TEX Rail Plan Gets $50-Million In Federal Funds

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - TEX Rail, a proposed commuter rail line from downtown Fort Worth to Grapevine and the north entrance to Dallas/Fort Worth Airportwill receive $50 million in a package of federal projects.

"It will benefit us in our region continues to grow and as you know our roadways can not keep up with the traffic," said Rob Harmon, who is TEX Rail's Officer in Charge. "This is a great opportunity to find that alternative."

The money comes from federal funds that are part of President Obama's proposal to spend billions on transportation. But the project still needs about $405 million.

Visitors to Grapevine welcome the commuter rail line.

"We are down here visiting some friends," said Steve Auerswald from Rhode Island. "Our friends will love it. They have to pick us up right now I think they much rather if we showed up at a train station."

Other commuters such as Hilary Murphy said it would be something she would use regularly for trips to the airport and little gateways to Grapevine.

"It's so much easier and it's so less expensive," said Murphy, who lives in North Richland Hills. "Take my son and go do stuff with my family it will be a lot easier for us to take the train then drive."

Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate released a statement Wednesday afternoon:

"The announcement yesterday of TexRail being in the President's 2015 New Starts Funding Budget is exciting news for Grapevine residents and businesses and reaffirms the wisdom of the voters who overwhelmingly supported commuter rail funding in a 2006 sales tax vote."

"The hard work of the Fort Worth Transportation Authority Board - led by Chairman Scott Mahaffey - and the T Staff to advance the project to this important critical milestone is paying off for this important link from the west. The project is from downtown Fort Worth to Grapevine and into DFW Airport where passengers can then easily connect to DART's Orange Line to downtown Dallas and the entire DART system. This commuter rail link is a critical initiative that benefits the entire DFW Region."

Grapevine is proud to be a regional partner on this project and we look forward to construction of the $800 Million project in 2016 with service beginning in 2018."

The rest of the money will come during the next four years.

(©2014 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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