Texas-based Fort Worth Transportation Authority's (The T) board of directors passed a resolution Wednesday endorsing a new long-range strategic plan to enhance current public transportation services and cover more of Tarrant County.
The T's 2010 Strategic Plan would expand "transportation," improve "timeliness" and upgrade "technology." These three themes reflect public feedback to add more transit that goes to more places, more frequently, faster, on time and with improved customer amenities, especially the technology to check schedules and status of buses or trains online and from mobile devices.
Adding more commuter rail, including completion of The T's SW-2-NE line from Fort Worth to DFW Airport, was ranked among the most important priorities in surveys completed throughout The T's 11-month public outreach process.
Also ranked high were more transit connections throughout Tarrant County to better connect growing residential communities and businesses and make regional travel more seamless, convenient and a viable option to travel in personal vehicles.
Other top priorities related to The T's existing service, included developing online trip planning, real-time information at transit stations and mobile apps; making neighborhood transit service more frequent and add routes to underserved areas; and enhancing bus services, bus corridor stops and signage.
The T's plan also will examine innovative ways to extend transit with more flexibility, such as bike and car-sharing.
The new plan incorporates ideas and priorities from meetings with government officials, residents, community leaders, developers and transit planners, comments via The T's Website, phone lines, comment cards and a county-wide household telephone survey.