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July 19, 2007
Session VIII
Session VIII: Commuter Rail
Friday, July 20, 2007 10:15 AM
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Heading Down the Track
Posted By: TxDOT_Marc at July 20, 2007 11:50:52 AM
The mention of rail, whether it be high speed, commuter, or light, is sure to bring up a variety of opinions.
A proposed light rail system from Austin to San Antonio was recently rejected partly because of potentially high costs and preceived disruption to neighborhoods.
As TxDOT and other state transportation agencies struggle with ways of moving people and goods from city to city, the talk of rail as a means of transportation is sure to come up once again.
First, a few definitions:
LIGHT RAIL: Usually at a street level with frequent stops. DART and METRO are good examples of this type of system.
INNER CITY RAIL: System linking cities with infrequent stops. They usually share the tracks with freight. Texas Eagle (AMTRAK)
HIGH SPED RAIL: Between city and city at very high speeds on isolated tracks. AMTRAKS' Acela and Japan's bullet trains fall into that category.
COMMUTER RAIL: Located on separate tracks, may share with freight, usually has stations every 10 miles. The Trinity Railway Express is a good example of commuter rail.
As TxDOT continues to work more toward being a multi-modal agency, commuter rail may be something worth considering. It helps relieve congestion removing vehicles off the roadway, aids in air quality, and improves safety. The economic impact is also noteworthy in that companies and people seem to like living and being located near areas where commuter rail services.
Funding commuter rail can be somewhat of a challenge. Federal funding is available. However, obtaining that funding can be extremely difficult and is extremely competitive. This leaves states looking for other ways to fund commuter systems. New Mexico recently built their commuter system from Sante Fe to Albequergue without any federal funding. Theirs is a success story in how a system can be built in a very short time with no federal funding. California's commuter rail system has proven to be extremely successful. The 17 year process of bringing rail to cities has been a challenge. At a cost of $2.7 billion, California's system gives people choices. Funded with Capital funding, the system continues to generate riders and three of their rail systems are in AMTRAK's top 5 heavily traveled railways.
But a successful program begins long before the track is laid. Success is directly tied in to the relationships built prior to the first train. Relationships with the railroad companies in the very begin stages of the concept is vital for success. As one speaker put it, "We are going to build a room in your house for us to live in." It's imperative agencies remember that railroad companies want to receive something in exchange.
Successful rail systems also need strong public support, a visionary plan, political leadership to fund the system, political will to continue to see it through, a host railroad company to be part of the plan from the beginning, and project delivery from a "can-do" team. Without these ingredients, building a commuter rail system, at least a successful one, may be on the track to failure.
Once built, maintaining that system is critical. Riders must trust the system. A 92% on-time delivery is a must. It must be customer focuses, have access and easy connectivity with other transit systems. Have a competitive travel time (79 mph in California's case), and at a competitive cost well below that of an automobile. After all, who wants to use a system when your car would be more advantageous.
Will light rail make a strong showing in Texas? Time will tell. With time being a major issue in the lives of the average Texan, less time spent in travel and stuck in congestion may actually be what helps put more people on the track and off the road.
