TRANSPORTATION

One of the major themes of geography is that of movement. Whether it is the movement of people or goods, Texas will need an efficient system to prosper in coming decades. Texas has an extensive network of railroads, highways, airports, and ports. Those areas with accessibility to these networks will be those areas that see the most growth in the coming years. Those areas that are isolated from the transportation network will lag behind and not grow like the rest of the state. The first wave of growth in Texas came with the building of railroads, the second came with construction of the interstate highway system, and today we see the need for more highways, more air transportation as well as an expansion of water navigation systems.

Texas has six major interstates and several small segments of minor interstate roadways. This network of transportation routes has led to dramatic growth of some regions in our state that have accessibility to this interstate network. The Interstate 35 corridor in Central Texas is the best example of growth along a transportation route. Figure 6 shows counties, with their population, within 50 miles of Interstate 35.

Figure 6⁽¹⁰⁾

As seen in figure 6, almost half of the state population lives within 50 miles of Interstate 35. This route has become a major trading route of goods to and from Mexico. Traffic congestion along Interstate 35 clogs the roadway through its entire route through Texas. The Central Texas area has grown so rapidly that the highway system has become inadequate to handle traffic flow efficiently. Even with such a congested interstate highway, growth continues to expand at a tremendous rate along the I-35 corridor.

Nearly every metropolitan area in the state is located on or near an interstate highway. Those areas that lack access are generally areas that lack a metropolitan area. Figure 7 shows the Texas interstate network.

Figure 7⁽¹¹⁾

In figure 7, notice the lack of interstate highways through East Texas, and the lack of any metropolitans in the same area. If business and growth are a by-product of area accessibility to a network system, then the development of a new interstate route through a region such as East Texas would create an economic and population boon. There are current plans to build an interstate that would run through rural East Texas. This new interstate will run along what is now the highway 59 route. This new road is to be called Interstate 69, and would run from the border cities of McAllen and Brownsville to Houston, to Lufkin and Nacogdoches and continue up to Texarkana. Lufkin Mayor Louis Bronaugh heads up the Texas I-69 Coalition. This group is lobbying for federal money to get this new interstate built. This route has been nick-named the "NAFTA Highway" because it will eventually be an interstate that connects Canada with Mexico, and serve as a major route for goods flowing across North America. Figure 8 shows the approved routes for Interstate 69 though Texas.

Figure 8⁽¹²⁾

U.S. Senator Trent Lott, Former House Majority Leader, stated this when commenting on the Interstate 69 Corridor: "Simply put, the time to build I-69 is now. Economic development follows infrastructure, and I-69 will serve as an opportunity for all areas along the proposed route."⁽¹²⁾

Many of the counties along the I-69 route are in rural Eastern Texas, and these areas will see the benefits of such an accessible highway network. The cities of Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Marshall, and Texarkana should see the greatest benefits of this highway in East Texas. I-69 is expected to create more than 27,000 new jobs by 2025, resulting in $11 billion in additional wages and $19 billion in additional value.⁽¹²⁾

In 2002, Governor Rick Perry proposed a transportation plan that will meet transportation challenges in Texas for decades to come. This new plan called the "Trans Texas Corridor" will provide 4,000 additional miles of freeways. In addition to roads, the corridor will have railways, truck lanes and utility routes. The following outline is the plan as proposed by the Governor.

The Trans Texas Corridor Plan outlines a new vision for transportation in Texas. Specifically, it provides a design concept, identifies four priority corridor segments, details the financial tools that will make it happen and addresses the importance of public-private partnerships. Finally, it presents an action plan for the first steps in implementation.

Figure 9 shows the conceptual routes for the Trans Texas Corridor. The routes in red are the high priority routes. The routes bypass the urban centers of the large metropolitan areas to ease traffic congestion in the urban core. The Trans Texas Corridor, much like the I-69 plan, will route major freeways through rural East Texas. This infrastructure building in East Texas should spur several counties in East Texas to become classified as metropolitan by the 2040 census.

Figure 9⁽¹³⁾

Railroad provided the first means of mass transit in Texas back in the 1800s. Cities along rail routes saw growth while those without suffered from a lack of accessibility. Introduction of the automobile in the early 1900s made commuter traffic by trains nearly obsolete. However, with such a population boom in Texas, trains could plan an important role in providing an efficient means of transportation in the near future. The Trans Texas Corridor does call for the construction of commuter train rails across the state. Trains are already becoming a popular means of travel in the Dallas and Ft.Worth metropolitan areas. DART, Dallas Area Rapid Transit, has a network of commuter rails across the Metroplex that bypass the gridlock of local interstate highways. Houston has its own commuter rail under construction and the first segment should be open by the end of 2003 or 2004. Amtrak currently operates two commuter lines in Texas. Through upgrades and improvements, Amtrak could become a more viable transportation choice in the coming decades. Figure 10 shows the current railroad system in Texas, all of which could be used for commuter routes for passenger service if the need arises in the future.

Figure 10⁽¹⁴⁾

Although high speed rail has been promoted in the Trans Texas Corridor plan, there are groups lobbying for this type of rail system to be built sooner. The following position statement is from the Texas Rail Advocates, a group that is lobbying for a high speed passenger rail system in Texas.

The explosive growth in Texas in recent years has made mobility increasingly difficult without encountering delays due to congestion/construction. It has becoming increasingly clear that we cannot solve our transportation needs by adding ever-more-costly highway lanes. This approach simply is not sustainable. It is a transportation system whose adverse impacts upon safety, land use, energy consumption and air quality are not acceptable. The exception is rail (freight and passenger) which experiences fewer delays, has the least impact on the environment, and is by far the safest mode of transportation. Commerce and settlers came to Texas by rail in the 1870's. Always an integral part of the State’s transportation picture, it is becoming increasingly evident that we must rely on rail to solve our traffic congestion and smog problems. City governments are losing the battle against air pollution, and have resorted to such strategies as urging residents not to run their lawn mowers on high-ozone days, or avoid fueling their autos until after dark. Despite increasing efforts to get citizens to alter their lifestyles, most large cities will flunk the new EPA air-quality standards. Houston sadly has overtaken Los Angeles as the metropolitan area with the worst air quality in the nation. In addition to air quality concerns, rush-hour traffic jams, rising driver frustration, and high vehicle counts are degrading the safety performance of our highway system. Tragically, more than 40,000 highway fatalities occur each year. Average speeds in big-city downtown’s are slower than they were 10 years ago. The true cost of operating a new automobile is in the 40-cents-a-mile range and rising, currently about $6,000 a year. That works out to 500 after-tax dollars per month to transport the average Texan 1,200 miles a month. These figures do not include any of the public money spent on road construction and maintenance. Successes in the freight industry point the way to the most promising strategy for transportation improvements in the years ahead. Intermodal transportation has become the global standard for moving freight --- systems sharply focused on speed, safety, reliable scheduling, and economic efficiency. Today, a single train leaving a terminal will replace 280 trucks, and afford as much as nine times the fuel efficiency of the same container transport by highway. Overall, the operational and economic efficiency of freight's intermodal network conserves fuel, reduces environmental impacts, and is significantly safer. Texas’ NAFTA highway optimally will be a NAFTA railway. (See Figure 11).⁽¹⁵⁾

FACT! One railroad track carries as much traffic as ten highway lanes at a fraction of the cost, space, and environmental impact. It is evident that with more emphasis on rail in an intermodal transportation system real progress can be made. The advancements in intermodal freight transportation must be fully implemented in Texas and likewise expanded to passenger transportation, providing Texans the mobility they deserve.⁽¹⁵⁾

Figure 11⁽¹⁵⁾

As the population of Texas expands, so does the need for more air service. As of 1999, there were 27 commercial airports in the state that provided commercial air service. These 27 airports were located in the proximity of each metropolitan area in the state. The number of airports with commercial service should expand as more areas attain metropolitan status. Figure 12 shows the locations of the 27 commercial airports in the state. Note the lack of airports in areas without metropolitan areas such as East Texas.

Figure 12⁽¹⁶⁾

Ports and shipping canals have played an important role in the development of several metropolitan areas in Texas. Houston is the best example of what a waterway can do for growth. The Houston Ship Channel is lined with hundreds of companies and provides thousands of jobs in the area. Other ports along the coast have the potential to continue to spur growth in industry as well as the accompanied population growth. Brownsville, Corpus Christi, and the Beaumont-Port Arthur areas are a few locations taking advantage of this natural resource to promote growth. Figure 13 shows the major ports located along the Gulf Coast. A river navigation project is being planned for the Red River in Northeast Texas, which would bring a port to the Texarkana Metropolitan area.

Figure 13⁽¹⁶⁾

State-wide improvements in roadways, railways, airports and waterways should make for a prosperous Texas in the future. Efficient movement of people and goods will spur a continued growth in population and the economy. Trade between Mexico, Canada, and the United States has placed Texas at the crossroads for North American trade.