Updated Wednesday, Feb. 19, at 12:30 p.m.
Another round of very cold temperatures are rolling in Tuesday night, and the City of Fort Worth is reminding the community about resources to support and protect vulnerable populations.
City of Fort Worth works collaboratively with multiple City departments, regular emergency shelter operators, public safety and emergency management, overflow shelter operator When We Love, and Trinity Metro to implement a plan that ensures shelter demand will not exceed capacity during a cold weather activation.
Support for individuals experiencing homelessness
Regular emergency shelters are prepared to serve those in need on cold nights.
For individuals:
- Presbyterian Night Shelter: 2400 Cypress St.
- Union Gospel Mission: 1321 E. Lancaster Ave.
For families:
- The Salvation Army: 1855 E. Lancaster Ave. (Eligible households must include at least one parent and one child.)
Emergency overnight overflow shelter: When weather triggers are met, additional emergency shelter locations will be activated with overflow beds. If beds at Presbyterian Night Shelter or Union Gospel Mission are full, individuals will be relocated to available overflow locations. This plan ensures demand does not exceed capacity.
Daytime resource: True Worth Place, located at 1513 E. Presidio St., serves as the primary daytime resource for adults experiencing homelessness. It operates daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional information on local homeless resources is available on the Directions Home webpage.
Closures
- Log Cabin Village will be closed on Wednesday, Feb. 19 and Thursday, Feb. 20 due to the frigid temperatures.
- Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge will be closed tomorrow Wednesday, Feb. 19.
- All Fort Worth golf courses are closed through Friday, Feb. 21.
- Community centers plan to remain open during regular business hours. However, in extreme weather conditions, please call ahead to confirm opening before visiting.
- The Devoyd Jennings Business Assistance Center (BAC) will be closed Wednesday, Feb. 19 on account of the weather.
- The Water Gardens will be closed until noon Friday, Feb. 21 or until conditions warm above 32 degrees.
In coordination with TxDOT and roadway maintenance teams, all TEXpress managed lanes are closed as of 5 p.m. Tuesday due to the winter storm.
Solid Waste Residential Collections
Residential Curbside Collections: All residential collections for Tuesday-Friday, Feb. 19-21, routes will operate on a normal collection schedule. This includes garbage, recycling, yard waste, and bulk waste collections.
Safety is our priority, and temperatures will vary over the next few days. Please use caution to safely set out collection carts by 7:00 a.m. on your collection day.
Drop-Off Stations: The City’s four Drop-Off Stations and the Environmental Collection Center (ECC) will be open during their normal operating hours. Drop-Off Station hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ECC hours are Thursday-Friday, 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Hours of operations are subject to change depending on weather, capacity, and road conditions.
Landfill Operations: The Southeast Landfill will be open on Tuesday, Feb. 19, through Saturday, Feb. 22, during their normal operating hours. The Waste Connections C&D Landfill will also be open Tuesday, Feb. 19, through Saturday, Feb. 22, during their normal operating hours.
Missed Collections: Thank you in advance for your patience and understanding during these weather conditions. To ensure efficient handling of reported incidences, please reserve calls to emergency situations.
In the event of a missed collection, please:
- Leave carts or material at the curb.
- Report the missed collection to the 311 Contact Center, by one of the following ways:
- Use the MyFW app.
- Dial 311 from your cell phone.
- Call (817) 392-1234.
- Email 311@fortworthtexas.gov
Changing weather conditions may impact collections and facility operations. Visit www.fortworthtexas.gov/winter for all city services updates.
Preparing Fort Worth roadways for winter weather
The safety and wellbeing of all motorists is a high priority for the City of Fort Worth. The Transportation & Public Works Department monitors severe weather and coordinates with the city's Office of Emergency Management and first responders.
-
When the ground is cold enough for precipitation to stick, and the forecast calls for ice, snow, sleet or freezing rain, sanding crews are placed on standby. The city will deploy as many as 30 trucks at a time, each working 12-hour shifts. Each truck can carry 6-10 cubic yards of material.
-
Before sanding activities begin, spotters drive the roadways to survey road conditions. All trucks and spreaders go through a preventative maintenance check well before winter weather arrives.
-
A sand-salt mixture (10 percent salt) is applied on top of icy pavement. It cannot be applied before the precipitation falls. The City stocks over 4,000 tons of sand with ample amounts of premixed sand/salt for an event. In an average winter, the city uses about 2,500 tons of the sand/salt mixture.
-
Each truck is dispatched with a list of locations prioritizing requested hospital entrances and bridges to sand. Priorities: Bridges, hospital entrances, critical hills, intersections and arterials, emergency overflow shelters. Neighborhood streets will not be sanded.
Protect water pipes and property
To prevent frozen or burst pipes, Fort Worth Water recommends these steps:
- Locate and learn to use the private shut-off valve:
- Fort Worth Water permits residents to shut off water at the meter in emergencies. Use caution when handling the meter and wires attached to the lid.
- Preventive measures:
- Insulate all outside pipes. Disconnect and cover outdoor faucets.
- Insulate pipes in unheated areas (crawl spaces, attics, under cabinets).
- Open cabinet doors under sinks to allow warm air to circulate.
- Turn off and drain irrigation systems to prevent ice on walkways and burst pipes.
- Commercial buildings with fire sprinklers should keep heat on overnight and on weekends during subfreezing temperatures.
- Ensure all household members know the main water shut-off valve location and test it to confirm it works.
- Store extra water in case of a service disruption due to frozen pipes or main breaks.
In case of frozen pipes: Call a plumber to thaw frozen pipes safely. Avoid using electrical appliances to heat pipes, as this can cause them to burst and pose electrocution risks.
Reporting water main breaks: Report running water or damaged pavement immediately by calling 817-392-4477 or use the MyFW app.
Fort Worth Water displays real-time water outages, main breaks and leak information year-round. You can turn layers on and off to view the various information. Visithttps://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/water/water-alertsto check your area.