Input Wanted On Possible Cotton Belt Commuter Rail
FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - The North Central Texas Council of Governments is looking for input Thursday on the possible construction of the Cotton Belt commuter rail. This would be a planned extension of the TEXRail and would go from southwest Fort Worth to Plano, with a major hub at DFW International Airport.
The Cotten Belt commuter rail would cross three counties and several cities including Grapevine, Coppell, Carrollton, Addison and Richardson over a 26-mile corridor, with multiple stations along the way.
The current plan features around 150 miles of new, unfunded regional rails, including a high-speed rail service between Dallas and Fort Worth. The Regional Transportation Council recently approved $100 million toward the construction of the rail line and is now looking at public and private sector ideas to fund the project.
The presentation on Thursday will focus on the Cotton Belt. It would combine with the Fort Worth Transportation Authority's TEXRail to form a commuter rail corridor that stretches more than 50 miles, from Plano to downtown Fort Worth. Thursday's meeting will take place at 2:30 p.m. in Arlington. Click here for details.
Dallas Area Rapid Transit has identified the need for a cross-regional rail in North Texas, and development of the Cotton Belt, since the 1980s. Some people believe that this commuter rail would help to develop the DFW area's maturing public transport system.