June 2026

Halperin Park Stiches Together Key Elements of Southern Dallas

North Texas can build roads that provide the mobility the region has come to expect while ensuring nearby residents and businesses still feel connected with one another. More than a decade ago, Klyde Warren Park introduced the region to the idea that a freeway could be more than a way to physically move people from place to place. It could be integrated into its surroundings and become a community gathering spot.

Built atop the Woodall Rodgers Freeway in Dallas, Klyde Warren Park has become a popular example of a pedestrian cap (a park constructed over a freeway), hosting events for all ages, from movies to chess lessons to story time, the latter presented by the Dallas Public Library.

The concept is being tried elsewhere in the region, with another recent example blossoming in southern Dallas. In May, residents were introduced to the latest example of infrastructure that stitches a community together with the opening of Halperin Park over Interstate Highway 35E. Part of the freeway expansion known as the Southeast Connector, the five-acre park forms a bridge over IH-35E, reconnecting historic Oak Cliff neighborhoods with the Dallas Zoo.

A key hope with Halperin, Klyde Warren and other parks built over roadways is to spark broader economic and community revitalization.

The North Central Texas Council of Governments was awarded a federal grant in 2024 to help fund Halperin Park and other similar facilities. Like Klyde Warren Park, the newest pedestrian cap has something for people of all ages.

Halperin Park is well appointed, with ample greenspace and fountains that provide relief from the heat and serve as a playground for kids. On the park’s upper level is a traditional playground with structures for kids of different ages to climb and explore.  

The park offers programs for the entire family to enjoy. In May, it hosted everything from yoga classes to art classes for children and seniors to family movie nights. In June, the park plans to host World Cup watch parties. More information is available at HalperinPark.org/events.

Halperin Park is accessible by either car or mass transit. Those who choose to drive can park at the zoo, while Dallas Area Rapid Transit passengers can take light rail to the Dallas Zoo Station, just a short walk from the park.

In the coming years, similar parks could be built across the region, including facilities planned as part of the renovation of Interstate Highway 30 in Dallas. As with Halperin Park, they will show how a well-planned roadway can efficiently move people through a community while ensuring those communities remain vibrant.

Topic of the Month

AN EYE ON: The World Cup

In less than two weeks, the FIFA World Cup will arrive at North Texas’ doorstep, bringing the world’s largest sporting event to the region. Arlington’s tournament-high nine matches kick off June 14 and culminate with a semifinal match one month later, on July 14. Fans from across the globe will converge on North Texas to experience not only the excitement on the pitch, but also what our vibrant communities have to offer, from restaurants and entertainment to World Cup activities. In short: it’s about to get crowded here, y’all.

For June’s Topic of the Month, we delve into how transportation agencies, local governments and regional partners are preparing for an event unlike anything North Texas has hosted before. Read more here.

Regional Partnership Yields Results for Meandering Road

From left: Capt. Beau Hufstetler, commanding officer at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth; Dan Kessler, assistant director of transportation at North Central Texas Council of Governments; Fort Worth City Councilmember Macy Hill; Herman Earwood, former River Oaks mayor; Glen Whitley, former Tarrant County judge; and River Oaks Mayor Darren Houk.

Leaders from River Oaks, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, the Regional Transportation Council, North Central Texas Council of Governments and the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth (NAS JRB Fort Worth) gathered in April for a formal groundbreaking ceremony for the Meandering Road Improvements Project.

The $25 million project is being built with federal funding and will reconstruct Meandering and Lt Jg Barnett roads in River Oaks and Fort Worth to increase connectivity and safety in the corridor. Improvements will strengthen access between the surrounding neighborhoods and NAS JRB Fort Worth and enhance intersection safety. New pedestrian and bicycle routes, including connections to the Trinity Trails along the West Fork of the Trinity River, will be constructed. Completion is expected in late 2028.

The U.S. Marine Corps constructed Meandering Road in 1948, and it has not been substantially altered since. The current project is the result of an extensive effort, beginning in 2012, involving numerous local and state elected officials and a partnership among Fort Worth, the Texas Department of Transportation and the RTC, which provided additional local funding. The final design is the result of robust public outreach to residents and businesses in the corridor. Lamb-Star Engineering led the design work.

Applications for Texas EV Infrastructure Plan Phase II Grants Now Open 

TxDOT has released grant applications for Phase II of the Texas Electric Vehicle (EV) Infrastructure Program, continuing the state’s efforts to expand access to EV charging stations across Texas.

This latest phase will provide $60 million in funding for the installation of DC Fast Chargers along key transportation corridors and within designated study areas statewide. Both public and private entities are eligible to apply, creating opportunities for local governments, businesses, developers, and infrastructure providers to participate in Texas’ growing EV network.

Phase II covers nearly all of Texas and includes 148 county seats and 24 Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs). Within the NCTCOG region, 38 study areas are included in this round of applications, along with one rural county seat in Erath County.

The program is designed to improve charging accessibility, support long-distance EV travel, and strengthen transportation infrastructure as EV adoption continues to grow across the state. Applications must be submitted by Friday, June 12, 2026.

Additional information about eligible study areas, project requirements and the application process is available on the TxDOT Texas electric vehicle planning page.

Funding Available to Replace Heavy-Duty Trucks With Zero-Emission Versions

NCTCOG is offering rebates for local fleets to purchase new zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) through the North Texas Zero Emissions Vehicles Call for Projects (NTxZEV CFP).

• Total Funding Available: $55.4 million
• Eligible Applicants: Public and private entities
• Eligible Vehicles: This program is for "vocational vehicles" such as box trucks, step vans, refuse haulers, street sweepers, utility trucks, transit buses, flatbed trucks, stakebed trucks, fire trucks, coach buses, bucket trucks, dump trucks, etc. Vehicles being replaced must have an internal combustion engine (diesel, gasoline, propane, etc.) that will be disposed of if an applicant is awarded. New vehicles must be battery-electric or hydrogen fuel cell electric.

NCTCOG has several resources to help applicants, including:

• Virtual office hours with NCTCOG every Monday at 10 a.m.
• Project and application development assistance from the National Lab of the Rockies. 
• A list of original equipment manufacturers/vendors who offer zero-emission vehicles.

Go to www.nctcog.org/NTxZEV for the application materials and resources. The next deadline to submit applications is June 19, 2026, at 5 p.m.

Subsequent application deadlines will be every third Friday of the month at 5 p.m., until all funds are exhausted. Applications will be received on a modified first-come, first-served basis and will be evaluated competitively each month.

Rain or Shine, North Texas Showed Up This Ozone Season

Analisa Garcia, NCTCOG TR/Air Quality Planner II, distributes air quality and transportation program information at a community event earlier this year.

North Texans turned out in large numbers for the NCTCOG Transportation Department 2026 spring outreach season. Throughout April, department staff membersparticipated in Earth Day festivities, community events and public engagement activities across the region. 

NCTCOG took part in events hosted by cities, universities and local businesses, helping educate residents, students and employers on transportation and air quality programs. Staff connected with thousands of residents throughout the month, sharing resources and encouraging conversations about transportation choices and regional mobility.

Community involvement remained strong at every stop, even when April’s notoriously unpredictable weather brought cold mornings and heavy rain. Visitors learned about clean air programs, commuter and carpooling opportunities, traffic safety initiatives and active transportation planning efforts.

Each conversation and interaction highlighted North Texas communities’ ongoing commitment to cleaner air, safer mobility and a more connected transportation system for the future.

Provide Your Input on Transportation, Safety Initiatives June 8

NCTCOG invites the public to provide input on Transportation Conformity, heavy-duty diesel emissions tampering and a draft of the Regional Bicycle Safety Action Plan during a hybrid public meeting at noon on Monday, June 8.

The meeting will be held in the Transportation Council Room at the NCTCOG offices, located at 616 Six Flags Drive in Arlington. Those unable to attend in person can view the meeting online at PublicInput.com/nctcogJune26. Residents can also participate by calling 855-925-2801 and entering code 2070. Public comments will be accepted until Tuesday, July 7.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has granted a successful transportation conformity determination for Mobility 2050, the long-range transportation plan for North Central Texas. Federal law requires metropolitan planning organizations with a nonattainment designation to perform air quality analyses when a new metropolitan transportation plan is developed.

Additionally, staff will provide background on the Heavy-Duty Diesel Emissions Tampering Detection Program. NCTCOG staff recently acquired devices as part of a Truck Assessment and Goods Movement Demonstration Project that can detect if an emissions system has been tampered with. Several tests will be executed throughout the region on fleets and local commercial vehicles for further analysis.

Staff will also provide an update on the North Texas Parking Requirements Evaluation, which reviews 126 sites to see how often developers exceed zoning minimums. Findings suggest that, along with improving data, cities and developers should expand their use of parking management tools and strategies.

Finally, NCTCOG is asking for public input on a draft version of the Regional Bicycle Safety Action Plan. This document details bicyclist crash patterns and fatalities as well as reduction strategies and recommendations. The draft plan is available at PublicInput.com/BikeSafetyActionPlan for public review.

Residents planning to use transit to attend the meeting can take advantage of $6 round-trip rides from the CentrePort/DFW Airport Station to NCTCOG via the Arlington Transportation app. Visit ArlingtonTX.gov/ondemand to download the app.

For special accommodation related to disabilities or language interpretation, call 817-695-9109 or email kcadena@nctcog.org at least 72 hours prior to the meeting.

Local Motion is a monthly email newsletter from the North Central Texas Council of Governments Transportation Department. For more information about topics, contact Brian Wilson at 817-704-2511 or bwilson@nctcog.org. Visit www.nctcog.org/trans for more information on the department.

--Imagery provided by NCTCOG and Getty Images.