On October 16, 2008, President Bush signed the 'Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of 2008'. In addition to establishing the first ever federal mechanism to develop the Nation's High Speed Rail corridors, it also mandated that the Federal Railroad Administrion conduct a feasibility study of the THSRTC's Brazos Express Corridor . Thanks to the THSRTC's enthusiatic Congressional Caucus, Texas is one step closer to benefitting from true high-speed rail connectivity.
Texas is currently the fastest growing state, growing at twice the national average.
Texas' population is projected to double to over 51.7 million by 2040.
The Texas "T-Bone" region houses nearly 70% of the population. As the State's population grows from the present 23 million to over 50 million people in 2040, 78% of the population is expected to live and work within the “Texas T-Bone” Corridor. This multi-modal corridor would provide an innovative solution to the State's growing congestion, air quality and disaster preparedness challenges. This alignment would serve Fort Hood, TX, the largest military installation in the free world, in deployment to its ports of embarkation. Additionally, the corridor would serve as a FEMA evacuation route, providing an effective evacuation system for millions of coastal residents during times of natural disaster and provide much-needed relief to our State's crowded highways.
Through strong support at the state and federal levels, THSRTC is moving at an unprecedented rate. THSRTC enjoys the support of many members of the U.S. Congress and the Texas State Legislatures. By working closely with champions of Texas and Arkansas transportation, THSRTC is well on its way to bringing the State proactive, innovative solutions to the critical issues it faces in the immediate and long-term future.
