Public Hearing and Open House for SH-121T/Southwest Parkway

February 5, 2003

A City of Fort Worth-sponsored public hearing regarding the SH-121T/Southwest Parkway project will be held Tuesday, February 11 during the regularly scheduled City Council meeting. The Council meeting will be held at 7:00 P.M. in the City Council Chambers, second floor of City Hall. The public hearing will be preceded by an open house for the SH-121T/Southwest Parkway project will begin 5:30 P.M. in City Hall on the lower atrium level. Everyone is invited to attend both of these City-sponsored events.

The open house is for citizens of Fort Worth and other interested parties to obtain additional information about the SH121T/Southwest Parkway project. City staff and members of the City's consultant team will be available to share information and answer questions.

The purpose of the public hearing is to solicit public input to be used by the City Council to develop and adopt the City's recommended Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) for the toll road project. The LPA will serve as a framework as the City moves forward and addresses the alignment and design elements for optimal traffic safety and operation conditions, neighborhood access, and aesthetic enhancements.

The City will present its LPA at a separate Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT)-sponsored public hearing. The City's input will be provided for consideration as TXDOT develops its final Environmental Impact Statement. The TXDOT-sponsored public hearing will be held on February 25 at 7:00 P.M. at the Will Rogers Memorial Center Roundup Inn Room in the Amon G. Cater Exhibits Hall.

Following TXDOT's public hearing and consideration of public input, TXDOT will submit the Final Environmental Impact Statement to the Federal Highway Administration for environmental clearance. Once clearance is issued, the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) will begin preparing the final design and the City will commence its formal right-of-way acquisition. At the same time, the City, NTTA and TXDOT will negotiate and finalize a final funding agreement for the project. Once the funding agreement is in place, and the City and TXDOT have approved the final design, construction of SH-121t/Southwest Parkway can commence.

The SH-121T Southwest Parkway Project is an important regional project that has been in the planning stages for several years. The project is facilitated through a partnership between the City of Fort Worth, TXDOT, and the NTTA. SH-121T has been the focus of a number of organizations and committees over several years, including the Citizens' Advisory Committee, the Peer Review Team, the Oversight Committee and the Project Development Team. .

For accommodations or sign interpretive services at the city-sponsored public hearing, contact the City Manager's office at (817) 871-6143. For more information about the project, visit the SH-121T website at www.SH-121T.org the City of Fort Worth website at www.fortworthgov.org, or call (817) 871-8425.