Fort Worth City Council voted on Sept. 29 to allocate $22.7 million from transportation impact fees toward eight high‑priority transportation projects and to approve an advance funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) for a $3.75 million water‑main relocation on US 287 and US 81 at Harmon Road.
According to Community Impact, the advance funding agreement will cover the water‑main work until the city issues bonds, after which bond proceeds will reimburse the water and sewer fund. The agreement also includes an amended contract with engineering firm Kimley‑Horn and Associates Inc. for an additional $107,700 in engineering services, bringing the revised contract total to $522,800. The original contract was approved on Aug. 8, 2023.
The TxDOT component of the project, valued at $75.9 million, involves reconstructing frontage roads and improving intersections along US 81 from I‑35W to Harmon Road. The work is slated for completion in Jan. 2028. Kimley‑Horn’s responsibilities include attending pre‑construction meetings, conducting on‑site observations, participating in construction progress meetings, reviewing requests for information and shop drawings, and preparing record drawings.
The water‑main relocation is situated within Fort Worth City Council Districts 4, 7 and 10, while the eight transportation projects span seven of the city’s eleven districts. In Council District 10, the council approved $4.2 million to widen Westport Parkway from State Highway 170 to Park Vista Boulevard. The Master Transportation Plan, unanimously adopted at the council’s June 9 meeting, designates Westport Parkway as a four‑lane divided roadway, with an estimated total cost of $8.6 million.
Council’s $22.7 million allocation comes from transportation impact fees and is intended to keep the high‑priority projects moving forward as Fort Worth experiences continued population growth and rising transportation demand. The funding will allow the city to proceed with design, right‑of‑way acquisition, and construction phases without delay.
What’s next: The water‑main relocation will be financed through the advance funding agreement until the city’s bond issuance is completed, after which the water and sewer fund will be reimbursed. The TxDOT‑led US 81 improvements are expected to reach final completion in Jan. 2028, while the eight transportation projects, including the Westport Parkway widening, will advance according to their individual schedules as outlined in the Master Transportation Plan.
Sources: communityimpact.com
