Advocates for rail projects in Texas are staying optimistic about legislation that could bring more trains to the state, including the proposed high-speed rail from Dallas to Houston, despite opposition in Austin.
During the Southwestern Rail Conference in Hurst this week, industry leaders spoke about bills filed in the House and Senate that could drive growth for both passenger and freight rail projects.
"The appetite for high-speed rail is going to continue this session," said Lorena Campos, government affairs consultant for Texas Rail Advocates. "So we are at least part of that conversation."
Campos said different pieces of state legislation could help either grow or improve railway projects in the state.
Among them is Senate Bill 1555, co-authored by Senate Transportation Committee chair and East Texas Republican Sen. Robert Nichols and Houston Democratic Sen. Carol Alvarado. The bill would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to create a grant program making at-grade crossings for vehicles and pedestrians safer.
The state Senate passed the bill last month after growing interest following a fatal train collision that killed a teen in Houston last December, according to Houston Public Media. Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody said advocates' initial ask for $175 million for the grant program doubled to $350 million after the issue caught the attention of Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
"If it does come into fruition and the money is available TXDoT could do some great work and relieve a lot of congestion at rail crossings, eliminate some of these dangerous crossings that we have, because Texas is right up at the top of the list for both the fatalities and accidents at rail crossings across the country," LeCody said.
Other bills include Austin-area Democratic Rep. John Bucy's House Bill 483 and House Joint Resolution 58. The latter would require TXDoT to enter a comprehensive agreement with a private entity to build a high-speed rail line between North Texas and San Antonio. The former would be a constitutional amendment that would allow state highway funds to be used for transit projects, including rail.
"That would go to the voters this November, if legislators approve it," LeCody said.
Campos said in her update that both bills were referred to the House subcommittee on transportation funding, where they're still pending.
She added there are also bills in the legislature that could threaten the future of rail projects, including HB1402, which would prevent state and local funding from being used to alter roadways for the construction of high speed rail, and HB2003. Both bills are pending in committee.
LeCody said while there is usually opposition to rail in the state legislature, especially high-speed rail, there are fewer bills this session that could "kill" future projects.
"In previous sessions we had maybe up to a dozen or more bills that were filed by rural legislators between Dallas and Houston to eliminate the high-speed rail," LeCody said. "This session we're down to, I believe, about three bills, so I guess that's what you could call improvement."
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA's growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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