Tag Archives: Texas Central Railway

Texas, Texas Politics

Planned High Speed Rail Selects Houston Terminus

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Even in the face of uncertainty and some fierce opposition, the bold plan for a high-speed rail line connecting Texas’ two largest metros marches forward.  In fact, as Dug Begley of the Houston Chronicle reports, yesterday’s news on the project represents a rather significant leap forward…

Once a Houston destination for shopping, movies and visits with Santa, the site of Northwest Mall is poised for revival as a bullet train terminal, with local officials and train backers seeing dollar signs from the sales tax growth potential.

Texas Central Partners and Houston-area elected officials on Monday announced that the company, which is seeking federal approval for a 240-mile high-speed train line, has chosen the mall’s 45-acre tract near Loop 610 and U.S. 290 as its preferred site for the southern terminal.

Mayor Sylvester Turner called the announcement further proof of a dramatic change in how — and where — people will travel in the Houston region.

“We are moving to a new phase in this city,” Turner said at a Monday ceremony announcing the site selection and releasing renderings of the proposed station.

The station would alter mobility for miles around it, as Houston — with some yet-to-be-determined help from Texas Central — aims to connect the location to downtown, both Houston-area airports and other major job and entertainment centers.

Here’s a clip of Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner’s Press Conference announcing the preferred site…

Last week, Texas Central Partners in junctions with Dallas city leaders, made a similar reveal of the Dallas terminus, to be located just south of the cities’ Downtown.

The announcements come on the heels of a whirlwind round of contentious public hearings by the Federal Railroad Administration, where many residents shared concerns, complaints and a few praises about the project.  Even with these large steps forward, the high speed rail line still faces major hurdles.

But if completed, this project could be the catalyst for what Mayor Turner calls a “Transportation Reformation”, especially for the Houston region.  Though still a ways from reality, plans for local light rail projects which would connect downtown, the Galleria and to Houston’s airports have been accelerated.  These associated projects could prove a major leap for Houston’s many complex transportation needs.  Of course, funding them would require some serious buy-in from Houston voters, so it remains to be seen.

That’s the latest news.  Off the Kuff has more excellent coverage.

(from the Mayor’s announcement, a rendering of the proposed station at the Northwest mall site)

(GPS view of the proposed station location)

 

Houston Politics

Texoblogosphere: Week of March 31st

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The Texas Progressive Alliance is glad that so many people will be getting health insurance even if that number should have been much higher as it brings you this week’s roundup.

Off the Kuff pushes back on some happy talk about the voter ID law.

Dos Centavos reviews the biopic of Cesar Chavez and reminds us that the radical fringe in Texas would like to keep his name and others like him out of our kids’ classrooms.

Horwitz at Texpatriate made the case for anyone but Hogan, including Kinky Friedman, in the Democratic primary for Agriculture Commissioner.

The Texas Central Railway, the latest effort to launch high speed rail from Houston to Dallas, made their initial plans public this week and PDiddie at Brains and Eggs had the advance (before) and the post-press conference report (after).

Thanks to James Moore at Texas to the World, Libby Shaw at Texas Kaos learned Ted Cruz is a cheapskate who spends more time in Iowa than in the Rio Grande Valley. Libby also discovered Ted Cruz lied about The Biggest Lie in all Politics.

Texas has a woefully inadequate and unfair tax system, and that puts us in a bind when we need stuff. Because as WCNews at Eye on Williamson reminds us Stuff Costs Money.

Texas Leftist is glad Democrats have finally stumbled upon a winning strategy for 2014. The questions now… Can we keep the fire burning through November, and will Greg Abbott/ GOP weasel out of having general election debates??

Reading a book about the settlement routes of Black people in the United States, Neil at All People Have Value wrote about ideas of movement beyond physical migration. All People Have Value is part of NeilAquino.com.

Join Egberto of EgbertoWillies.com on his new radio show Politics Done Right on KPFT 90.1 FM, Monday at 8:00 PM discussing Obamacare and the 2014 election.

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

The Great God Pan Is Dead wants to know what Rice University has against art.

Cody Pogue asks and answers the question “What is Texas?”

Mark Bennett defines the ethics of decolletage.

Offcite photographs the Alps of Pasadena. No, really, it makes sense once you read it.

Nonsequiteuse has a suggestion for those who think the equal pay issue is no big thing.

The Texas Living Waters Project implores you to give your feedback on our state’s water future.

Jen Sorenson, a freelance artist now living in Texas, illustrates her experience with Obamacare.

Texas Vox asks “How many oil spills will it take?”

Texas Vox marks the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez disaster.

And finally, in much happier anniversary news, Amy Valentine celebrates her fifth anniversary of being cancer-free.

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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.