Air pollution is a problem facing most major urban areas, and it is a pressing concern for the Dallas/Fort Worth region. In the Metroplex, the primary form of air pollution is ground level ozone, the chief component of smog. Fort Worth leaders and their regional partners recognize the need to reduce pollution, and, as a result, promote transportation strategies and other policies that improve air quality and reduce traffic congestion. 

The city has pursued regional collaborators to create a seamless multi-modal transportation system. As a result, the Dallas-Fort Worth region, through the leadership of elected officials and groups such as the North Texas Clean Air Coalition, is well on its way to realizing this vision. The central business districts of Dallas and Fort Worth are now connected by the Trinity Railway Express (TRE) rail line. The TRE currently serves an average of 180,000 riders per month. The Fort Worth Transportation Authority (the T) and the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) are also working with The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) to study other commuter rail options, including those that could connect both cities to the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.  

Light rail transit is also a component of the regional multi-modal system. DART currently operates an extensive light rail network in the eastern part of the Metroplex and has established a transit model that Fort Worth and other regional cities hope to follow. Fort Worth included a light rail streetcar system in its 2030 Transit System Vision plan, but the city has chosen to prioritize regional commuter rail in the short-term. Another short-term air quality strategy is the use of cleaner-burning alternative fuels. 

The long-term goal of all of these air quality and mobility strategies is to integrate a variety of technologies into a seamless transportation system that promotes sustainable development and economic growth throughout the region.