More public transportation needed, study says
With the Texas population growing, a new study from TxDOT is urging state and local leaders to expand their approach to public transportation. A top Travis County official said Central Texas could help with one of the big ideas in that TxDOT report.
AUSTIN, Texas – With the Texas population growing, a new study from TxDOT is urging state and local leaders to expand their approach to public transportation.Â
A top Travis County official said Central Texas could help with one of the big ideas in that TxDOT report.
TxDOT report
What they’re saying:
Highway construction in Texas is happening at a historic pace, with major road projects in practically every major urban center. But building new lanes is just one part of a larger public transportation plan.
“We’re a big state. We got to go big,” said TxDOT spokesperson Adam Hammons.
Going big, with a broader approach, requires going local.
“This is a Texas plan, not a TxDOT plan,” said Hammons.
The first draft of the Statewide Multimodal Transit Plan was written with feedback from a series of community meetings that started last year.
It’s described as a foundational analysis of public transportation options for a more uniformed strategy.
“If we are going to address the transportation needs and the demand of our growing population over the next 25, 30 years, you have got to have a plan, right? You can’t build a house without having a plan for its blueprints first. So, this is the start of that to see where we can grow,” said Hammons.
Weekly travel between Austin and San Antonio
Dig deeper:
Populations in major urban centers are expected to increase 40% by 2050. In what’s known as the Texas Triangle, weekly travel between Austin and San Antonio has the highest trip count in TxDOT’s draft study.
“I think the time has come,” said Travis County Judge Andy Brown.
A new commuter rail partnership with Bexar County, according to Judge Brown, could provide a critical link in the state’s transit plan.
“I saw one study that showed that if we did have good passenger rail between Austin and San Antonio, it would reduce I-35 traffic by 25%,” said Judge Brown.
AMTRAK is currently the only major statewide rail service in Texas. A TxDOT study, due out by the end of the year, will offer options for a faster upgrade on the line that’s owned by Union Pacific.Â
Another idea is to use the SH130 right of way. A study was authorized by Travis and Bexar County on using that route to link Austin and San Antonio and is expected in March.
“I think there’s a lot of good creative options, and we have the opportunity here in central Texas to show Texas and the United States how we could do that here in Texas, how we can partner and make it something that works for everybody,” said Judge Brown.
The TxDOT transit plan notes how a regional rail system will require coordination with urban and rural bus routes. Cost factors range from millions to billions of dollars, which would also require a broad state and local approach.
“And we just need to give people options to get to where they go safely and efficiently,” said Hammons.
What’s next:
TxDOT is still collecting feedback on the draft plan.Â
That process ends November 20.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski