LIGHT RAILS A PLUS —Light rails, like the Houston rail pictured above, help alleviate traffic and increase property values. As Texas struggles with increasing urban sprawl, improving the commuter and light rails is becoming increasingly important.

TexPIRG Pushes For Passenger Rail

Traffic congestion and urban sprawl are becoming increasingly serious problems in cities throughout Texas. To address this problem, TexPIRG is advocating a complete reevaluation of our state’s transportation policy, and improving the state’s passenger rail service.

Across the state of Texas, passenger rails are growing in popularity as a solution to growing transportation problems.

In place of more highways and more cars, passenger rails can both connect cities with commuter lines and help in-city traffic with a light rail system. TexPIRG and our allies support these systems as a way to solve transportation problems, while also improving communities, saving fuel and curbing urban sprawl.

Rails Gaining Steam
Members of the Legislature from north Texas have been exploring the possibility of creating a “local option transit tax” in the region surrounding the Dallas-Ft. Worth Metroplex, in order to pay for a commuter rail system connecting the Metroplex and its satellite communities. In addition, a project to build a commuter rail line connecting Austin and San Antonio is moving forward.

Dallas and Houston both operate excellent light-rail systems, with enormous potential for expansion. In Austin, a commuter rail line from the northern suburbs to downtown is now under construction and Austin voters may head to the polls as soon as May to vote on creating a downtown streetcar system.

By reducing congestion, urban sprawl and air pollution, an expanding passenger rail system is a win-win situation. TexPIRG enthusiastically endorses all these efforts and will be campaigning strongly for them in the coming months.