas prices, have contributed to increased ridership. 

“Texas will always be a state where cars and highways play a major role, and public transit is not about replacing that,” Zimmerman said. “It’s about giving people more transportation choices and making the entire system work better together.”