July 31, 2016 - TRA Newswire

The Texas Department of Transportation is hosting a series of public hearings in Laredo, Austin and Arlington to seek public input on the release of the Texas – Oklahoma Passenger Rail study. This is your ONLY opportunity to visit with TxDOT Rail Division personnel and discuss the study.

This is a rare turning point in moving passenger rail forward on or near the I-35 corridor, one of the most congested roadways in Texas.

Texas Rail Advocates is asking for all elected officials along the corridor and interested businesses and the general public to attend a public meeting near you. Only through grass-roots efforts will we finally be able to add passenger rail service to this important intercity corridor.

Laredo – August 9 ,2016 



Where:
TxDOT Laredo District Office
1817 Bob Bullock Loop – Large Meeting Room (Map)
Laredo, TX 78043
When:
Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2016
Open House: 5:30 p.m.
Presentation: 6 p.m.



Austin – August 10, 2016



Where:
TxDOT Austin District Office – Building 7 District Hearing Room (Map)
7901 N. I-35
Austin, TX 78753
When:
Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2016
Open House: 5:30 p.m.
Presentation: 6 p.m.



Arlington – August 11, 2016



Where:
North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) – Transportation Council Room (Map)
616 Six Flags Drive
Arlington, TX 76011
When:
Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016
Open House: 5:30 p.m.
Presentation: 6 p.m.



The Texas-Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study is an evaluation of a range of passenger rail service options in an 850-mile corridor from Oklahoma City to South Texas. The study is scheduled to conclude by the end of 2016 after the completion of a service-level environmental impact statement (EIS) and a service development plan. Both of these reports will document how passenger rail could serve Texas communities and the benefits and impacts of different passenger rail choices. The study will consider the corridor as a whole, as well as three discrete portions of the corridor:

Northern: Oklahoma City to Dallas/Fort Worth
Central: Dallas/Fort Worth to San Antonio
Southern: San Antonio to Rio Grande Valley/Corpus Christi/Laredo

Texas’ population and economy are booming, with much of its growth occurring in the already-congested I-35 corridor. While TxDOT continues to explore roadway improvements to keep us and our economy moving, other options, such as passenger rail service, fit the needs of many travelers and would reduce demand on the state’s roadways. Through the Texas-Oklahoma Passenger Rail Study, TxDOT is studying how passenger rail service could fit this corridor.

Hundreds of community members reviewed possible rail routes and service levels at in-person meetings and online in January and February of 2014. Participants provided comments on the passenger rail alternatives that were recommended for further study. Fact sheets are available that describe each of the alternatives that will be studied in the draft EIS.

TxDOT has considered the comments from previous public meetings and has prepared the draft EIS to evaluate the benefits, impacts and costs of the possible route and service level alternatives. TxDOT is hosting public hearings and is seeking public input. Stay tuned for ways to get involved! Join the mailing list to get updates.

TxDOT is hosting a series of public hearings in Laredo, Austin and Arlington to seek public input on the study.

Partners

Because the corridor extends into Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Department of Transportation is an important partner in the study. In addition, transit service providers, railroads, metropolitan planning organizations, cities and counties, and community members will be engaged throughout the study.



Downloads
Format


Overview



Compliance



Frequently Asked Questions



Get Involved



Meeting Materials







Draft Environmental Impact Statement
Format


Draft Environmental Impact Statement



Appendix A – Final Scouting Report



Appendix B – Alternative Criteria



Appendix C – Route Alternative Analysis



Appendix D – Draft Alternative Analysis



Appendix E – Air Quality Technical Study



Appendix F – Water Quality Technical Study



Appendix G – Natural Eco Systems Technical Study



Appendix H – Endangered Species Technical Study



Appendix I – Aesthetics Visual Technical Study



Appendix J – Historic Archaeological Technical Study



Appendix K – Archaeological Sites Technical Study



Appendix L – Transportation Technical Study



Appendix M – Demographics Population Data




Contact Us

Rail Planning Section Manager
125 E. 11th St.
Austin, TX 78701

(512) 416-3014
Email