Posted on 10/22/2006 6:43:23 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
When a close call like last week's train derailment in Beacon Hill happens, the "what if" questions — as in what if a deadly poison had been released near so many homes — soon are followed by questions about what can be done.
But answers to how long it will take to reroute most trains out of San Antonio's core, how much it will cost and where the money will come from don't come easily.
And the best guesses on fixing the problem — a decade or more and billions of dollars — don't help people sleep much better.
"It's a very frightening situation," Mayor Phil Hardberger said. "We must move forward as fast as we can to get these rails out of San Antonio."
About 80 Union Pacific trains a day pass through the city, 50 of which could be rerouted if new tracks and rail yards were built, according to company.
Costs for tracks near Loop 1604 around the South Side and east of Interstate 35 to north of Austin could run $2 billion to $3 billion, said Patrick Marotta, a policy analyst with the Texas Department of Transportation.
"That's if we build it today," he said. "We're not going to build it today."
The first obstacle is money — there isn't any.
Voters last year approved the Texas Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund, allowing the state to sell bonds to buy land and build and improve tracks. But the Legislature still needs to put money into it, and TxDOT suggested $200 million a year to back $2 billion in bonds.
"We thought $2 billion would be a good start to begin partnering with local entities and the private sector," said David Casteel, who heads TxDOT's San Antonio office.
Adding taxes to train fuel or freight has been discussed, but industry officials don't like those options, Casteel said.
Finding money could be tough in what likely will be another tight budget when state lawmakers return in January for their regular session.
Existing priorities include efforts to restore cuts made to the Children's Health Insurance Program and address shortages in the state's pension program for retired schoolteachers, said state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte, D-San Antonio.
Lawmakers also face a growing demand to corral ever-increasing college tuition rates.
"The pressure is unbelievable to ease tuition escalation," Van de Putte said.
Recommended funding for rail relocations won't be known until December, said Rep. Ruth Jones McClendon, D-San Antonio, co-author of the measure that voters approved.
"I'm optimistic," she said. "This is the perfect example of what we need when something like this continues to happen."
Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, and House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, are likely to play big roles determining funding priorities. They didn't return phone calls.
San Antonio will need allies to get money for rail relocations, Van de Putte said.
"It's got to be perceived by my colleagues as more than just a San Antonio or Bexar County problem," she said.
TxDOT says it is more than a San Antonio problem, which ironically leads to another problem — other cities will vie for the same pot of money.
Relocating trains or at least separating rail and road crossings in urban areas, plus improvements to ease rail traffic congestion, would cost a whopping $16 billion, Marotta said.
"The state just can't provide all the necessary funds to relocate rail in communities," said Hope Andrade, a San Antonio resident serving on the five-member Texas Transportation Commission. "The future of anything we do is going to be public-private partnerships."
This is where state officials like to play their Trans-Texas Corridor card.
The Trans-Texas Corridor is a proposed 4,000-mile network of toll lanes, freight and passenger rail lines and utility lines that would criss-cross the state to handle growing international trade and population.
As envisioned, companies would finance most or all of the TTC in return for collecting tolls and user fees for 50 years.
A consortium led by Cintra of Spain and Zachry Construction Co. of San Antonio is willing to invest $6 billion to build new rail tracks from Dallas to Mexico, with construction starting in five to 10 years.
Rail companies have stated they won't pay to use the tracks unless they profit as well, but state officials say trains able to go 80 mph instead of trundling an average of 25 mph through cities will be a strong selling point.
"We believe in the power of the market," said Ric Williamson, chairman of the Texas Transportation Commission.
Bonds from the rail relocation fund and local money could be used to build links to Cintra-Zachry's proposed rail line, Williamson said. So could some of the $2 billion in concession fees from planned TTC toll lanes from San Antonio to Dallas.
Meanwhile, by bundling toll lanes, railways and utility lines together rather than putting them in separate rights of way, less land and money would be needed, he added.
"We have been saying this for four years," he said. "The whole idea is to combine the fixed costs to reduce the cost of each."
But that leads to another problem — a lot of people don't like the corridors.
Critics say companies would profit from tolls, gas stations and restaurants while communities would see their tax bases shrink and economic opportunities sucked away. Also, farmers and ranchers would be forced to give up land for the 1,200-foot-wide swaths, and some farm-to-market highways won't connect to the corridors while other roads won't even cross it.
"It's one of the most contested and intrusive concoctions known to Texans," Bexar County Commissioner Tommy Adkisson said. "The cheaper solution is for the railroad to fix the gosh darn tracks and establish procedures that will make for safer operations."
And the same Texans voted for the Lottery, 'cause we were told it it could go to education. Please do not kick me, I am just the messenger. I do not like big government. The fact remains that the Feds control the Interstate system. I have never been a fan of opening up the Texas Constitution to meddling. But it is done. Marching in the streets will not change that, much to the dismay of some. The best that we can do, IMHO, is work with our county government.
Some people need a course in Texas civics. You had two votes already. The option of contacting your State Rep and State Senator have not been denied. If you happen to live in one of the two State districts that opposed this in the legislature, get thee to the Democratic precinct office and sign the petition to void Article 3, Section 49-k. Because you will have the distinct honor of being the first name on the list! Even Bell has sense enough to support this while he talks trash. If you doubt this, take a look at the petitions that the three nutballs have available. They are meaningless.
In the last ten years the budget for roads has stayed flat while spending on HHS has gone through the roof. No one seems to care.
We've got a Lt. Gov. who wants you to think that it's "all about the chillin". Seriously, check out his web site(s) and one would get the impression that he's head nanny. Oh, and as a good republican he was responsible for the legislation for adding, what was that number? 2k plus new CPS agents?
I guess it'd be nice to be able to work with county goobermint but now with ETJs and the throughly vile transportation districts they've managed to stack the politburo to the point where it's not controllable by the residents of a single county; you'd need a total revolt in multiple counties to change direction.
I've come to the conclusion that Claytie had it right... expect it shouldn't have been about bad weather....
What part of teh details on thsi moster land grab were not public during th long ago votes do you not understand? We need a vote on these details.
And you did not answer my question, are you afraid with what has come out that the majority of Texans would not support the Gov Goodhair land grab toll road?
A majority of Texans will support the TTC over your alternative, over Grandma's alternative, over Kooky's alternative.
Hilarious! I always liked Clayton Williams. To modify his statement to modern times- "Legislative fiat is a lot like rape, if it is inevitable; you might as well kick back and enjoy it". I think that Kinky is the only one that could get away with that today.
Dolph Briscoe was the last Governor with guts. And he knew how to drive a Legislature.
I think the majority will not suport building it period. This toll road is not needed. And if it is whynot do what Harris county did, we set up a toll road authority that sold bonds to build roads. Set it up so the money they collect can only be spent on paying off teh bonds adn they can only sell bonds to build this road unless they take it back to teh voters. The voters should have a say.
And you did not answer my question, are you afraid with what has come out that the majority of Texans would not support the Gov Goodhair land grab toll road? Please answer this question.
Hydro, I think you'd be surprised at the vote outcome should there be one today..... Most of the people living within the traffic congested areas along where this roadway is proposed would vote in favor of it, imo. They may not use it personally but if it gets congestion off the roads they travel then they'd support it most likely. Once the DFW metroplex got the concession of including the loop as a part of it I think the major urban centers along the proposed I-35 route would vote overwhelming for the TTC-35.
I have talked to a large number of people, and those who have an opinion are against this. The level of opposition might surprise you.
Answer the question, should or should not the people, inlight of teh details that ahve come to light, have a vote on teh TTC? I think they should.
Can somebody make a run for Hydro? He needs a few more 40's, and I am concerned for his safety.
Sticks and stones. Answer the question.
You need to hurry.
I have talked to a large number of people, and those who have an opinion are against this.
I think this road is not needed, but if it is the way we do in in Harris county would be a better deal for Texas then Gov Goodhair's plan.
OK. Here is the answer. I believe that the Legislature approved of the creation of the Commission. I believe that the Governor has adhered to the letter of the voter approved laws. I have not seen any concrete proposal from any of the other candidates. Each county is empowered to deal with local issues. We can not, and must not, descend into a single vote "democracy". We are a representative Republic. Our duly elected representatives have authorized and funded the activities of the Commission, and the Texas Executive. Get over it.
So you do not think that the people should vote on this, fine. I disagree, as big of a land grab as this that will have tolls that last for decades needs to be put before the citizens of TX.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.