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Texas On “Fast Track” To High-Speed Rail

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There may be some exciting times ahead for the Lone Star State, especially for those living in Houston or D/FW. From the Texas Tribune…

The mayors of Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth announced Thursday their unified support for the construction of a privately funded bullet train between the two metropolitan regions.

“If successful, Houstonians will have a reliable, private alternative that will help alleviate traffic congestion and drastically reduce travel times,” Houston Mayor Annise Parker said at a press conference at Houston City Hall.

Texas Central Railway announced in 2012 its plans to build a 200 mph rail line that would transport passengers between Dallas and Houston within 90 minutes. The company has said it will not require any public subsidies to fund the multi-billion dollar project, which it is developing in partnership with a Japanese firm, Central Japan Railway.

The mayors praised the project and predicted it would aid the state economically and environmentally by reducing the number of people traveling by car.

“Not only will high-speed rail significantly reduce travel times and traffic congestion for Dallas and Houston area residents, but it will also create new, high-paying jobs and stimulate economic growth,” Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings said.

Earlier this week I was privileged to meet with the team behind this project, known as Texas Central Railway. Sitting down with TCR President and Former Harris County Judge Robert Eckels, David Benzion and David Hagy, I was able to hear first-hand just how close the TCR is to becoming a reality. Unlike prospects in California or on the East Coast, TCR believes that that a privately-funded High-Speed rail network can be operational before anywhere else in the country.

Now this is certainly not to say that private investment is always the way to go, or that it will work for every HSR corridor. But in Texas, this route has a particular appeal. Unlike building freeways, the High-Speed Rail is less disruptive. It takes less space and by following already established freight rail corridors, would require far less land and property acquisitions. TCR will still have to obtain eminent domain authority, but they hope to use it as little as possible.

Another reason for a potential “fast track” in Texas is simply the topography of the land between Dallas and Houston. Construction costs are going to be lower than they would in California because builders face fewer natural impediments (mountain ranges, protection from earthquakes, etc.). Building time for the line would be shorter as well, with some estimates saying HSR could be constructed in as little as 3 years. Of course construction is dependent on a number of additional factors, so there’s no specific timeline just yet. 

But another important concern here is safety. Private projects are almost always done faster than government, but that’s because government tends to put people over profits. If this line is built in record time with exclusively private dollars, how does TCR plan to ensure Texans that it is safe to ride, and not just a major accident waiting to happen?

“Federal and state regulators have been involved in this project since day one. Though privately funded, TCR will be regulated by the Federal Railroad Administration, just as if it were a public project.” Eckels said. 

Co-designers of the Texas Project would be JR Central out of Japan, which has an impeccable safety record… no fatalities in almost 50 years of operation.

There are still many steps that need to be taken before Texas High-Speed Rail is a reality. But with the creation of TCR and other recent developments, it seems much more likely than it did a few years ago. Texas is in dire need of additional transportation options, and the TCR is off to a good start.

Houston Politics

Testing Houston METRO’s T.R.I.P. App

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As noted in a previous post, Houston transit ridership has been experiencing some significant growth over the past year. More residents of the Bayou City have discovered the Mass Transit system, and are using bus services throughout the city. As transit usage grows, so too does the expectation of safe, predictable and reliable service.

The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (abbreviated at METRO) has been working to address these higher expectations. Just last April, the agency unveiled the METRO T.R.I.P. app… a smart phone app that locates nearby transit routes, matches GPS technology in the smart phone and links it to GPS technology on the busses, and thus provides real- time arrival information for the next bus or train. As a result, this app potentially gives users more flexibility over their schedule, as they will know when to catch busses down to the minute. When working properly, the T.R.I.P. app represents a significant, potentially transformational upgrade in Houston’s transit operation.

But any frequent user of the T.R.I.P. app can attest that it sometimes doesn’t work. I’ve used the app on several occasions where it says a bus is due, and the bus doesn’t show up for another 10 or even 20 minutes. This leads many to wonder if METRO’s busses and trains are all outfitted with the proper GPS technology. I decided to test the app over the course of a full week, using the METRO rail, and bus routes 42, 68, 81 and 82.

First up were the 42 and 68 routes. Out of 20 total tests, the T.R.I.P. app successfully predicted bus arrivals 16 times, down to the minute. Both busses that seemed to be lacking the GPS technology were on the 42 route… all 68 busses were located. The 81 and 82 route was even more successful. Out of 20 total tests on that route, the T.R.I.P. worked properly 90 percent of the time, missing only 2 out of 20 busses. METRO rail however was a different matter. Out of 20 tests, the T.R.I.P. had 0 successful predictions for train times. No real-time information was even available. With the busses, it’s also important to note that these 4 routes are not necessarily a good indicator of service-wide accuracy, but meant to serve as a sample. 

Given this result I decided to ask METRO to provide some answers. Can Houstonians reliably use the T.R.I.P. app?? Here’s the response…

So at this point, real-time arrival information isn’t available for all busses, and isn’t really helpful for train times. But nonetheless, it’s an important first step toward improving mass transit in Houston and providing commuters with alternative options to their cars. Hopefully they will work to get busses to 100 percent soon. If you are a frequent bus rider, try out the T.R.I.P. app and see how well it works for you.

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Texoblogosphere: Week of March 17th

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The Texas Progressive Alliance is ready to bust some brackets as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Off the Kuff analyzes the primary performances of Wendy Davis and Bill White.

Horwitz at Texpatriate presents a novel idea to start getting students voting.

WCNews at Eye on Williamson once again points out Texas’ unfair tax system No One Is Offering An Alternative To The Raw Deal Texas Taxpayers Are Getting.

Libby Shaw at Texas Kaos reminds Greg Abbott that no does not mean yes: Greg Abbott Tries to Spin No into Yes.

Every opponent of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) should watch Daily Show’s Aasif Mandvi interview of Fox business commentator Todd Wilemon posted at EgbertoWillies.com.

A Fort Bend Republican wrote an article for Houston Style magazine about “Democrat” Kesha Rogers. You can imagine how ridiculous that was. Well, no you can’t, because it’s even worse than you can imagine. PDiddie at Brains and Eggs called BS on it about five times. But nobody involved bothered to correct the record.

Neil at All People Have Value said we should self-edit our lives in the same way that time has edited the works of the Ancient Greek poet Sappho. All People Have Value Is Part of NeilAquino.com.

And here are some posts of interest from other Texas blogs.

Cody Pogue calls the new abortion restrictions in Texas what they are – a threat to women’s health.

Texas Redistricting charts our civic engagement crisis.

Texas Watch wants private insurers to pay their fair share before any rate hikes are considered.

Juanita predicts Tom DeLay’s next career move.

Keep Austin Wonky advocates for using Austin’s budget surplus on universal pre-K.

Grits laments the “dystopic no-man’s land” created by the border fence.

John Coby recaps the process of choosing an electricity provider.

In The Pink explains what the movie “Frozen” is really about.

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Affordable Care Act ‘March Madness’

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With nearly one quarter of 2014 in the rearview mirror, the news keeps improving for President Obama’s signature legislative achievement. As of March, over 4 million people have now found health insurance through the Affordable Care Act exchanges. Though this is still short of the original projections, the President recently stated that it is enough to sustain the impact of health reform…

“In an interview with WebMD, Obama said the fact that 4.2 million people have already signed up for plans under federal and state marketplaces mean enough companies will be invested to stay in the system.

‘Well, at this point, enough people are signing up that the Affordable Care Act is going to work. The insurance companies will continue to offer plans,’ the president said. ‘It will be a larger number than that by the end of March 31st, the deadline to get insurance this year.’

Obama noted, however, that the larger question is whether the risk pool is diverse enough to ensure premiums don’t skyrocket, since ‘the more you can spread the risk with more people, the better deal you’re going to get.’

In the days remaining until healthcare enrollment closes, one thing is clear… the Obama administration and healthcare advocates are not leaving things to chance. They have went into overdrive to get people covered before March 31st, focusing specifically on Millennials. Besides Obama’s interesting appearance on Between Two Ferns with Zack Galifianakis (which immediately went viral and caused record traffic on the ACA website), numerous other events are occurring to encourage young adults to sign up. One such event is happening this week at the University of Houston. Called Hot Dogs, Hip Hop and Healthcare, it’s an attempt to further connect students to health options before the enrollment period ends…

“March is the last month to sign up for new affordable health coverage under the new healthcare law. Have questions? Join student organizations: NAACP UH Chapter, Texas Freedom Network Student Chapter at UH, VOX UH: Voices for Planned Parenthood, Student Feminist Organization at UH, and Global at UH for music, food and fun this Thursday, March 20 from 11:30am-2pm at the University of Houston Lynn Eusan Park and learn more about your options.

Certified Application Counselors will be on site to help answer any questions you might have and help students apply for coverage. If you’d like to apply for coverage on campus please bring government issued identification.”

It will be interesting to see if any of the last-minute outreach yields a significant result. In any case, getting the word out certainly can’t hurt.

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Buc-ee’s Owners Support Dan Patrick

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I know I know… Say it Ain’t So!!

Here’s the info direct from Lone Star Q…

Democratic Texas Congressman Joaquin Castro says he’ll boycott Buc-ee’s after the popular roadside megastore chain endorsed right-wing Republican Dan Patrick for lieutenant governor.

“Won’t gas up there anymore since they support a fear mongering immigrant basher,” Castro, D-San Antonio, wrote on Twitter on Monday.

“Wonder how Bucees patrons in Freeport, Lake Jackson stores feel abt their endrsmnt of DP who spoke abt immigrants bringing diseases to TX,” Castro added.

Patrick was the top vote-getter in last Tuesday’s primary, and he is favored to defeat incumbent David Dewhurst in a runoff for the GOP nomination. The winner will face Democrat Leticia Van de Putte, who is Latina, in November.

“To my great delight after our win Tuesday I got a call from the owners of Buc-cees who said they wanted to meet and support me,” Patrick wrote on Facebook on Sunday, above photos of himself with the chain’s beaver mascot and its two owners.

Patrick once said immigrants are bringing “Third World diseases” to the U.S., and he recently called immigration from Mexico an “illegal invasion.” Patrick has challenged Congressman Castro’s brother, San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro, to a debate on the issue. Mayor Castro retweeted his brother’s tweet about Buc-ee’s on Monday.

Buc-ee’s is quickly becoming one of Texas’ most beloved roadside institutions. It’s a must-stop for me any time I pass by one of the flagship stores. Even when I don’t buy a lot of stuff, I love to go in, rest my eyes from the road and just look at all of the quirky items they have on display. And of course, SUCH CLEAN BATHROOMS… I mean it boggles the mind!!

As much as one may love Buc-ee’s, Dan Patrick is reason enough to join Congressman Castro in the boycott. All the Beaver Nuggets in the world can’t make up for the terrible things Patrick says on an almost daily basis. It’s time to send a message to Arch “Beaver” Aplin III and Don Wasek (pictured below with Patrick in the middle) that everyone doesn’t agree with the State Senator’s views. And lest you think that the owners of Buc-ee’s are perhaps naïve of the political sphere, think again. Aplin ran for political office back in 1996 and is a proud Republican, so he knows what he’s getting into. Of course there’s nothing wrong with being a proud Republican, but Patrick’s anti-immigrant, anti-LGBT views are far too extreme.

If you choose to join the boycott, you can also use Buc-ee’s online contact form to let them know why. Let’s find out how much they care about customer feedback.

(photo credit: Dan Patrick Facebook page)

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Transit Ridership: Is Houston Discovering the Bus?

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When most Houstonians leave the house to traverse the city, the overwhelming mode of transportation is by car. It shouldn’t surprise anyone that most people in the Houston metropolitan area have never even taken public transit. If they have, it was probably in a limited capacity. Houston is the definition of a “car city”.

But even if progress is slow, it’s still happening just the same. The latest report from the American Public Transportation Association (APTA) reveals that some Houstonians are at least beginning to discover that our public transit system is usable for more than the rodeo. From 2012 to 2013, Houston’s overall public transit ridership increased by 2.76%. Though not a huge number, it is the largest transit ridership growth of any major city in Texas. Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso and even ultra progressive Austin all saw declines in transit ridership.

The numbers are even more surprising when examined by mode of transit. It’s clear that Houston’s bus system is leading the way in this growth. Bus ridership alone grew by a healthy 3.44% between 2012 and 2013, putting Houston 2nd in the nation for highest increase in bus system usage. Only Washington DC’s bus ridership increased faster than the Bayou City at 3.45%.

Many bus riders are starting to see a change in Houston METRO services, including more new busses on the road, more predictable travel planning thanks to new innovations like METRO’s T.R.I.P. app, and increased numbers in the seats. As was discussed recently on Houston Matters, there are some surprising intrinsic benefits to public transit use.

For all of the focus that Houston has put on rail transit, including the recent opening of the North Line, ridership on Metro Rail was actually down by 0.72%. Granted, the North Line occurred only 10 days before the close of 2013, so we’ll have to wait for next year’s report to see any true effect on those numbers. But the heart and soul of Houston mass transit system is certainly busses, and it’s good to see growth in that area.

Off the Kuff has a broader take on this interesting report.

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TexWatch 2014: Past the Primaries Part 1

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The old saying goes like this…

Democrats fall in love. Republicans fall in line.

Once again, this political principle was on display this week’s Primary election. Republicans, as expected, were out in much greater force than their Democrat counterparts, despite all of the hope and anticipation of positive developments like Battleground Texas. In the first statewide election since BGTX’s founding, Democratic turnout was almost the same for 2014 as it was in 2010… dismal. The GOP side had easily twice the number of voters.

Houston Chronicle’s editorial board seems to agree…

The tea party groups won also in this, their third election cycle, because they are knowledgeable and engaged and they show up. They contest every office.

Are you listening Democrats? Until the state’s hapless minority party emulates the tea partiers, they’ll continue to embarrass themselves with such beyond-the-fringe candidates as Kesha Rogers, a Fort Bend County follower of Lyndon LaRouche who has advocated impeaching President Obama and who carts around a poster of the president with a Hitler mustache. Rogers is a Democrat in name only, but low-information primary voters keep voting for her anyway.

Knowledgeable? Well, TEA-Publicans definitely show up. And they always bring a trove of consistent, even if rarely factual, talking points. And in the state’s current voting environment, it’s enough to wallop the Democratic side.

But the most frustrating part of all of this? Even if Republicans are out-voting Democrats by a 2 to 1 margin, the combined voter turnout is still abysmal. Fewer than 1.9 million people voted in this week’s Primary election… roughly 0.5 percent of the state’s population made these decisions for 26 million Texans. 12 million registered voters were nowhere to be found. Of the supreme oligarchy that does manage to get to the polls, many of them have no clue what or who they’re voting for. There’s no better evidence of this than the fact that a virtual unknown can draw over 114,000 votes just because they have a name of Hispanic origin. Reynaldo “Ray” Madrigal, a Corpus Christi native and Wendy Davis’ only primary opponent, never even campaigned north of I-10.

After this week’s contest, it’s pretty easy to see why Texas Democrats are caught in a cycle of disappointment. They are still a weak party, but all is not lost. Some glimmers of hope (and likely evidence that Battleground Texas is making a difference) include increased voter turnout in urban counties, an improved fundraising apparatus and a literal ARMY of new volunteers. Check back for more insight into how statewide candidates did, and how they can win this November.

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