USACE awards Walsh $169.4M Fort Worth bypass contract

The US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Fort Worth District, has awarded Walsh Construction a firm-fixed-price contract worth $169.4m to build the North Bypass Channel in Fort Worth, Texas, a major component of the Modified Central City Flood Risk Management Project.

The channel is intended to reduce flood danger in central Fort Worth. USACE said the work will divert floodwaters around the downtown bend where the Clear Fork and West Fork of the Trinity River meet.

Construction mobilization and initial earthmoving are expected to begin in late winter or early spring of 2027, with completion projected in 2029.

The work site will span about 3,900ft in length and 300ft in width at the base. Key elements of the project include a vegetated earthen levee and reinforced concrete floodwalls. The design also includes 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.

USACE said those features are designed to balance flood management with public access and community use.

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 overseeing the federal portion of the work, which is meant to help protect residents, businesses, and infrastructure in the Central City corridor from flooding.

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 so far includes federal appropriations through fiscal year 2026, supporting habitat mitigation, valley storage features, and other project activities. The Tarrant Regional Water District and local partners have contributed more than $374m locally, although additional funding will be needed to complete all authorized components.

Before the contract award, the City of Fort Worth and Tarrant Regional Water District completed property acquisition, environmental remediation, and several utility-relocation efforts along the planned route.

According to USACE, the bypass channel will form part of a broader flood risk management system that includes valley storage, flood isolation gates, dams, and a pump station. The agency said the full system is intended to support flood protection for thousands of homes, businesses, and more than one million people in Fort Worth.

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