USACE awards contract for Central City North Bypass Channel

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, today announced the award of a contract for construction of the North Bypass Channel, a major feature of the Modified Central City Flood Risk Management Project.

The firm-fixed-price contract, valued at $169,431,703, was awarded to Walso Construction Co. II LLC.

USACE is delivering the federally authorized project in partnership with the Tarrant Regional Water District, the non-federal sponsor, and in coordination with the City of Fort Worth. The project is intended to reduce flood risk for residents, businesses, critical infrastructure, and historic, commercial and residential areas in and around Fort Worth’s Central City corridor.

"The Central City Flood Control Project took another major step forward with the USACE awarding the construction contract for the North Bypass Channel," said Fort Worth Mayor Pro Tem Carlos Flores, who represents Council District 2, north of downtown. "The construction work will include flood water mitigation, habitat mitigation, Trinity Trail connectivity and a pedestrian bridge. TRWD, the City of Fort Worth, and Tarrant County continue to work in partnership to move this complex and crucial flood control project into the next major construction phase."

“This award moves the Central City project from planning to construction on a critical flood-risk-management feature for Fort Worth,” said Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Lee Forsgren. “Under the leadership of President Trump, Secretary [of War] Hegseth, and particularly Secretary [of the Army] Telle, the Army is focusing on actually ‘Building Infrastructure, Not Paperwork.’ This project is proof that we can actually move out on building by staying focused on cutting avoidable process delays and delivering authorized projects that reduce risk to communities, strengthen resilience, and produce lasting value for the American people.”

The North Bypass Channel is approximately 3,900 linear feet long and 300 feet wide at the channel bottom. It will divert floodwater around the downtown bend of the Clear Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River and is a primary component of the broader flood risk management system.

About the channel

The channel includes:

• A vegetated earthen levee

• Reinforced concrete floodwalls

• Pedestrian promenades

• Multi-use trail connections

• Accessible ramps and stair landings

• A pedestrian bridge connecting the north levee infrastructure to the promenade network and the Trinity Trails system

The North Bypass Channel will function with other project features, including valley storage, flood isolation gates, dams, and an interior pump station. These features make up a vital initiative to manage flood risk to protect thousands of homes, businesses, and over 1 million people in the 10th largest city in the country.

“Awarding this construction contract is a monumental step forward in fulfilling our commitment to the residents of Fort Worth,” said Col. Marlon S. Ringo, commander of the USACE Fort Worth District. “The North Bypass Channel is a critical piece of the operational heart of the Modified Central City Project. Moving dirt on this scale reinforces our mission to deliver critical engineering solutions that protect lives, secure infrastructure, and reduce catastrophic flood risks for generations to come.”

Federal appropriations for the Central City project through Fiscal Year 2026 have supported completion of habitat mitigation and most valley storage features, as well as ongoing engineering, design, real estate, construction, and project-management activities. The Tarrant Regional Water District and local partners have invested over $374 million of local funds to advance the project. Additional federal and local funding will be required to complete all authorized project features.

Before this contract award, the Tarrant Regional Water District and the City of Fort Worth completed key local-sponsor responsibilities, including property acquisition, environmental remediation, and 14 utility-relocation packages along the channel alignment.

Construction mobilization and initial earthmoving are anticipated to begin in late winter or early spring 2027. The anticipated completion date for the North Bypass Channel is 2029.

Learn more

Community members can learn more and review project materials during a come-and-go open house on Thursday, Oct. 22, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Northside Community Center, 1100 N.W. 18th St. See full meeting details, special accommodations, and project updates. https://www.swf.usace.army.mil/Missions/Civil-Works/Trinity-River-Central-City/

Photo: The North Bypass Channel will divert floodwater around the downtown bend of the Clear Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River.

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