4.4.4. Environmental Considerations Flooding Fort Worth’s environmental constraints significantly influence transportation planning and infrastructure design. Flood risk, as mapped in Figure 4.7 , is a major concern, with approximately 50 square miles of FEMA- designated floodplains and an additional 33 square miles of non-FEMA flood risk areas identified by the City. These areas require flood-resilient infrastructure, such as elevated bridges and robust stormwater management systems. Fort Worth has identified approximately 300 Hazardous Roadway Overtopping locations where vehicles are at risk of driving into floodwaters. Originally documented in 2005 with 40 high-priority crossings, the inventory has grown as additional sites were investigated and ranked by safety risk. Improvements to date include high water warning systems and culvert upsizing, with future upgrades planned for guard rails, lighting, and flood warning flashers at the 50 most hazardous locations. The City’s High Water Warning System (HWWS) monitors 52 low-water crossing locations in real time, triggering roadside flashers and alerting first responders, emergency managers, and the National Weather Service when sensors detect rising water. A public-facing webpage displays live road flooding data, and the system will soon integrate with the Office of Emergency Management’s notification platform.
Figure 4.7: FEMA Flood Hazard Areas
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Existing Conditions | Fort Worth Master Transportation Plan
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