July 31, 2024 - KVUE.com -
People are continuing to move to Texas at an incredibly high rate.
In a new report, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) says the state's population could exceed 40 million by 2050.
While more people and businesses continue to relocate to the Lone Star State, there is a rising need for more transportation options, which has prompted TxDOT to roll out a new statewide plan called Connecting Texas 2050.
By the year 2050, without other options, TxDOT says driving will be the dominant mode of travel in the state. And with worse congestion and traffic delays as the population grows, transit advocates like Adam Greenfield are rallying for a passenger rail.
"We need statewide rail, we need regional rail," Greenfield, the director of advocacy for Safe Streets Austin, said. "Right now, the state is constitutionally restricted to how much it can spend on anything apart from roadways and expanding roadways for cars. That needs to change. If we can change that spending ratio, it will greatly help the economy."
Read more and video : https://www.kvue.com/article/money/economy/boomtown-2040/texas-light-rail-future-txdot-houston-dallas-austin-san-antonio/269-a2f16d3e-3bcf-43d3-b455-2802227eb774
Photo credit: Texas Rail Advocates, Temple Texas