Panther Island Finally Receives Hundreds Of Millions In Federal Funds. What Happens Next?

Arlington TX

19 January, 2022

6:36 PM

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By Rachel Behrndt and Haley Samsel, Fort Worth Report January 19, 2022 After more than a decade of delays, Fort Worth will finally see significant federal funding for the Panther Island/Central City Flood Project, a key step toward turning a former industrial area north of downtown into a modern mix of homes and retail nestled along the Trinity River. With billions of dollars in hand from infrastructure legislation passed last fall, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – the agency responsible for building flood protection projects across the country – released its plans for spending the money Wednesday morning. For the first time, the corps' construction plans included $403 million for completing final design and building a 1.5-mile bypass channel to reroute part of the Trinity. Regional leaders have long argued that the channel is necessary to protect Fort Worth from a major flooding event. U.S. Rep. Kay Granger, R-Fort Worth, the minority leader of the House Appropriations Committee, a former Fort Worth mayor and a longtime champion of Panther Island, said the city will be "safer and stronger" thanks to the corps' decision. To read the full article, click here. Fort Worth Report is a nonpartisan, nonprofit news organization that produces factual, in-depth journalism about city and county government, schools, healthcare, business, and arts and culture in Tarrant County. Always free to read; subscribe to newsletters, read coverage or support our newsroom at fortworthreport.org.