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The constant traffic jams on I-35 are a problem that are holding back the Texas economy, state lawmakers were told on Monday. And the proposed solution could be a new law that supports high-speed rail between San Antonio and Dallas.
"We're behind the eight ball already. Traffic is growing," said State Representative Ray Lopez.
"We all know the congestion. As a matter of fact, I experienced it this morning leaving San Antonio at 5:30 in the morning to be able to be here at 8:00. Practically impossible," Lopez said.
The traffic between the two growing cities is only going to get worse. The Central Texas region is projected to see immense growth.
By 2060, Bexar County is projected to reach a population of more than 2.6 million, and Travis County is expected to reach more than 1.7 million, according to data from the Texas Demographic Center.
The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization forecast that by 2045, 53% of the population between San Antonio and Austin will live within five miles of I-35.
Lopez said Texas leaders need to get past the old roadblocks that have prevented the development of cross-state commuter rail. And one of those roadblocks is the Texas Department of Transportation.
"That's why I filed House Bill 483. To finally build the future that we have been waiting for," said Representative John H. Bucy III, an Austin Democrat.
"This bill will repeal the outdated ban that blocks state investment in high-speed rail and directs TxDOT to partner with a private entity to build a state-of-the-art, high-speed rail connecting Dallas, Austin and San Antonio along the I-35 corridor," he said.
Bucy said the I-35 congestion is costing Texans. He said it's costing in lost time stuck in traffic. Economic and educational opportunities are lost, and lives are lost due to the dangerous driving conditions.
But efforts to build high-speed rail between San Antonio and Austin have repeatedly failed. In the early 1990s, The Lone Star Rail District proposed a project to build a commuter rail line using existing Union Pacific freight tracks. After years of planning, it collapsed in 2016 when Union Pacific pulled out of negotiations, and no funding materialized to move it forward.
The cost for the infrastructure for a high-speed rail would be in the billions of dollars. That would be just for land acquisition, environmental studies, and construction. Studies show that without state investment private investors wouldn't join the venture because the potential ridership doesn't guarantee a strong return on investment.
Historically there has been reluctance from Texas state leaders to support commuter rail. They have supported highway funding instead.
House Bill 483 was left pending in committee.
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