City of Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department buys 16 acres to expand Tandy Hills Natural Area. Younger Partners Senior Vice President David Hinson Brokers Direct Deal FORT WORTH, Texas (March 3, 2026) - The City of Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department acquired 16 acres in east Fort Worth to expand and preserve the Tandy Hills Natural Area, adding protected green space for residents to explore, enjoy and preserve for generations to come. Located just minutes from downtown Fort Worth along I-30 and Ben Avenue, the land directly borders the existing city-owned natural area. Younger Partners Senior Vice President David Hinson brokered the direct deal. "This transaction positions the site as a key addition to the city's long-term conservation footprint," Hinson said. "The acquisition comes as the city continues to balance rapid growth with the preservation of accessible outdoor spaces across east Fort Worth." Approximately 11 acres of the site will be incorporated into the park, while the remaining acreage will be part of the Open Space program. Development plans and a timeline for improvements have not yet been determined. "The property was originally purchased with plans for high-density residential development and potential assemblage with adjacent parcels", Hinson explained. "However, after evaluating access and density constraints, it became clear the City of Fort Worth was best positioned to maximize the site's unique topography and preserve it as an extension of the neighboring natural area for the community to experience." Tandy Hills encompasses a contiguous area of 160 acres of parkland, including Tandy Hills Park, Tandy Hills Natural Area, Stratford Park and Stratford Natural Area. Featuring rolling hills, steep valleys, intermittent streams, limestone bedrock outcroppings and diverse native flora, Tandy Hills stands out as a uniquely preserved natural landscape in the heart of the city. Park amenities include benches, drinking fountains, a playground and an extensive network of trails. The park protects a remnant of the Fort Worth Prairie, which stretches from the Brazos River to the Red River along a narrow strip of limestone bedrock and marl soils. The highly threatened prairie ecosystem has been heavily fragmented, leaving only a few remaining examples of the native prairie landscape that existed prior to development. "This acquisition reflects the City of Fort Worth's commitment to balancing growth with the preservation of our natural assets," said Dave Lewis, Director of the Park & Recreation Department. "As our city continues to grow, protecting spaces like Tandy Hills ensures residents can connect with nature while preserving a rare piece of the Fort Worth Prairie." Over the years, the City of Fort Worth Park & Recreation Department has partnered with Friends of Tandy Hills Natural Area to develop a master plan that serves as the guiding framework for managing this unique prairie. Volunteers and staff members have spent years clearing brush and invasive privet for prairie restoration, conducting litter pick-ups, building trails, organizing special events and supporting scientific research and bioblitzes to improve the area for all to enjoy.

City asks feds for $25 million to build a bridge in far north Fort Worth. February 27, 2026 4:34 PM Gift Article The Fort Worth City Council voted unanimously at its Feb. 24 meeting to apply for a $25 million federal grant to build a bridge connecting two sections of Heritage Trace Parkway separated by railroad tracks. The bridge will cost roughly $60 million to build and require the city to put up $12.5 million in the process. District 10 council member Alan Blaylock, who represents the area surrounding the proposed bridge, said it has long been needed to address traffic congestion in Fort Worth's rapidly growing far north. "We just need to get this done," Blaylock said. Our editors also recommend: The project has also received support from the North Fort Worth Alliance, a collection of 49 homeowners associations representing 36,000 homes. In a letter supporting the project, Alliance president Rusty Fuller argued it would relieve congestion and improve safety by diverting traffic from railroad crossings at Bonds Ranch Road and East Bailey Boswell Road. Fuller cited parents getting their kids to school, improved emergency vehicle response times, and keeping oil and gas tankers away from trains as examples of the bridge's potential impact. The population of the 76131 ZIP code, which covers the area surrounding the proposed bridge, grew by 66.2% over the past decade compared to 21.2% for the city as a whole, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. However, the area has struggled as its two-lane east-west roads are regularly choked with traffic and blocked by busy train crossings. The Heritage Trace application is the third bridge project planned for this stretch of BNSF railroad tracks stretching from East Bailey Boswell Road to the Intermodal in Haslet. A short bridge crossing the tracks at Avondale-Haslet Road received $16 million worth of federal funding in November 2022. That initial design faced opposition from BNSF because its support beams would be in the rail carrier's right-of-way. The city submitted a new longer design to a state commission in December 2025 in hopes of receiving additional grant funding. A bridge crossing the tracks at Bonds Ranch Road received $17.2 million in federal funding in 2023, however, construction isn't expected to start until June 2029, according to a project page from the North Central Texas Council of Governments. Fort Worth Star-Telegram Harrison Mantas has covered Fort Worth city government, agencies and people since September 2021. He likes to live tweet city hall meetings, and help his fellow Fort Worthians figure out what's going on.

Soaring water demand, increasing trash prompt $350M award. Here's how it helps Fort Worth. Fort Worth will receive $351 million in federal environmental funds to produce more treated water and to push recycling projects forward as booming growth and population prompts the need for more resources. A $347 loan from the Environmental Protection Agency's Water Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act program will fund the construction of the Mary's Creek Water Reclamation Facility in west Fort Worth, agency officials announced in a Dec. 15 news release. That water treatment plant, a joint project between the Fort Worth water utility and the Tarrant Regional Water District, is slated to operate by summer 2028 and aims to "significantly increase" Fort Worth's water system, the city's website reads. That will mean providing more water for industrial and irrigation uses, according to the release. The Village Creek treatment plant in far east Fort Worth provides water for most of the city's service area, producing about 166 million gallons of treated water a day. The Mary's Creek facility will begin with producing 10 million gallons per day with a maximum potential expansion of up to 25 million gallons. The loan comes as Fort Worth and Tarrant County officials regularly stress the need for additional resources and expanded water treatment facilities. Major new developments - such as new data centers, golf courses and new housing to keep up with population growth - are driving most of Fort Worth's water demands, area leaders have told the Report. Earlier this year, water utility director Chris Harder presented to council members a proposal to expand Fort Worth's westside water treatment plant and transmission lines to produce up to 40 million gallons a day, up from the current production of 18 million gallons. In August, council members approved $180 million for expanding the Eagle Mountain Water Treatment Plant in far north Fort Worth. Improvements to that facility will add 35 million gallons of water per day by 2028. Investments in Fort Worth's water supply system will allow officials to serve residents and customers through the next 20 years, Harder said in February. At the Tarrant Regional Water District, officials have said they're focused on securing new resources as Tarrant County, one of the 11 counties it serves, is expected to reach 3.4 million residents by 2080. Usually met with opposition, large reservoirs are North Texas' most viable options to help the area tap billions of gallons of water over the next few decades, water district officials have said. As part of the $351 million, Fort Worth was awarded a $4 million grant from the EPA's Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grant program. The funds will go toward the city's project focused on collecting and recycling large waste such as appliances, construction materials, furniture and electronics, according to the release. The funds are a major investment for residents and "reinforce our commitment to delivering high-quality, cost-effective services as Fort Worth continues to grow," Mayor Mattie Parker said in the release. City spokespersons did not immediately respond to the Report's request for comment. City officials are working on updating its long-term waste plan and identifying solutions, environmental services director Cody Whittenburg said in September. Those plans come as the city's only landfill, just outside Kennedale, is estimated to max out in about a decade, almost 30 years earlier than expected. Fort Worth is at the liberty of transporting waste to two other landfills serving the western region of North Texas, with one located in Arlington and the other in Alvarado in Johnson County. However, longer commutes to landfills lead to increased costs. Additionally, obtaining a permit for another landfill is not feasible. Securing a permit requires an average of 15 to 20 years due to the time and costs that go into engineering and soil studies, identifying an adequate site and design and construction. Fort Worth staffers aim to relieve its waste stream and looming landfill expiration primarily through recycling. That includes its newest and only recycling center that opened in October, designed to process 144,000 tons of recyclable waste a year. As of Oct. 14, Fort Worth generated 374,000 tons of waste in 2025, Whittenburg told council members that month. About 18% of that waste could be recycled, diverting less trash from the Fort Worth landfill, he said. City staffers will provide Fort Worth leaders with an updated waste plan by early next year, Whittenburg said. Nicole Lopez is the environment reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact her at [email protected]. At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.