Plans to expand a popular Fort Worth passenger rail line are progressing.
Trinity Metro isn’t quite ready to start building its 2.1-mile extension from downtown to the Medical District but it is taking steps forward. The agency’s board authorized early-work contract amendments for a construction manager at risk — a consultant who will manage the project from design to completion while monitoring costs. The contract with Fort Worth Transit Partners was first approved in June 2023.
A nearly $33.1 million revised contract now includes an updated contingency fee for potential cost increases.
Richey Thompson, Trinity Metro chief engineer, said the revised contract is essentially the beginning of the expansion project.
“I’m excited to be here today — finally,” Thompson told board members Nov. 17. “Today’s item is basically the initial step for Trinity Metro to start the construction and completion of the TEXRail extension project. … We’re getting closer.”
Thompson said the contract will be essentially split into two phases — the first phase covers long-range procurement items under the Guaranteed Maximum Price such as steel acquisition and special track work while the second will cover remaining items.
The 27.2-mile TEXRail line — which had a near 12% increase in ridership during 2025 — is exceeding the expectations of agency officials.
Rich Andreski, president and CEO of Trinity Metro, said the transit agency seeks to be the “preferred choice for simple, safe and innovative mobility services” as total system ridership exceeded more than 8 million trips in 2025.
“Yes, we do move people on various services, but it is really about powering our economy, providing access to jobs and other (opportunities) in Fort Worth and Tarrant County,” he said.
With some leadership changes in 2025, projects are moving along quicker, Andreski said.
“We’ve made substantial progress on our TEXRail to the Medical District extension project,” he said.
In January 2025, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced a $25 million RAISE grant for Trinity Metro to expand TEXRail to the Near Southside neighborhood. Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity — or RAISE — grants are discretionary federal funds awarded to support state and local transportation projects.
Although the estimated $167 million-plus project still needs up to $20 million to begin construction, the grant is intended to aid in building a 2.1-mile extension from the T&P Station to a site in the 2100 block of Mistletoe Boulevard near Baylor Scott & White All Saints Medical Center – Fort Worth.
Trinity Metro hasn’t determined when construction will start, although it was once scheduled to start in 2024, according to the federal grant summary.
Design work
Officials plan to remove and replace the train crossing at Mistletoe and implement Leslie Street culvert extensions.
The RAISE grant will aid in the construction of the station, platforms and canopy tracks, signals, parking and pedestrian and bicycle connections. Trinity Metro plans to demolish and reconstruct the platform of the T&P Station to accommodate the expansion.
Agency officials said they are confident they can acquire another $20 million needed to begin construction.
Trinity Metro hired Huitt-Zollars and TranSystems as the final design consultants in August 2023 to nail down project costs. The firms worked on the initial TEXRail designs when the first line opened in 2019.
Ridership gains
Ridership on TEXRail grew to more than 877,000 trips in 2025, nearly more than 100,000 trips recorded in 2024, agency data shows. That line now connects with the new Silver Line route operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit that launched on Oct. 25.
About 100 to 150 new TEXRail riders are coming daily from the Silver Line that stretches from DFW Airport to Collin County, said Brad Beason, Trinity Metro manager of rail operations.
“We’ve noticed that jump already,” Beason said.
TEXRail’s ridership is “meteoric” — growth that is usually not seen by most transit agencies, Andreski said. Usually agencies see growth at 2% to 3%.
“TEXRail is exceeding all expectations,” he said.
In response, Trinity Metro doubled its mid-day TEXRail schedule to run more daytime trains to popular stops such as DFW Airport and downtown Grapevine. The agency even added more nighttime trains on some Saturday nights in December to accommodate passengers interested in visiting Grapevine for holiday activities and events.
The line’s ridership gains show no part in slowing down, Andreski said, noting that the service is coming up on its eighth year.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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