The Fort Worth District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is currently accepting contractor bids for the Fort Worth Central City North Bypass Channel construction project. Offers are due in June with an anticipated contract award date later this year in September 2026.
The North Bypass Channel is the first major flood risk mitigation component of the Central City project going into construction. The North Bypass Channel will be 3,900 feet long and 300 feet wide. The soft side is a levee system, and the hard side is a flood wall with a pedestrian bridge that will link both sides. The soft side will have several maintenance trails and ramps, and the hard side will consist of an upper and lower promenade, maintenance trails and several stair and ramp access points.
The Central City Flood Control project has various components including a bypass channel, three flood gates, one pump station, two dams and floodwater storage sites to provide flood risk functions along the Clear Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River.
Since 2022, the project has secured $443 million in federal funding to support the design of all major project components, as well as key construction efforts, including the bypass channel, habitat mitigation, environmental restoration, and the development of additional floodwater storage sites.
The Fort Worth Central City Project is a cost-shared initiative among the federal sponsor, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers the non-federal sponsor, the Tarrant Regional Water District; and local partners including the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant County. The project is designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the Fort Worth Floodway system while ensuring continued flood protection for residents and properties throughout the City.
This is a critical initiative to reduce flood risk and protect thousands of homes and businesses, in the 11th largest city in the nation. Prior to entering this phase of heavy construction, local partners made significant early investments to prepare the area for the bypass channel, contributing more than $360 million toward essential groundwork.
Since the project’s inception, the following key milestones have been completed:
- Three four-lanes bridges have been completed over the bypass channel.
- Seven floodwater storage areas have been created. Four more are planned.
- All property in the bypass channel footprint has been acquired, buildings have been demolished, and businesses have been relocated.
- Environmental remediation within the bypass channel.
Near completion or under construction:
- Utility relocation within the bypass channel.
- Habitat mitigation work at Ham Branch and Sycamore Creek.
- Final design for all project elements not already built or already under construction.
