Fort Worth 'paints the town red' with new bus lanes in downtown

FORT WORTH, Texas - The city of Fort Worth wants drivers to take notice of something new downtown – bus lanes that are now painted red on a busy street.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday morning for a freshly painted dedicated bus lane for a stretch of blocks along on Jones Street downtown near Trinity Metro’s largest bus transfer center. 

The goal is for better efficiency by increasing visibility for buses and reduce delays often due to buses navigating around unaware motorists who drive and park in the lanes meant for buses only. 

"It is always my goal that Fort Worth be a leader, not just regionally, not just in the state, but nationally," said Fort Worth City Councilmember Elizabeth Beck. "And I think this is just another example of how the city of Fort Worth tries to get out in front of innovation."

The red lane pilot program comes at a time when Trinity Metro ridership is up 11% over the previous year and recommendations from a ridership task force include enhancing the rider experience. 

This provides a bright separation between the lanes for buses, cars and bikes.

It’s a noticeable difference for this group of seniors on a day trip from Dallas.  

"It was a great idea for it," said visitor Vickie Montgomery. "It’s a good benefit for Fort Worth."

"The smart approach is what we are doing now instead of rolling it out citywide, and we decided to choose a corridor to see how that operates or residents like it," Beck said. "And if it’s a success, I would love to see it expand throughout the area."

Fort Worth is now the fifth city to add the safety enhancement. Austin and Houston also have red bus lanes.