San Marcos support for LSTAR could be too little, too late
July 7th, 2016
Austin Monitor - July 7, 2016
As the Lone Star Rail District approaches what could be the end of the line, one important city along its still-theoretical route is hoping to keep it on track.
San Marcos City Council voted on Tuesday night to approve a resolution offering its support for the flagging passenger-rail effort. The item scored unanimous support on the city’s dais.
In a press release issued by Hahn Public on behalf of Lone Star Rail, also known as LSTAR, San Marcos Council Member John Thomaides said, “It’s going to take all of us, our county colleagues, state legislature and the federal government for us to realize this necessity. There is not a better alternative — another couple of lanes on I-35 isn’t going to help. We need the federal (environmental impact statement) or nothing’s going to get done; and keeping it in the long range plan is critical.”
San Marcos’ support is a notable, if mostly symbolic, change of fortunes for LSTAR. Earlier this year, Union Pacific (UP) walked away from its deal to explore running LSTAR’s proposed passenger trains from Georgetown to San Antonio on existing freight track. That route had long been the presumed option for the district and was the focus of years of planning. Without it, LSTAR has few viable options.
Read more: http://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2016/07/san-marcos-support-lstar-little-late/
As the Lone Star Rail District approaches what could be the end of the line, one important city along its still-theoretical route is hoping to keep it on track.
San Marcos City Council voted on Tuesday night to approve a resolution offering its support for the flagging passenger-rail effort. The item scored unanimous support on the city’s dais.
In a press release issued by Hahn Public on behalf of Lone Star Rail, also known as LSTAR, San Marcos Council Member John Thomaides said, “It’s going to take all of us, our county colleagues, state legislature and the federal government for us to realize this necessity. There is not a better alternative — another couple of lanes on I-35 isn’t going to help. We need the federal (environmental impact statement) or nothing’s going to get done; and keeping it in the long range plan is critical.”
San Marcos’ support is a notable, if mostly symbolic, change of fortunes for LSTAR. Earlier this year, Union Pacific (UP) walked away from its deal to explore running LSTAR’s proposed passenger trains from Georgetown to San Antonio on existing freight track. That route had long been the presumed option for the district and was the focus of years of planning. Without it, LSTAR has few viable options.
Read more: http://www.austinmonitor.com/stories/2016/07/san-marcos-support-lstar-little-late/