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Capitol Comment
by Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison
Mass Transit in Texas
February 9, 2007
Texas has a strong allure that has attracted people to our state since its earliest days. When David Crockett arrived from Tennessee in 1836 to fight in the Texas Revolution, he famously said, “I must say as to what I have seen of Texas it is the garden spot of the world. The best land and the best prospects for health I ever saw, and I do believe it is a fortune to any man to come here. There is a world of country here to settle.”
This attraction has grown in recent years, as our population has increased by 8.6 million people since 1980 and experienced a growth rate of approximately 20 percent for each of the last two decades. Such rapid expansion presents our state with both challenges and opportunities. While new Texas residents boost our economy, the influx of people can also stress our infrastructure. This stress is most apparent on our roads and highways.
Businesses and communities depend on efficient, properly managed transportation systems, because transit systems allow people to live and work where they choose. Last year Texas became home to more headquarters of Fortune 500 companies than any other state in the nation, bringing additional quality jobs to our state. To continue encouraging this sort of growth, lawmakers must find responsible solutions to our transportation needs or risk losing the jobs and commerce that drive our economy.
Highways may be the bread and butter of our transportation system, but simply building additional thoroughfares is not the sole solution to this problem. We must also commit to mass transportation, which is economic, efficient, environmentally friendly, and a key component of the multi-modal solution that our state requires. Good urban transportation also benefits rural areas, because higher traffic volume accelerates the deterioration of roadways and increases maintenance costs for all taxpayers.
One of my earliest legislative achievements in the Texas House of Representatives was writing our state’s first mass transit bill, which led to the creation of mass transit in Houston and San Antonio. Dallas received authority for mass transit later, and its system has grown into one of the finest in the country.
During my time in the United States Senate, I have continued to support Texas mass transit. Last year, I worked with leaders from Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) to secure a $700 million Full Funding Grant Agreement with the Federal Transit Administration. This agreement allows DART to begin a $2.5 billion expansion that will lead to the extension of its rail system to 90 miles by 2013.
Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority (METRO) is now pursuing its own grant agreement to best serve the residents of Harris County, and I am especially pleased that projects to expand METRO were included in President Bush’s Fiscal Year 2008 budget. This recognition is an important step towards securing future federal funding.
While light rail is effective in densely populated urban areas, I believe that traditional railways can serve as additional transportation options throughout Texas if their performance improves. Since bus companies are willing to maintain terminals at train stations, railways facilitate statewide travel by connecting small towns to larger cities. I also support efforts to create new express trains between adjacent metropolitan areas, similar to the Trinity Railway Express (TRE), which links Fort Worth, Dallas, and DFW airport. In the future, I would like to see a commuter train built between Austin and San Antonio that would allow Texans who live between these cities to more easily commute to their places of business.
Another option for reducing highway congestion is creating toll roads. While I agree that toll roads can make a positive impact in areas where residents have approved them, I am strongly opposed to authorizing new tolls on existing roads previously built with taxpayer money. It is grossly unfair to force drivers to pay to drive on roads whose construction was funded with public tax dollars.
Building toll roads also presents a challenge regarding ownership of property. Many areas where new toll roads are projected to be built are on property owned by private citizens. The rights of these property owners must be protected and kept in mind by legislators at all levels of government when addressing the transportation needs of our state.
Texas has always been a forward-looking state that embraces innovation and offers limitless opportunity to its residents. Meeting our state’s transportation needs requires collaboration, cooperation, and most importantly, an understanding that people will continue to come to our great state. David Crockett’s description of our state still rings true, and to prepare for the inevitable arrival of additional residents, we must work together to make sure that the Texas of tomorrow remains as inviting as the Texas of yesterday and today.
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