Ask the NCTCOG, yeah, the COG, again.
Questions about the Cotton Belt Rail? You ain't alone.
Sweet gig if you can get it.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments on Thursday approved guidelines to trigger the private development of the Cotton Belt Rail line, a proposed 62-mile passenger train service from southwest Fort Worth to Plano.
Approval of the guidelines, which are required by law, will clear the way an unidentified group of developers to submit its proposal for creating stations in three counties and 13 cities, including Fort Worth, Grapevine and possibly Haltom City.
The unidentified developer presumably would seek to invest its own money in the project, which is expected to cost more than $2.7 billion, in exchange for the right to collect taxes and fees from property values along the line. (Is this like Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200?)
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority is seeking to develop more than half of the same rail line for its TEX Rail project through federal grants. Officials have said the projects can complement each other.
Some Tarrant County residents, including elected leaders in Grapevine, have expressed concern that the Cotton Belt project could take away cities' control of property along the line. But council of governments officials sought to assuage those concerns.
"There sure is a lot of speculation about what we're obligating cities along the corridor, which is nothing," Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said.
Questions about the Cotton Belt Rail? You ain't alone.
Sweet gig if you can get it.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments on Thursday approved guidelines to trigger the private development of the Cotton Belt Rail line, a proposed 62-mile passenger train service from southwest Fort Worth to Plano.
Approval of the guidelines, which are required by law, will clear the way an unidentified group of developers to submit its proposal for creating stations in three counties and 13 cities, including Fort Worth, Grapevine and possibly Haltom City.
The unidentified developer presumably would seek to invest its own money in the project, which is expected to cost more than $2.7 billion, in exchange for the right to collect taxes and fees from property values along the line. (Is this like Do Not Pass Go, Do Not Collect $200?)
The Fort Worth Transportation Authority is seeking to develop more than half of the same rail line for its TEX Rail project through federal grants. Officials have said the projects can complement each other.
Some Tarrant County residents, including elected leaders in Grapevine, have expressed concern that the Cotton Belt project could take away cities' control of property along the line. But council of governments officials sought to assuage those concerns.
"There sure is a lot of speculation about what we're obligating cities along the corridor, which is nothing," Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said.
