North Tarrant Express Celebrates 10 Years of Growth in Fort Worth
- The North Tarrant Express, a 13-mile highway project in Fort Worth, Texas, opened on October 4, 2014, as the first Public-Private Partnership in the state.
- The project has significantly improved mobility, with traffic counts nearly doubling since 2015 and an estimated economic impact of $8.7 billion.
- Future expansions are planned to accommodate growth, funded through the original P3 agreement, demonstrating the effectiveness of this infrastructure model.
In Fort Worth, Texas, the North Tarrant Express (NTE) celebrated its 10th anniversary on October 4, 2024, marking a significant milestone since its opening in 2014. This 13-mile highway project, developed under a Public-Private Partnership (P3), was the first of its kind in Texas and aimed to enhance mobility and stimulate economic growth in the rapidly expanding Dallas-Fort Worth area. The project was completed nine months ahead of schedule, featuring rebuilt general-purpose lanes, new dynamically tolled TEXpress lanes, and expanded frontage roads. The P3 model allowed for expedited construction, enabling local contractors to work simultaneously on various aspects of the project. This collaboration has resulted in an estimated economic impact of $8.7 billion, with traffic counts nearly doubling since 2015. In 2023, eight million unique vehicles utilized the corridor, with average speeds in the free lanes at 55 mph and 70 mph in the TEXpress lanes, demonstrating the effectiveness of the new infrastructure. The project leveraged $1 billion in public funds to create a transportation asset valued at over $6 billion. Revenue-sharing agreements have generated $34 million for reinvestment in other transportation projects. Future expansions are planned to accommodate ongoing growth in the region, with an estimated cost of $414 million, all funded through the original P3 agreement without burdening taxpayers. The success of the North Tarrant Express has garnered interest from other states looking to implement similar P3 models to accelerate infrastructure development while minimizing public funding requirements.