The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, has awarded a firm-fixed-price contract valued at $169.4m to Walsh Construction for the construction of the North Bypass Channel in Fort Worth, Texas.
The channel is a major element of the Modified Central City Flood Risk Management Project, which seeks to reduce flood danger in central Fort Worth.
The North Bypass Channel is expected to begin construction mobilisation and initial earthmoving in late winter or early spring of 2027, with a projected completion date in 2029.
The work site will cover approximately 3,900ft in length and 300ft in width at the base, diverting floodwaters around the downtown bend where the Clear Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River meet.
The project is being delivered in partnership with the Tarrant Regional Water District, the non-federal sponsor, and with cooperation from the City of Fort Worth.
USACE is managing the federal component of the works, which are intended to help protect residents, businesses and infrastructure in the Central City corridor from flooding.
Key features of the new channel will include a vegetated earthen levee and reinforced concrete floodwalls.
The design will also provide pedestrian promenades, multi-use trail connections, stair landings, accessible ramps, and a pedestrian bridge linking the north levee to the promenade and the Trinity Trails system.
These elements have been designed to balance flood management with public access and community use.
USACE Fort Worth District commander Col Marlon Ringo said: “Awarding this construction contract is a monumental step forward in fulfilling our commitment to the residents of Fort Worth.
“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.”
Funding for the Central City project to date includes federal appropriations through fiscal year 2026, which support habitat mitigation, valley storage features and other project activities.
The Tarrant Regional Water District and local partners have contributed over $374m locally, though additional funding will be necessary to complete all authorised components.
Prior to the award, the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant Regional Water District finalised property acquisition, environmental remediation and multiple utility-relocation initiatives along the planned route.
According to USACE, the bypass channel will ultimately be part of a wider flood risk management system that includes valley storage, flood isolation gates, dams and a pump station. This system is intended to support flood protection for thousands of homes, businesses and over one million people in Fort Worth.
