After years of delays, one of North Texas' biggest public works projects finally has a construction start date. Work on the first portion of the Central City/Panther Island flood control project is due to begin in February 2027, the Tarrant Regional Water District board was told Tuesday, the Fort Worth Report reported.
The contract
Contractors will start on the north channel of the Trinity River bypass, a key piece of the $1.6 billion flood control project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers awarded a $169 million contract last month for the first half of the channel to Chicago-based The Walsh Group.
When finished, the north bypass will be 3,900 feet long and 300 feet wide at the bottom of the channel. An earthen levee and concrete floodwalls will hold water in the channel. Streets, walkways and trails built as part of the project will connect to the Trinity Trails system.
Water district program manager Kate Beck told the board the whole project will take about three years. Officials are planning a groundbreaking event to mark the kickoff.
Why it's being built
The project, discussed in some form for two decades, will steer floodwaters away from 2,400 acres of homes and businesses in downtown Fort Worth and the Historic Northside. The bypass will be split into north and south channels, creating a man-made island known as Panther Island.
The 27-mile Trinity levee system was built by the Corps starting in the 1950s after decades of deadly flooding. But Beck said it was designed for a city of about 350,000 people, and the current system couldn't handle floodwaters of a similar size today.
The project was delayed by funding disputes last year over federal defense contracts, which pushed back the north channel's original spring 2026 groundbreaking, according to earlier Fort Worth Report coverage.
The south channel
The Corps expects to seek bids for the south channel by summer 2027, if the water district has enough money by then, Beck said. "We're also pursuing and thinking about other funding opportunities so we could advance as soon as possible," she told the board.
Smaller related work is already underway, including the Ham Branch project, which restores natural habitat on the Ham Branch of Marine Creek to offset the effects of Central City construction.
Who builds what
The water district board also approved an agreement with Fort Worth spelling out who is responsible for which public improvements. Under the deal, the city handles construction of city-owned stormwater systems, bridges and streets, while the water district oversees canals, walkways and related improvements, board documents show.
The agreement recognizes the master plan's goal of keeping 15% of Panther Island as open space. The city and water district still need to negotiate who will lead parkland development.
A Panther Island public improvement district, adopted by the City Council this summer, will charge property owners an assessment to help pay for public infrastructure, relieving the water district of those costs, said Susan Alanis, the water district's Panther Island program manager.
Fort Worth and the water district have also introduced Panther Island-specific development and zoning standards, including form-based codes, as developers eye the area. Austin-based Seco Ventures has proposed bringing multifamily housing to the island.
Why it matters for contractors
A $169 million channel contract is a big job, and it's only the start. The Walsh Group will need subcontractors and suppliers for earthwork, concrete floodwalls, levee construction, streets, walkways and trails over roughly three years. North Texas excavation, concrete, paving and utility firms should reach out to Walsh about subcontracting.
The south channel is next. If funding comes through, bids could go out by summer 2027, which is another large heavy civil opportunity.
The bigger prize may be what comes after. Fort Worth is responsible for bridges, streets and stormwater systems on the island, and the water district handles canals and walkways. Those are separate public contracts. Once flood protection is in place, form-based codes and developer interest, including Seco Ventures' multifamily plans, point to private vertical construction on Panther Island. The public improvement district gives the area a funding source for infrastructure as development grows.
For Fort Worth contractors, Panther Island is shaping up as a long-running pipeline of public and private work.