Going into our 13th year, I am honored to once again host the Tarrant Transportation Summit. Our annual event has brought together elected officials, business leaders, transportation experts and members of the public to discuss the present state and future of our mobility system in Tarrant County.
This year, we lean into that trend with our theme: “Automate, Accelerate, Elevate & Innovate: The Center of Global Mobility.” In Tarrant County, we have worked hard to create an environment where entrepreneurs and innovators can test and implement the latest technologies, with our local communities reaping the benefits. We are looking forward to a day of insightful discussion and learning about what technology and tools are being used to advance mobility locally and globally.
The 2023 Tarrant Transportation Summit will be held at the Hurst Conference Center on Friday, Feb. 17, from 8 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
We are fortunate this year to have Robert Poole, director of transportation policy and Searle Freedom Trust Transportation Fellow at Reason Foundation, as our keynote speaker. Mr. Poole is an MIT-trained engineer and advised the administrations of Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush on infrastructure and mobility issues.
As one of the earliest proponents of private financing of roadways, we look forward to hearing Mr. Poole speak about innovations in highway financing and about what lessons we can apply in Texas.
In addition to our outstanding keynote speaker, we have a lineup of panels and speakers covering automation, upcoming road projects, and aviation.
As the past 18 months have shown, supply chain resiliency is crucial to economic growth, as well as our national security. Our first panel will explore smart port technology, which uses big data and automation to run port facilities efficiently and safely, holding much promise for increasing resilience in the supply chain.
Locally, the 2022 Tarrant County bond election and recent federal infrastructure spending will accelerate the development of important road projects. Tarrant County Administrator G.K. Maenius, Fort Worth Interim Director of Transportation & Public Works Lauren Prieur and Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition Executive Director Victor Vandergriff will discuss how these new projects will impact our region.
Alliance Aviation President Christian Childs and DFW International Airport Executive Vice President of Global Strategy and Development John Ackerman will address our regional aviation infrastructure and how we can manage airspace in a world with unmanned aerial system vehicles. Caroline Mays, Director of Planning and Modal Programs at TxDOT, will give remarks on multimodal transportation and economic development.
In addition, a discussion with Brooke Akins of Cintra and Craig Hulse from North Richland Hills about the economic impact of managed lanes on the communities they serve will be led by Robert Hinkle, Director of Corporate Affairs for NTE Mobility Partners and LBJ Infrastructure Group.
We’ve put together a program for our audience that looks at the present and future with excellent speakers and ideas. As in years past, this is a fantastic opportunity to listen, learn and network with like-minded people interested in Tarrant County’s transportation future. Please join us on Friday, February 17, for an engaging, informative, and entertaining day at the Tarrant Transportation Summit.
Registration is $100 per person and online registration is available.
Gary Fickes has been a member of the Tarrant County Commissioners Court since 2006, representing Precinct 3, which includes two major airports and several major freeways. He is a former mayor of Southlake and past chair of the Tarrant Regional Transportation Coalition and Regional Transportation Council through the North Central Texas Council of Governments.