Improved transit might be coming to some of Fort Worth’s poorest neighborhoods

By Nichole Manna, Fort Worth Star-Telegram

The possibility of better transportation for Fort Worth residents living in the 76104 ZIP code is on the horizon.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments was awarded a grant of approximately $270,000 to identify innovative, affordable transit solutions to improve access to basic needs such as grocery stores and doctors offices.

This effort follows the publication of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram investigative series “Life & Death in 76104,” which chronicled life in three neighborhoods south of downtown Fort Worth — Historic Southside, Morningside and Hillside.

The newspaper’s series was sparked by a 2019 UT Southwestern study that found residents of the 76104 ZIP code have the lowest life expectancy rate in the state.

The irony of the story of 76104 is that the ZIP code takes in the city’s medical district, which includes five hospitals and hundreds of medical offices. Yet residents described a lack of access to health care driven by a lack of transportation, insurance, and awareness of programs available to help.

The 2021 Areas of Persistent Poverty Program grant, awarded by the Federal Transit Administration, will fund a study that could lead to the development of transit solutions to connect the community to healthy food, health care, affordable housing and employment, according to a news release.

The study will also look to develop strategies to reduce the formation of greenhouse gases and improve air quality in the community.

Fourteen percent of residents living in the ZIP code are identified as facing “persistent poverty” and have no vehicle, compared to 4.3% of households throughout Tarrant County.

“NCTCOG and the Regional Transportation Council are committed to working with our valued public-sector and community partners to find solutions to improve access of residents of this area to life-sustaining services,” said Shannon Stevenson, NCTCOG senior program manager, transit management and planning. “We look forward to collaborating with the community to develop strategies that lead to real solutions for those who live and work in the study area.”

The grant will allow the group to meet with residents, nonprofit organizations and community leaders to develop a plan to improve access to the basic needs of the community.

The area is served by Trinity Metro’s bus service and on-demand Zip Zone micro transit. In part, the study will examine current transit options available in the 76104 ZIP code and whether they should be enhanced or revised to better meet demand. The study will also look at transit fares and their impact on equitable access to these transit services.

“We are committed to collaboratively identifying evidence-based solutions to existing disparities in transportation services in our community, specifically in 76104,” said Christina Brooks, chief equity officer and director of the Department of Diversity & Inclusion at the City of Fort Worth. “Additionally, we can use the data from this study to proactively prevent creating new disparities for the future. Ultimately, every resident, regardless of your ZIP code, should have access to quality, affordable transportation that supports a thriving quality of life in our community.”

Work on the study is expected to commence in fiscal year 2023 and will include extensive stakeholder engagement and public involvement to inform the final plan. The FTA awarded 40 projects across the nation a total of $16.2 million to fight persistent poverty.

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