by electricron
That's a proposal that could include a San Antonio bypass in the future.
B1 estimate cost is $1,595,850,000
B2 estimate costs is $1,741,260,000
That's with slight variations between the two routes, effectively bypassing Austin between Tayloe and Sequin.
The A proposal is the proposed bypass around San Antonio, its estimate cost is $1,369,610,000.
The total costs, if both A & B1 bypasses were built, is $2,965,460,000
The total costs, if both A & B2 bypasses were built, is $3,110,870,000
If Lone Star commuter rail is going to operate in San Antonio, wouldn't they need to build both A & B bypass routes to even get permission from the UP to use their corridors between San Antonio and Roundrock? Maybe, maybe not, has anyone actually talked with the UP what they would prefer, or accept?
Whether it's $1.5 or $3 Billion, that's a lot of Lone Star money, State money, or TIF money from local jurisdictions, before spending one penny for passenger rail trains....
Additionally, DFW and Houston would like some of the State money for freight bypasses too. So far, the State has less than $1 Billion allocated for bypass freight corridors. Who knows what further State Legislatures will allocate? Or allocate exclusively for freight trains but not HSR trains?
Lone Star should, just like the TRE and Houston-Galveston commuter rail, plan to finance rail systems on their own, without any State support. Lone Star may be disappointed if they rely exclusively upon TXDOT for financing because TXDOT doesn't have another $Billion to spend on rail projects. TXDOT has never given even one penny to DART, VIA, METRO, or CAPMETRO for rail projects. TXDOT's $1 to $2 Million a year given to Amtrak to support the Heartland Flyer is all the cash they have ever given in the past, besides endless and repeating intercity rail studies...
B1 estimate cost is $1,595,850,000
B2 estimate costs is $1,741,260,000
That's with slight variations between the two routes, effectively bypassing Austin between Tayloe and Sequin.
The A proposal is the proposed bypass around San Antonio, its estimate cost is $1,369,610,000.
The total costs, if both A & B1 bypasses were built, is $2,965,460,000
The total costs, if both A & B2 bypasses were built, is $3,110,870,000
If Lone Star commuter rail is going to operate in San Antonio, wouldn't they need to build both A & B bypass routes to even get permission from the UP to use their corridors between San Antonio and Roundrock? Maybe, maybe not, has anyone actually talked with the UP what they would prefer, or accept?
Whether it's $1.5 or $3 Billion, that's a lot of Lone Star money, State money, or TIF money from local jurisdictions, before spending one penny for passenger rail trains....
Additionally, DFW and Houston would like some of the State money for freight bypasses too. So far, the State has less than $1 Billion allocated for bypass freight corridors. Who knows what further State Legislatures will allocate? Or allocate exclusively for freight trains but not HSR trains?
Lone Star should, just like the TRE and Houston-Galveston commuter rail, plan to finance rail systems on their own, without any State support. Lone Star may be disappointed if they rely exclusively upon TXDOT for financing because TXDOT doesn't have another $Billion to spend on rail projects. TXDOT has never given even one penny to DART, VIA, METRO, or CAPMETRO for rail projects. TXDOT's $1 to $2 Million a year given to Amtrak to support the Heartland Flyer is all the cash they have ever given in the past, besides endless and repeating intercity rail studies...