jtk1519
Nov 10, 2009, 1:52 AM
A commuter rail line stretching from Austin to San Antonio has taken another step forward.
The Lone Star Rail District -- formerly, the Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail District -- has been a long time in the making. Twelve years ago state lawmakers authorized the train service.
“We need alternatives to driving our cars on congested highway and especially on Interstate 35. For many years our regional transportation plans included an Austin-San Antonio rail line, and it is frankly a key element as far as having a comprehensive multi-model transportation system that we need in Central Texas,” said State Senator Kirk Watson, (D)-Austin.
Monday morning leaders announced that LSTAR will receive funding for a required federal environmental impact study. There’s also new funding to create the official design.
LSTAR will run from Georgetown to the south side of San Antonio along the I-35 corridor.
“People feel chained to their cars (on that route),” said Mary Briseno of San Antonio’s Metropolitan Transit. “Rail will offer travelers independence from I-35.”
LSTAR will make up to 16 stops, including Georgetown, downtown Round Rock, the McNeil junction, Braker Lane at the Domain, 35th and MoPac, downtown Austin, Slaughter Lane, Kyle/Buda, San Marcos at Texas State University, New Braunfels, Schertz, Loop 1604, Loop 410/Airport, Downtown San Antonio/UTSA, Port San Antonio and City South/TAMU.
LSTAR is expected to serve roughly 4 million people across its five-county region.
“It means easier commutes for downtown employees and more travel options for people who live near here. It means more visits from travelers and tourists coming to Austin. It means good things, great things for our environment as we provide more sustainable mobility options,” said Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell.
Altogether, officials say getting the line on track will cost $3 billion. The expense includes finding new lines and re-routing the two dozen Union Pacific freight trains that already use the tracks on a daily basis.
The State Legislature has granted nearly $200 million so far. There's also federal funding coming in for the line.
“We’re closer than we’ve ever been to offering travelers some independence from I-35 traffic,” said Senator Watson.
The line’s environmental impact study will begin early next year. It's required by the federal government.
http://www.kvue.com/news/LSTAR-Commuter-Rail-Moving-Forward-69574787.html
From LSTAR's website...
We don’t need to tell you that traffic on Interstate 35 through the Austin-San Antonio corridor is bad and getting worse. It’s one of the most congested interstate segments in America and the biggest bottleneck on I-35 between Mexico and Canada. It’s also one of the deadliest stretches of highway in the country, with over 100 fatalities a year.
Rebuilding I-35 to accommodate all of the different travel demands it now handles would take decades and could consume Texas’ entire transportation budget. That’s why for many years, regional leaders and thinkers have been looking at alternatives. And one of the best alternatives is passenger rail.
The Union Pacific corridor that parallels I-35 is an important link for moving goods through the region, but as a freight rail line, it suffers from many of the same challenges as I-35. It’s outdated, runs right through the heart of major cities, and leaves little room for expansion or improved service. Moving through-freight traffic to other, more suitable and more modern corridors would have benefits for the railroad and its customers as well as the communities in the corridor.
But that same UP right-of-way is almost perfectly suited to passenger service that can bring people right to the region’s major destinations—downtown Austin and San Antonio, a long string of university campuses, tourist attractions, and major employers from Williamson County to Port San Antonio and beyond.
That’s why, in the late 1990s, the state first conducted a feasibility study for regional passenger rail service in the corridor. Once that report came back positive, the pieces fell into place for the creation of an independent public agency that represents and is governed by local communities and stakeholders.
Texas voters also gave their approval to efforts to jump-start rail relocation and improvements, with the state and private railroads like UP working together for mutual benefit. In recent years, passenger rail has taken off across the country, with dozens of regional services achieving wide popularity, including systems like the Trinity Railway Express connecting Dallas and Fort Worth and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express connecting Albuquerque and Santa Fe. And the federal transportation program is devoting more energy and resources to passenger rail than ever before.
Today, regional passenger rail is no longer just a good idea. It’s a transportation choice that will improve our lives and expand our horizons—and before you know it, the LSTAR will be ready to roll.
http://lonestarrail.com/images/temp/map/map-large.jpg
www.lonestarrail.com
The Lone Star Rail District -- formerly, the Austin-San Antonio Commuter Rail District -- has been a long time in the making. Twelve years ago state lawmakers authorized the train service.
“We need alternatives to driving our cars on congested highway and especially on Interstate 35. For many years our regional transportation plans included an Austin-San Antonio rail line, and it is frankly a key element as far as having a comprehensive multi-model transportation system that we need in Central Texas,” said State Senator Kirk Watson, (D)-Austin.
Monday morning leaders announced that LSTAR will receive funding for a required federal environmental impact study. There’s also new funding to create the official design.
LSTAR will run from Georgetown to the south side of San Antonio along the I-35 corridor.
“People feel chained to their cars (on that route),” said Mary Briseno of San Antonio’s Metropolitan Transit. “Rail will offer travelers independence from I-35.”
LSTAR will make up to 16 stops, including Georgetown, downtown Round Rock, the McNeil junction, Braker Lane at the Domain, 35th and MoPac, downtown Austin, Slaughter Lane, Kyle/Buda, San Marcos at Texas State University, New Braunfels, Schertz, Loop 1604, Loop 410/Airport, Downtown San Antonio/UTSA, Port San Antonio and City South/TAMU.
LSTAR is expected to serve roughly 4 million people across its five-county region.
“It means easier commutes for downtown employees and more travel options for people who live near here. It means more visits from travelers and tourists coming to Austin. It means good things, great things for our environment as we provide more sustainable mobility options,” said Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell.
Altogether, officials say getting the line on track will cost $3 billion. The expense includes finding new lines and re-routing the two dozen Union Pacific freight trains that already use the tracks on a daily basis.
The State Legislature has granted nearly $200 million so far. There's also federal funding coming in for the line.
“We’re closer than we’ve ever been to offering travelers some independence from I-35 traffic,” said Senator Watson.
The line’s environmental impact study will begin early next year. It's required by the federal government.
http://www.kvue.com/news/LSTAR-Commuter-Rail-Moving-Forward-69574787.html
From LSTAR's website...
We don’t need to tell you that traffic on Interstate 35 through the Austin-San Antonio corridor is bad and getting worse. It’s one of the most congested interstate segments in America and the biggest bottleneck on I-35 between Mexico and Canada. It’s also one of the deadliest stretches of highway in the country, with over 100 fatalities a year.
Rebuilding I-35 to accommodate all of the different travel demands it now handles would take decades and could consume Texas’ entire transportation budget. That’s why for many years, regional leaders and thinkers have been looking at alternatives. And one of the best alternatives is passenger rail.
The Union Pacific corridor that parallels I-35 is an important link for moving goods through the region, but as a freight rail line, it suffers from many of the same challenges as I-35. It’s outdated, runs right through the heart of major cities, and leaves little room for expansion or improved service. Moving through-freight traffic to other, more suitable and more modern corridors would have benefits for the railroad and its customers as well as the communities in the corridor.
But that same UP right-of-way is almost perfectly suited to passenger service that can bring people right to the region’s major destinations—downtown Austin and San Antonio, a long string of university campuses, tourist attractions, and major employers from Williamson County to Port San Antonio and beyond.
That’s why, in the late 1990s, the state first conducted a feasibility study for regional passenger rail service in the corridor. Once that report came back positive, the pieces fell into place for the creation of an independent public agency that represents and is governed by local communities and stakeholders.
Texas voters also gave their approval to efforts to jump-start rail relocation and improvements, with the state and private railroads like UP working together for mutual benefit. In recent years, passenger rail has taken off across the country, with dozens of regional services achieving wide popularity, including systems like the Trinity Railway Express connecting Dallas and Fort Worth and the New Mexico Rail Runner Express connecting Albuquerque and Santa Fe. And the federal transportation program is devoting more energy and resources to passenger rail than ever before.
Today, regional passenger rail is no longer just a good idea. It’s a transportation choice that will improve our lives and expand our horizons—and before you know it, the LSTAR will be ready to roll.
http://lonestarrail.com/images/temp/map/map-large.jpg
www.lonestarrail.com