The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) in North Texas has approved a sprawling $217.3 billion long-range plan to improve road, rail and public transportation. The council adopted the plan, also referred to as Mobility 2050, on June 12 to address multimodal transportation needs for the rapidly growing region.
The RTC estimates that around four million people will move to North Texas by 2050. This population increase will put strain on regional transportation infrastructure and lead to increased congestion and worsened air quality.
The plan is intended to improve residents’ access to essential services by promoting denser development and better use of existing transportation infrastructure rather than building new roads in undeveloped areas. This approach is designed to reduce costs, environmental impacts and household transportation expenses while accommodating future growth.
Mobility 2050 allocates funds to several major categories, including:
$97.5 billion for freeways, including public and private HOV lanes and tollways.
$57.9 billion for rail and bus infrastructure and procurement.
$29.8 billion for infrastructure maintenance.
$25.7 billion for management and operations.
$6.4 billion for policy initiatives centered on growth, development and land use strategies.
To finance these projects, the plan assumes the continued availability of state transportation funds through 2050, along with a projected gas tax increase of 5 to 12 cents. Officials plan to add new vehicle fees of $10 to $20 starting in 2035, while also relying on tolls and private companies.
Mobility 2050 targets a wide range of specific projects, from regional rail lines in Fort Worth, Dallas and Celina to freeways, including $3.95 billion for IH30, $3.73 billion for the SE Dallas Y-Connector and $2.97 billion for US 175.
The plan will now undergo a federal compliance process, with the conformity review period scheduled to end Dec. 3.
While the Mobility 2050 projects await federal approval, several complementary initiatives are already set to advance.
The AllianceTexas Inland Port Project has been approved for $261.8 million through Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) grants and required local matching contributions. Additionally, $182 million has been approved for the East Lancaster Avenue Complete Streets and Transit Technology Project.
Photo by Terrance Barksdale from Pexels
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