The House Transportation Committee has issued its 68-page Interim Report to the 85th Legislature. Following up on study charges issued by the Speaker of the House, the report studies a number of topics and provides recommendations. The Legislature may take those recommendations into consideration but is not required to. The report is found in full […]
rail
Research explores options for moving oil and gas in Texas
After 2007, the application of hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) and horizontal drilling techniques led to rapid new development in the oil and natural gas (O&G) industries in many areas of Texas and in other shale formation areas across the United States. Between 2007 and 2014, an increasing demand for O&G products in a favorable market […]
Why Invest Public Funds in Private Freight Railroad Projects?
Texas A&M Transportation Institute’s Policy Research Center has published a paper, “Considerations for Public Freight Rail Projects in Texas,” that addresses that question and more. So, why would the public consider participating in projects with private companies that own and operate freight railroads? Federal, state or local governments may do so to advance clearly defined […]
Researchers offer considerations on Public Freight Rail Projects
Researchers at TTI’s Transportation Policy Research Center provide Texas multiple considerations before it embarks on Public Freight Rail Projects (PFRPs). In its Legislative Appropriations Request for fiscal years (FY) 2016–2017, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) included an exceptional-items request for $160.6 million in FY 2016 and $347.4 million in FY 2017 to enhance infrastructure […]
Texas Freight Survey assesses how well the transportation system is serving businesses
Researchers at TTI’s Transportation Policy Research Center recently completed the Texas Freight Pilot Survey, in which more than 500 respondents were presented with 12 transportation-related factors and were asked to rank how well the current transportation system is performing across four transportation infrastructures: highways, rail, ports, and border crossings. Results from the first-time survey identified […]