Arlington, the largest city in the United States without a mass public transportation system, is proposing a regional transit authority system that could oversee high-speed rail to unmanned systems.
Officials from the Tarrant County city with a population of more than 403,000 residents — and home to stadiums for the Dallas Cowboys and the Texas Rangers — want to create a North Texas agency that would initially oversee efforts such as high-speed rail, micro transit and autonomous systems, according to a Jan. 22 letter from Arlington City Manager Trey Yelverton.
The proposed transit authority could operate under the leadership of the Regional Transportation Council and its related Transit 2.0 subcommittee, both components of the Arlington-based North Central Texas Council of Governments.
“Arlington strongly supports the development of high-speed rail transportation between Fort Worth, Arlington, and Dallas with a regional connection to DFW International Airport, and we remain committed to working with regional partners to bring this project to fruition,” Yelverton wrote in his letter to the Regional Transportation Council leaders.
If established, the proposed technology-based transit authority would “serve as a platform to integrate and advance emerging mobility solutions across North Texas,” Yelverton said.
Arlington officials envision that the transit authority, once established, would expand over time to include additional technology-based initiatives, including electric vertical takeoff and landing systems, autonomous delivery vehicles, and real-time data and artificial intelligence-powered traffic congestion mitigation.
“The city of Arlington reaffirms its intent to participate financially in this project once state and federal clearances and a viable, approved business plan is in place,” Yelverton wrote. “A technology-based governance mechanism could facilitate Arlington’s financial participation while supporting the broader advancement of next-generation mobility solutions.”
Michael Morris, transportation director for the council of governments, is expected to discuss the regional transit authority proposal during the Regional Transportation Council’s Feb. 12 meeting, according to the agenda.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross said city officials want to input from regional leaders on the idea.
“We’re just kicking it around with RTC and Michael Morris,” Ross said.
Ross said a technology-based transit authority would help with advancing high-speed rail in North Texas if that transportation option does move forward.
“We’re just trying to get ahead of the curve to let people know that it is certainly something we are interested in,” Ross told the Fort Worth Report. “One of the avenues that we can look at is a high-tech type of authority that is out there because we pride ourselves on some of the technological advances that we’re involved in.”
Ross said the issue warrants further discussion with regional transportation leaders.
“It’s not an Arlington-only thing,” Ross said. “It’s certainly expressing that our desire is to work collaboratively on this.”
Arlington voters have rejected proposals to create a public transit system three times since 1980.
While many oppose a bus system, a single bus route operated by Dallas Area Rapid Transit was in place between 2013 and 2017. The route was discontinued due to low ridership and replaced with Arlington On-Demand ride-sharing service.
Arlington and Fort Worth officials want to advance a proposed high-speed rail corridor along Interstate 30 from Fort Worth to Dallas. The proposed bullet train by Texas Central Railway is led by Fort Worth businessman John Kleinheinz, the principal investor.
Dallas City Council leaders, skeptical that the Fort Worth to Dallas high-speed route will be built, voted in January to expand a 2024 resolution that adds new restrictions near downtown but also advanced a $500,000 federal grant to study the proposed system between Houston and Fort Worth, The Dallas Morning News reported.
Dallas leaders asked regional transportation officials to consider upgrades to the Trinity Railway Express as an alternative route. That rail line does not stop in Arlington. The service is jointly owned and operated by DART and Trinity Metro, Fort Worth’s transit agency.
Arlington, which is slated to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches in the summer, previously announced a partnership with an electric air taxi company and allocated $17.5 million for street, traffic and other improvements in the entertainment district that includes AT&T Stadium and Globe Life Field.
Flying taxis won’t be available for the World Cup matches because the Federal Aviation Administration’s regulations are not complete, KERA reported. Alicia Winkelblech, Arlington’s director of transportation, told KERA in December that it could be 2027 when the first manufacturers of air taxis get FAA certification to move people.
Transportation options such as high-speed rail would benefit the region as a whole, Ross said.
“We’re all in this big melting pot together here in North Texas,” Ross said. “If we can find ways to help regionalize the transportation, whether it’s through technological advancements, whether it’s through centralized, collaborative effort among the existing transit authorities. This isn’t just about benefiting Arlington, this is about doing those things that are beneficial to municipalities throughout North Texas.”
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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This article first appeared on Fort Worth Report and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
