Group identifies Texas transportation problems

[diablo234]

http://www.statesman.com/ap/ap/trans...roblems/nTzDN/

Updated: 11:33 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013 | Posted: 11:33 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 17, 2013
Group identifies Texas transportation problems

By CHRIS TOMLINSON
The Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas — Texas has 11 major bridges that need repair, 11 highly-traveled highway segments that need safety improvements and 38 road segments that suffer from unacceptable congestion, according to a national nonprofit group.

"Transportation projects that expand roadway or bridge capacity produce significant economic benefits by reducing congestion and improving access, thus speeding the flow of people and goods while reducing fuel consumption," the group said in its report. "Under current funding scenarios, overall pavement quality is projected to decrease by 43 percent by 2022. Failing to address pavement deterioration in a timely manner increases repair costs over time.

The group predicts that as the population grows the number of vehicle miles traveled in the state will increase 35 percent by 2030. Most of the problems are in major metropolitan areas, particularly Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.

[FM 2258]

Fantasy study conclusion:

Needed: Double tracked 217 mph (Chinese style on pillars) high speed rail line down the middle or next to the freeway from Austin to San Antonio to start off. Future extensions and connections for Ft. Worth, Dallas and Houston. Find a way to get more people off the roads. /fantasy

I love driving in Texas but when it comes to transportation options we need more than just the automobile. I took the Amtrak last Sunday from Dallas to Austin and it too 6 hours and 30 minutes. Lovely ride but slow.

[WestTexan87]

I get so frustrated with Amtrak. If they'd build high-speed lines along congested corridors like I-35 all around the country, people would ride it! I assure you! Slow as it is, people here in NYC still flock to Penn Station and Grand Central to take trains all up and down the northeast corridor. Build it and they will come. Mark my words. It's SO much more pleasant to hop on a train, crack open a book, and relax instead of having to sit behind your wheel, growing more and more frustrated by the traffic. Train > Car. Always.

[desertpunk]

Originally Posted by FM 2258

Fantasy study conclusion:


I love driving in Texas but when it comes to transportation options we need more than just the automobile. I took the Amtrak last Sunday from Dallas to Austin and it too 6 hours and 30 minutes. Lovely ride but slow.

I've been on that stretch of the Texas Eagle and it was really slow. Could be track quality and large numbers of crossings making the trains move slower than they otherwise could. Amtrak could get speeds over 120 mph if they replace short track segments with longer, welded ones, reduced and improved crossings, bring in Acela trainsets, and ultimately, move to a dedicated trackbed so the freights are out of the way. All this without spending the extra billions necessary for HSR.