Betsy Price: Private investment has transformed mobility in North Texas. Let’s finish the job.
Born and raised in the Metroplex and in my years as mayor of Fort Worth, I have watched this region grow and lead the nation in economic development and innovation. More people move to our cities daily as we provide good jobs and deliver high-quality education. The North Central Texas Council of Governments predicts 11.2 million people will call this region home by 2045.
As our population grows, demand for more roads and better transportation solutions also increases. When I first took office as Fort Worth mayor, public-private partnerships were used to meet infrastructure challenges and demands. These partnerships are proven investment tools, previously approved by the Legislature and administered by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Leaders across the Metroplex collaborated to meet the demands of a rapidly growing region, and to maximize connectivity and sustainability.
Today, however, major transportation projects across North Texas are delayed and unfunded. Congestion continues to worsen. The answer to this problem lies not in new taxes. Instead, we should return to proven methods to build roads that benefit our communities. Many projects come to mind, but one stands out: the North Tarrant Express (NTE), constructed as a public-private partnership under an agreement with the state. I saw firsthand the development of the NTE managed lanes system in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Handling more than 600,000 trips a day, the NTE network not only works, it was delivered years ahead of schedule and created thousands of jobs for our communities.
Most recently, the North Tarrant Express network celebrated the opening of a newly improved segment that delivers the latest in mobility technology and innovation. This is the 7-mile portion of NTE I-35W connecting downtown Fort Worth and Alliance Airport. This vital corridor will serve Hillwood’s AllianceTexas, a 27,000-acre, master-planned, mixed-use development responsible for contributing more than $100 billion in economic impact to the region.
- FWBP Digital Partners -
Another NTE segment that is just as critical is the section that serves as a major artery to the south entrance of the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport. However, this Midtown portion of the NTE SH 183 is incomplete. It’s a link in the efficient movement of drivers and cargo to and from the airport and, clearly, its improvement must be completed. This is now all the more urgent given the major expansion planned for DFW Airport, soon to be the world’s busiest. Further, the NTE always offers drivers the choice to travel on its managed lanes or on the non-tolled lanes.
Without these needed safety and capacity improvements to this segment of SH 183 from Reliance Parkway to MacArthur Boulevard, North Texas businesses will suffer and our communities will be vulnerable to dangerous bottlenecks.
Importantly, these NTE improvements would be funded entirely by the private sector and constructed by local contractors – at no construction cost to Texas taxpayers.
Transportation is fundamental to the economy and our daily lives. We need vast improvements on our roadways. Continued private investment, rather than more taxes, is the best way to address this need and to keep pace with rapid growth in Fort Worth and the entire region.
Waiting does not fix the transportation problems of today or prepare us for the transportation of tomorrow. The time to act on the North Tarrant Express is now.
Betsy Price served five terms as mayor of Fort Worth, leaving office in June 2021 as the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history.