TRA advances rail challenge

by Paul Mangelsdorf
TRA President

Texas Rail Advocates continues to work for the funding of a ridership study of the South Central High Speed Rail Corridor. This freight & passenger route is a key north/south traffic artery in the quest for better mobility in Texas.

The state expects phenomenal growth (30%) in the next ten years . Terrain, demographics and investment potential make this an ideal route for higher speed rail development and ultimately international high speed rail standards. These developments are crucial if trade with Mexico and Canada is to continue to flourish.

Texas Rail Advocates has accepted the challenge to actively advance the rail alternative believing that it represents the most practical investment when environment, land use and movement of large amounts of goods and large numbers of people are considered.

Fellow Texas Rail Advocates principals John Radovich and Mike Mackner will be in Austin with me on April 15th as we meet with aides to members of the Senate Infrastructure Development and Security Committee to inform them about the Corridor issue. A meeting is also scheduled with personnel from the multi modal division at TexDOT.

From April 28 through the 30th John Radovich and I will be in Washington for the National Corridor Initiative Conference (see Rail Is Real on the website) and meetings with Texas congressional representatives whose districts are on the South Central Corridor. We also look forward to meetings with appropriate contacts in the offices of Senator Hutchison and Senator Cornyn.

A letter to your congressional representative and Senators Hutchison and Cornyn supporting a ridership study as the first step in the development of the South Central high Speed Rail Corridor would be appropriate.