October 10, 2024 - TRA Newswire -

Speaking at the Texas House Committee on Transportation's Interim Hearing in Austin, Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody stressed the need for support of "exceptional rail items" in the TxDOT budget when lawmakers return to the capitol in January.

One Texas DOT out-of-budget request would support $175 million to build at-grade separations at rail crossings, $25 million to help short-line railroad infrastructure and $2 million to recharge the Heartland Flyer that runs between Fort Worth and Oklahoma City.

Since over 98% of the state transportation agency budget is required to be dedicated to highways, it leaves scant dollars available for all other modes. Exceptional Items submitted to lawmakers would have to be drawn from general funds. 

LeCody also stressed the need for the Texas Department of Transportation to be more aggressive in applying for federal rail grants for freight and passenger rail projects, noting that other states have snapped up billions for projects, with Texas almost dead last in line.

That struck a chord with Transportation Committee Chairman Terry Canales who said "I think slow is an understatement when it comes to trying to procure federal funds for rail. The more commercial vehicles we can remove from roads the more projects we are able to build and alleviate traffic. We've got to shift from the majority of funding going from preservation and maintenance of roads to rail." The lack of federal rail grant capture in Texas also caught the attention of Senate Transportation Committee  Chair Robert Nichols in that chambers interim hearing in August. 

Without a dedicated state funding component to access competitive federal rail grants, Texas has been locked out of competitive Federal Railroad Administration rail programs, while other states receive the lions share and the Lone Star state just gets dribbles. LeCody pointed to the Texas Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund (0306) which voters approved over a decade ago, but has stayed unfunded. State funds coupled with federal grants could double and triple the bang for the buck on rail projects.

Another area of concern centered on a lack of vision for developing passenger rail corridors in Texas. LeCody urged that TxDOT designate primary intercity passenger rail lines as High-Level Corridors of Statewide Significance that should be developed. "These corridors deserve a strategy that TxDOT and the legislature can and must deliver on to keep our people moving efficiently and keep our economy humming."

Testimony on rail at the interim hearing can be found on this Texas House of Representatives Transportation Committee video: https://house.texas.gov/videos/20851 and it starts at 2 hours and 02 minutes during the hearing.

"We are supportive of the three Exceptional Items for rail in TxDOT's Legislative Appropriation Request in the upcoming session, " said LeCody. "If you approve, $175  million would be allocated for grade separations to build new bridges and underpasses and will keep Texas traffic and trains moving while increasing safety at rail crossings. This is especially important in our major urban areas."

Representative Caroline Harris Davila (R-Taylor) voiced concern over more freight rail activity causing blocked rail crossings in her district. "I have a 90 and 93 year old grandmother and grandfather who live on one side of the tracks and both crossings have been covered by the railcars. I have a concern from the safety perspective, emergency services getting to people," said Harris Davila. The legislator asked if the increase in state and federal funding for grade separations would help to alleviate that.

LeCody replied that as he understands, TxDOT only gets some $20 million a year in federal grants to address rail crossings and no state funds. "if we can get the $175 million in an exceptional item and couple it with federal funds we can start doing some good."

A second budget request of $25 million would fund infrastructure improvements for short-line railroads that serve industries and create economic opportunities especially in rural areas. It was pointed out that dynamic industrial rail parks are sprouting up around the state, serving a growing industrial base. Rail parks in Temple, Hempstead and San Angelo are brining new investment into the state. In Taylor, a new industrial rail complex now serves shippers like Samsung, Tesla and others. 

The third exceptional item, for $2 million, is for the Oklahoma and Texas DOT-partnered passenger rail service between Fort Worth, Gainesville and Oklahoma City, the Heartland Flyer. The fund would only maintain existing service, and not expand to a second or third round-trip as advocates have said is needed.  The one-trip a day, run by Amtrak, shifted over 50-thousand vehicles a year off Interstate 35 in fiscal year 2023. 

Finally, LeCody mentioned in his testimony, TxDOT should develop a policy to reserve right-of-way along key highway corridors for intercity rail lines. "We only have to look to the Florida DOT and a company called Brightline that worked together to create a 125 mile-per-hour rail corridor alongside a 40 mile long key freeway to Orlando International Airport", according to the TRA President. "Brightline now operates hourly service from Orlando to Miami and should be a template for future rail travel in Texas."

Video credit: Texas House Transportation Committee