Texas Transit Association

A coalition of area communities dedicated to improving public transportation and air quality in Tarrant County appears to be gaining momentum.

Watauga and Richland Hills are poised to be the latest cities to join the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition, a lobbying group that will seek state and federal money for the western half of the Metroplex. Bedford, Keller, Hurst, North Richland Hills and Southlake have already joined.

More cities to take part in mass-transit lobby
By Adrienne Nettles Star-Telegram Staff Writer Apr. 22, 2004

Ideas include adding train service through Northeast Tarrant County to the north side of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

“Right now we don’t know how we’re going to fund mass transit or rail, but the coalition may evolve into the group that does it,” North Richland Hills Mayor Oscar Trevino said.

More than 40 communities, three counties, and a slew of chambers of commerce and businesses are expected to participate in the coalition, which hopes to carry the political clout that the Dallas Regional Mobility Coalition does in the eastern half of the Metroplex. The Dallas coalition has an annual budget of about $200,000, Executive Director James McCarley said.

The Richland Hills and Watauga city councils are scheduled to vote April 26 and April 27, respectively, on whether to join the Tarrant coalition. Communities that join pay annual membership fees based on 10 cents per resident.

Watauga resident Jerry Phelps said Watauga’s estimated fee of $2,210 is nominal compared with the benefits the community could reap from lobbying state and federal leaders for money.

“I don’t know much about the political process, but there’s probably hundreds of millions out there that we could get a shot at that we’re not getting a shot at now,” he said.

Watauga City Councilman Jerry Adams said he’s not convinced that the coalition will directly benefit Watauga, which has only one major roadway, Denton Highway. The highway needs no improvements, he said.

“It’s a gamble to spend $2,210 of the taxpayers’ money,” he said. “I support the general idea of the coalition, but whether this is the right approach to solving transportation and air quality I can’t say.”

Richland Hills Mayor Nelda Stroder said she supports joining the coalition. Her city is completing the expansion of Rufe Snow Drive between Grapevine Highway and Baker Boulevard, and Northeast Loop 820 may also be expanded in the next decade or so, she said. But those would be the only major projects in the city involving state and federal dollars.

“Richland Hills may not see any direct benefit or money through the coalition, but we need to be a part of it because all traffic congestion in this area affects the Metroplex,” she said.

Tarrant County has lagged behind in thinking regionally for some time, Trevino said.

“The coalition gives us the lobbying ability to go down to Austin and say, ‘Hey, we got to do something for the region,’ ” he said.

Trevino said he wants to bring a rail line from downtown Fort Worth through North Richland Hills and other area communities to the north side of Dallas/Fort Worth Airport.

“The tracks are already there,” Trevino said. “We need to come up with two stations and the money to do it.” A rail-bus line already serves the airport’s south side.

Trevino, chairman of the Tarrant County Mayors Council Transportation Committee, said some “maybes” still exist about the coalition. And it could take up to seven years to see any results, but it’s a start.

“It’s all about thinking regionally,” he said.