North Texas leaders consider local funding to keep Heartland Flyer running to Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — With just months left before Texas pulls its share of funding for Amtrak's Heartland Flyer rail line, leaders on both ends of the route are scrambling to come up with a solution to keep the service alive.They say the loss of the train, which runs between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth, would be a step backward at a time when the region's growth demands more transportation options.Oklahoma State Sen. Mark Mann (D-Oklahoma City) said population growth is shrinking the undeveloped space between the Oklahoma City and Dallas-Fort Worth metro areas.'Look at the Oklahoma City statistical metropolitan area and the Dallas, they get closer and closer each day,' Mann said.
Heartland Flyer facing permanent suspension after Texas legislature declines funding
And with that growth comes challenges, chief among them: the worsening traffic along I-35.'There's going to come a point very quickly, I think, where we need a viable rail option to move people between those two cities in a timely manner,' he said. 'At some point, we're going to have commuter rail, and instead of driving to Norman because it's going to be so congested.'But Mann also sees opportunity.'I mean, we're bringing the Olympics in,' he said. 'The World Cup is going to be in the Dallas-Fort Worth area next year.'He said losing the Heartland Flyer would undercut that momentum.'When you bring people in from other countries, they expect rail service,' Mann said. 'I think if this goes away, it sends a signal that we're not interested in rail service.'In a statement, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker echoed that concern, calling the Heartland Flyer 'key to ensuring Fort Worth's continued success as a global destination.'She pointed out Fort Worth is Amtrak's busiest station in Texas, 'generating millions in economic impact annually.'On Tuesday, the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)—an alliance of more than 200 cities, counties and school districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area—confirmed they are working to 'figure out a long term funding solution' using local funds, once Texas' funding is set to expire in September.'It may come down to municipalities or counties that have to step up if we want to keep the service going,' Mann said.He said he's also working with the Oklahoma City Chamber to explore what other states have done in similar situations.'We're currently trying to find out and ascertain has this happened in any other states? And if so, how did they handle it?' he said. 'Really, anything we want to do in the future related to rail hinges on keeping this line open.'An Amtrak spokesperson told News 4 they also want to keep the Heartland Flyer running, noting they had plans to extend the line north to Kansas, where it could connect travelers to major lines headed toward Chicago and Los Angeles.'Ending this service would sever a well-established transportation network,' Amtrak said.
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