June 14, 2024 - TRA Newswire -

A cooperative web presentation by DC-based Rail Passengers Association and Texas Rail Advocates today provided both a national picture on the state of funding for rail projects and examined what opportunities are on the drawing board for Texas.

Sean Jeans-Gail, Rail Passengers Association’s VP of Policy and Government Affairs, provided an overview of the political scene in Washington, the latest on the various passenger rail related initiatives including the FRA long distance studies, and the upcoming BIL reauthorization. Peter LeCody, President of Texas Rail Advocates, drilled down to what’s going on in Texas, including the various Corridor ID studies, TxDOT’s Rail Plan, and the TCR-Amtrak partnership exploring high speed rail between Dallas-Ft. Worth and Houston.

The #1 takeaway from the Texas perspective is a lack of rail funding from the state of Texas. Without a minimum 10/20% state match, Texas will continue to lose out on competitive federal rail grant programs and those funds, from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed by Congress, will continue to go to other states. 

The full video of the presentation has been uploaded to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H65bJhiwTLo

Photo credit: Texas Rail Advocates