Texas’ high-speed train: Right project, right way, right time

A high-speed train between North Texas and Houston offers Texans more than quick relief from traffic-choked highways.

The privately developed project will be an economic powerhouse, creating local jobs, generating community tax revenue and creating Texas’ newest industry.

Despite facts to the contrary, some people continue to misrepresent how Texas Central will operate the rail system.

I’m referring to Crystal Wright’s July 10 piece, “Is rail company lying about building Texas bullet train without subsidies?” in which she called Texas “a particularly bad venue” for high-speed rail.

Without any data to back up her claim, she neglects to acknowledge the rigorous review of more than 90 city pairs throughout the U.S. that initially identified the strength of a high-speed passenger train linking North Texas and Houston.

The combination of current population, growth trends, dynamic economic opportunities, congested highways, geography and distance between the regions makes this an ideal market for this privately developed project.

These two areas, the state’s largest commercial centers, represent half of Texas’ population, and nearly 50,000 commuters travel back and forth between Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth at least once a week.

On top of these “super commuters,” countless more understand the frustration and headaches that come with the current commute, choosing not to make the trip because of the inefficiencies and unpredictability in current travel choices.

But the high-speed train, at more than 200 mph, will get them between the two cities in 90 minutes.

Wright also makes erroneous claims about the project’s business model.

The developers, Texas Central, a private company, will not take taxpayer grants for construction or any public money to subsidize its operation.

The suggestion that Texans will foot the bill simply is not true.

As with any other project funded by a private company, all risk falls to its private investors, not the state or taxpayers. And in Texas, it is illegal to bail out a private company.

This project has been widely embraced by many Texas business legends, including Fort Worth fund manager John Kleinheinz, Houston entrepreneur Drayton McLane Jr. and Dallas developer Jack Matthews.

These investors recognize that using a market-led approach to bring America its first true high-speed train will provide long-lasting benefits.

Wright bases some of her arguments on an old report from the Reason Foundation, a think tank.

What she didn’t mention is that the Reason Foundation’s founder and analysts separately and more recently have applauded this project’s approach in this very paper.

They have said repeatedly that “opponents mistakenly claim that taxpayers will be stuck subsidizing the rail line, but this project actually provides a welcome opportunity for the private sector to deliver a fast, affordable transportation option with little or no risk to taxpayers.”

This mega-project — with on-the-ground infrastructure investment in Texas exceeding $10 billion — will bolster local and state economies by sustaining 10,000 jobs during each year of its construction schedule and generate tax revenues for local and state governments, school districts and other taxing entities.

It is disappointing that instead of researching the facts, Wright decided to sling anti-Texas barbs from Washington.

Texas long has benefited from state and local leadership, driving fiscal discipline and recognizing the importance of transportation. This project is the latest to exemplify these Texas principles.

This story was originally published July 27, 2016 at 5:42 PM with the headline "Texas’ high-speed train: Right project, right way, right time."