Texas is one of the fastest growing states and one of the largest states. Transportation continues to be an issue throughout the state's largest cities. The Texas Central Railway plans to construct a bullet train system that will link the Dallas-Fort Worth area to Houston. The state should back this privately funded project and expand it. Not only should it link the DFW area to Houston, it should also include Austin and San Antonio. Many people commute between Dallas and Houston for work on a weekly basis and many also have family across these cities. The average travel time between these two cities is 4.5 hours by car and is expected to increase, whereas a high-speed rail system could make the journey in less than 1.5 hours. The implementation of this new system would mean a decrease in the number of automobiles on the highways which would reduce traffic congestion.
A new high-speed rail system would create thousands of new jobs in the state. Texas is not in an economic slump right now, but adding more high paying jobs never hurts. The addition of a high-speed rail would reduce emissions by reducing the number of cars on the highway. The United States has been behind many European and Asian countries on the development of a high-speed railway and Texas has a chance to lead the way for this new transportation system. The project should benefit the the state, but the Texas government should also provide financial support so it can connect the largest cities in the state.
I agree! I think Texas could really benefit from having a better public transit system. As it stands, it seems like most of the public transit within the state (which isn't much to begin with) is focused on moving people within the boundaries of their respective cities, but I'd like to see more focus on connecting at least the major metropolitan areas. Unfortunately, I think in order to have a well functioning state-wide public transit system, it is inherent for the major cities within the state to have a good handle on their public transit system, which in our (Texas') case we are not doing so well at quite yet. Also, I don't get the impression that trains, railroads, or public transit is very, if at all, prevalent right now when it comes to Texas politics. Not that people are against it, I just think there are more "pressing issues" that unfortunately take away from things like this which could benefit the state as a whole.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that the state of Texas should be partially responsible for funding this private project. This method of transportation will be used by the public and will probably also be regulated which means that this is not only a private matter. Limiting the system to only two major areas might be a good start, but I think it's worth considering adding Austin and San Antonio like you added. The majority of the Texas' population lives in this triangular area that will greatly benefit from having access to public transportation. Since not everybody has the luxury of owning a vehicle, this rail system is an alleviation to many. The cost of the average train fare is also usually lower than paying for gasoline and vehicle maintenance. You explained that this high-speed rail system can actually reduce time spent travelling. This will definitely help with traffic, but I also believe that enough stations must be built for this to help.
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