Published: October 30, 2009 01:57 pm      

Riley touts county transportation efforts

FORT WORTH — At the request of Texas transportation leaders, Parker County Judge Mark Riley gave opening remarks focusing on the county’s regional partnerships and local partnerships with cities and school districts within Parker County, at the recent Texas Transportation Commission meeting.

Meeting at the Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth, instead of its normal Austin location, Transportation Commission members, along with state and local transportation and elected officials, heard Riley explain Parker County’s innovative bond program as well as the county’s efforts to improve transportation safety, mobility and air quality for Parker County residents. The commission also heard from Johnson County Judge Roger Harmon along with Fort Worth City Councilman Jungas Jordan and Tarrant County Commissioner Gary Fickes.

Parker County is one of the fastest growing counties in Texas, growing by an estimated 40 percent over the last 10 years, according to population estimates by the U.S. Census and North Central Texas Council of Governments. That rapid growth created an urgent need for improved transportation infrastructure.

“Our story is a story of adapting to the changing nature of transportation funding and overcoming through innovative partnerships at a regional, state and federal level,” Riley said. “As it became clear that transportation dollars from the Federal and State government were just not there in the amount to solve the transportation issues facing Parker County, we made a choice. We put the best transportation minds together and came up with a transportation improvement program that will benefit the residents of Parker County for many years to come.”

Riley told the Transportation Commissioners and audience about Parker County’s voters giving overwhelming support to the $80 million transportation bond passed in November 2008.

“This is truly a partnership at historic levels for Parker County,” Riley said. “Through our combined effort and the support from our residents, we have improved and will continue to improve the mobility, air quality and safety for our residents.”

Riley said he views the on-going transportation improvements as the backbone to Parker County’s current and future economic development.

“We have invested in our future with this transportation bond,” he said.