The LONP authorises FWTA to proceed with procurement of all materials and construction activities planned for the first six months.

The 43.5km line will connect Fort Worth city centre with Grapevine and Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) Airport Terminal B, serving 10 stations. Commercial operations are due to begin in late 2018 and the line is projected to carry 8000 passengers per day by the end of the first year of operation, increasing to nearly 14,000 passengers per day by 2035. Services will be operated by a fleet of eight Stadler DMUs.

"We are delighted to receive the LONP," says FWTA president and CEO Mr Paul Ballard. "We can now secure the prime contract and all subcontracts while locking in current pricing. This has been a long journey and we can't wait to get started on construction next month."

Tex rail map