Federal Railroad Administration releases its Draft Environmental
Impact Statement on high-speed train
- Preferred North Texas-to-Houston
route outlined
- Passenger station locations
identified, boosting local economy
The Texas Bullet Train made a big push forward today as federal
regulators for the first time outlined a preferred route between
North Texas and Houston, identified passenger station
locations.
The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) analysis, completed
after nearly four years of work, provides a path for the high-speed
train’s planning, design and pre-construction phases, and it
ensures the safety and environmental wellbeing of counties and
communities along the 240-mile route.
The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), the result of
an extensive, public process required for major infrastructure
projects, starts the consultation process that will allow the
Bullet Train to link the state’s two largest urban and economic
centers in a travel time of less than 90 minutes, with a midway
stop in the Brazos Valley.
The independent, environmental analysis stems from work over the
last four years by hundreds of experts, including biologists and
natural resource technicians; civil, audio, mechanical and
electrical engineers; architects and geologists; and historians and
sociologists, among many others.
They reviewed the system’s potential impact on the environment
and how to manage it to best protect private property and farmland;
natural resources, water and wetlands; threatened and endangered
species; energy demands; and other conditions along the 240-mile
route.
The U.S. Department of Transportation called the report’s
release “an important milestone” in the permitting process of
the train.
“Safe, accessible and efficient regional rail systems are an
important component in the transportation networks of many
areas,” Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said, referring
to the Texas Bullet Train and others being developed. “As proposed,
these rail projects would increase travel options and promote
economic growth in their regions of the country.”
The assessment is the latest major advancement by the train,
including the recent selection of Irving, Texas-based Fluor
Enterprises Inc. and The Lane Construction Corp. as the preferred
design/build team, with WSP USA conducting engineering work on
their behalf.
The report also reflects input from thousands of comments by the
public, including landowners, community groups, elected officials
and others. An independent consultant managed by the FRA solicited,
compiled and reviewed the public responses and technical
reviews.
The FRA said the train would “alleviate the strain” on the
state’s existing infrastructure and “is needed to accommodate
growing demand.”
Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar said the design/build teams,
which have domestic and international rail experience, will use the
DEIS findings to incorporate more details into planning, cost and
scheduling. Their work will address remaining environmental issues
in the best way possible and avoid conflicts with existing
infrastructure, such as roads, transmission lines and subsurface
utilities.
“Thousands of hours have been spent to ensure the Texas Bullet
Train will be constructed and operated in a way that gives Texans a
choice for the safest mode of transportation in the world. This
process ensures issues identified are addressed in the best way
possible for communities and the environment. We will respectfully
follow this public consultation process to ensure legitimate
concerns from all stakeholders are addressed,” Aguilar said.
Among the DEIS highlights:
Preferred route
It outlines a preferred route for the all-electric train that
mostly follows transmission lines in a utility corridor between
North Texas and Houston. This is the result of a study by the FRA
and other government agencies, that started with more than a half
dozen options.
The preferred alignment would minimize impacts on the
environment and existing development and would allow the system to
optimize operational efficiency. It also outlines a more precise
route, that would accelerate planning, design and coordination with
landowners and communities.
In comparing the final options, the FRA identified a preferred
route that “would have fewer permanent impacts to the
socioeconomic, natural, physical and cultural resources
environment.”
Passenger stations
It gives potential passenger terminal sites in Dallas, Houston
and the only midway stop, in Grimes County, serving Bryan/College
Station in the Brazos Valley.
The report notes transit services in Dallas and Harris counties,
operated by DART and METRO respectively, could see increased
ridership because of the project.
Also, stations would be built to minimize energy and water usage
and promote indoor air quality.
The Dallas station will be in the Cedars area south of the Kay
Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
The Brazos Valley Station in Grimes County will be near Texas 90
and State Highway 30. It would serve Bryan-College Station and
include direct shuttle service to Texas A&M University,
according to the report.
It lists three options for the Houston passenger terminal, with
a final to be determined later. It would be in the general area
south of U.S. 290, west of Loop 610 and north of Interstate 10 –
near major employment centers, including the Galleria, Medical
Center, Energy Corridor and downtown.
Environmental impact
The proposed high-speed train technology – which is the safest,
most efficient way to travel in the world – will be built
incorporating viaduct structures on a significant part of the
alignment to maintain existing road crossings and allow for
economic activity to continue.
There will be no “at grade crossings,” removing the risk of
intersecting with vehicles and allowing for free movement of
wildlife, pedestrians and cars.
Also, the clean nature of the rail system will benefit
high-growth areas where some counties already have reached air
quality non-attainment status.
The analysis “considered permanent impacts to air quality, water
quality, noise and vibration, hazardous materials, aesthetics and
visual, transportation, land use, socioeconomic, safety and
security, and recreation facility. Overall, construction and
operation impacts would not affect [these] in a disproportionately
high and adverse manner.”
The project is expected to generate $36 billion in direct
economic activity over the next 25 years, create more than 10,000
direct jobs per year during construction and up to 1,000 jobs
permanently when operational. As the DEIS confirms, at least 25
percent of these permanent jobs will be in rural counties along the
route.
In addition, the report said, “Every permanent job from the
[high-speed rail] HSR system would indirectly spur two to four jobs
in supporting industries.”
The railroad also expects to pay more than $2.5 billion in taxes
over the next 25 years, going to counties, cities, schools and
other taxing entities along the route.
And “this positive impact on tax revenues would occur annually,
as it would create permanent changes to employment and earnings
within the regional economy,” the report said.
ABOUT TEXAS CENTRAL
Texas Central is developing a new, investor-owned high-speed
train that will connect North Texas, the Brazos Valley and Houston,
using proven, world-class technology. The 90-minute trip will
provide a safe, reliable and productive transportation alternative.
The company’s market-led approach is backed by investors, not
government grants, a new business model for infrastructure
advances. Texas Central and its affiliated entities will be
responsible for the system’s design, finance, construction,
operation and maintenance. See more at www.texascentral.com.
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version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20171215005878/en/
Hill+Knowlton StrategiesKate Heckenkemper,
214-584-6060kate.heckenkemper@hkstrategies.comwww.texascentral.com