Fort Worth City Council approves street improvements on North Riverside Drive

Fort Worth City Council approved Dec. 17 an $8.9 million contract with McMahon Contracting to improve a segment of North Riverside Drive.

Work crews will turn the existing two-lane street between North Tarrant Parkway and Old Denton Road into a four-lane, divided arterial road, according to meeting documents. Officials increased funding for this project by nearly $3.09 million. The project is slated to begin in spring 2020 and be completed in summer 2021.

“The project includes turn lanes, median openings, sidewalks, streetlights, roundabouts and shared use paths as necessary to improve overall connectivity,” according to meeting documents.

Most of the project will be funded by the city’s 2014 bond program, according to meeting documents. Tarrant County election results show the city’s $219.74 million bond proposition for street and transportation improvements received more than 83% of the vote in that election.

Some general fund dollars will be used to help cover expenses until debt can be issued. Revenue from issued bonds will then be used to reimburse the general fund, according to city documents.

The city will also work on the construction of the northern lanes of Summerfields Boulevard from North Riverside to Cannonwood Drive. It will use money collected from transportation impact fees.

“A transportation impact fee is charged by the local municipality to new development projects,” according to the Texas A&M Transportation Institute. “This fee is used to pay for capital improvements needed as a result of the new development.”