TEXRail Reaches Historic 1 Million Rider Milestone as Fort Worth Prepares Medical District Extension Groundbreaking

Trinity Metro TEXRail Celebrates Historic One Millionth Passenger in Milestone Year

FORT WORTH, Texas — Achieving a generational peak in passenger mobility, Trinity Metro TEXRail officially welcomed its one-millionth rider in a single year in early October 2026. The milestone marks the very first time the 27-mile commuter rail line has eclipsed the seven-figure annual passenger threshold since inaugurating service between downtown Fort Worth and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) in January 2019.

Transit executives attributed the record ridership surge to expanded flight scheduling at DFW Terminal B, seamless contactless ticketing via the GoPass app, and increased transit adoption among suburban commuters traveling between North Richland Hills, Grapevine, and downtown Fort Worth.

Trinity Metro Sets October 29 Groundbreaking for Near Southside Medical District Rail Expansion

Capitalizing on record commuter rail momentum, Trinity Metro leadership confirmed the official groundbreaking date for the long-awaited TEXRail Medical District Extension scheduled for Thursday, October 29, 2026. Supported by local capital matching funds and federal infrastructure grants, the 2.1-mile southern extension will run from the historic Fort Worth T&P Station directly into the heart of the Near Southside.

The project establishes direct passenger rail access for over 40,000 healthcare professionals, researchers, and patients traveling daily to major medical institutions, including Baylor Scott & White All Saints, Texas Health Harris Methodist, and Cook Children’s Medical Center.

Panther Island Vision 2.0 Progresses with North Bypass Channel Excavation

North of downtown along the Trinity River, contractors for the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers accelerated heavy excavation along the 1.5-mile North Bypass Channel for the transformative Panther Island project. Civil engineering crews are rerouting river floodwaters to create a resilient 300-acre waterfront urban district featuring walkable canals, transit bridges, and designated space for 10,000 new residents under the updated Vision 2.0 master plan.