Fort Worth Report
by Juan Salinas II
Public-private partnerships will drive future growth in the region, transportation expert Michael Morris said.
“We throw our name badges away, and we focus on outcomes. We are not focused on ourselves. So if we can work together to get some really nice outcomes, this region just works together as a team to do that,” Morris, director of transportation of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, said.
During North Texas Commission’s third annual Infrastructure Summit in Hurst on Aug 9, leaders discussed how collaboration with public and private sectors will be key for growth in North Texas.
Former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price moderated a panel with Morris; Russell Laughlin, an executive vice president at Hillwood Corp.; and Alberto Gonzalez, Cintra’s U.S. region CEO.
The biggest obstacle that could delay the development changes reshaping Fort Worth and North Texas is the lack of leadership from local government officials, Gonzalez said.
“Understanding that a timely decision is better than a perfect decision when it’s too late,” Gonzalez said.
He pointed to how the pressure to rework the transportation system will continue to grow. Fort Worth has seen the most growth in the North Texas region, adding nearly 20,000 new people, according to data released by the North Central Texas Council of Governments in May.
“If you want to stay ahead of the curve, you need to make timely decisions,” Gonzalez said.
The private sector needs to take more risks on projects that could improve development around the region, Morris said.
Morris pointed to the long development process of Panther Island as an example.
“Panther Island is going to be an economic development jewel that may never be repeated again in and around downtown Fort Worth,” Morris said.
During the keynote, Morris also said high-speed rail between Fort Worth and Dallas is moving forward.
“You’re not going to have mega-regions without a great foundation of high-speed rail,” Morris said.
Laughlin sees a huge opportunity for North Texas to be ready for the next generation of transportation public-private partnerships.
“We have an infrastructure that will allow us to lead the nation in the adoption and mobility innovation,” Laughlin said.
Juan Salinas II is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at juan.salinas@fortworthreport.org or on Twitter. 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. Read more about
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