By DeeinAustin™
I was in a Leadership Austin class on all day Wednesday. We discussed some interesting updates on new urbanism, transit-oriented development, commuter rails, and other changes to Austin and Texas that I'll share in upcoming weeks and months.
A variety of infrastructure and development tools are being used in anticipation of millions of new residents coming to Texas in the next decade.
The theme of the past few Leadership Austin sessions have been economic development and infrastructure needed in Texas to keep up with consumer demand. We are not a shrinking population and are growing at a very fast pace.
For example, Austin the only city in the U.S to consistently double it's population every 20 years since the 1900s. This creates both challenge as well as opportunity. Accordingly, important decisions need to be made, some of which will be very controversial.
TRANS-TEXAS CORRIDOR, YOU PRO OR CON?
The estimated 4000 mile Trans-Texas Corridor is a system of rail lines and highways that would parallel IH-35 to the east from Gainsville to Laredo, passing through Dallas, Austin and San Antonio.
This 50-year, long-range transit plan that was proposed as a solution to the need for infrastructure in Texas to move 36 million residents as well as cargo through our state. (Rendering Courtesy TXDOT.)
You may be PRO-CORRIDOR if: You believe forecasts that our current population in Texas of 22 million will increase to 32 Million by 2030 and this corridor is needed to deal with resulting mobility needs.
You may be ANTI-CORRIDOR if: You think cost is staggering and the plan doesn't solve the problem. Tax payers don't like paying for things where the results aren't apparent. The estimated price tag of $140-180 billion dollars and ensuing land grab may not sit right with you. Over 584,000 acres of Texas land will be taken to create the corridor.
OPINION
I'd like to see more discussion. Infrastructure issues are important topics that will be the legacy that our generation leaves for great-great grandchildren.
I have to say that Governor Perry is a bold man. He always has been. Some political leaders can't make a decision or just pander to the voters. Governor Perry, like him or not, knows what he thinks is right and goes for it. Of course, the same can be said for Stalin and Hitler. History to decide whether Perry is a true visionary or a viking in a cowboy hat.
Governor Perry's Site for the Trans-Texas Corridor
Texas Department of Transportation Pro-Corridor Site
Blog that watches Corridor Issues as well as the Anti-Corridor blog
Last week's Texas real estate market updates as well as the TexasRealEstateUpdate.com
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