Public Support of Passenger Rail Sharing Freight Infrastructure

Given the forecast growth in the Texas population and freight movements, it is clear that substantial demands will be placed on the already heavily used transportation infrastructure of the state. Railroads are thus viewed as a key element of a greater intermodal solution to supply increased travel demand. It is widely hypothesized that rail service (particularly commuter rail on existing tracks) can be less costly than highway expansions when used to supply personal travel. However, it is foreseen that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will face many challenges, and in some cases opposition, when the agency proposes to accommodate both passenger and freight trains on the same track or the same right-of-way. In 2004 the TxDOT contracted with the Center for Transportation Research at the University of Texas at Austin to outline and explain the environments in which public agencies and private railroads operate and to highlight the negotiation issues and concerns regarding passenger rail sharing freight infrastructure from both parties' perspectives. The research culminated in this report.