Author Archives: admin

Legal Trend: Declaring Property part of a Transportation Corridor is Effectively Eminent Domain

North Carolina Department of Transportation has the authority to determine what land is in a transportation corridor. Sounds innocuous. But, by classifying land as in a transportation corridor, it can also trigger land use restrictions. The land use restrictions tend to make the land cheaper for the state to buy later. Good for the state to keep transportation project costs down, not good for landowners who think their land is more valuable. 

As we’ve seen in Texas, restricting how…

4 Transportation Reform Ideas via Empower Texas

Empower Texas has a litany of transportation reform ideas:

  • Before more funds, restrict the impact of Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO) to undermine sound policy
    • The problems with MPOs:
      • MPOs are federally mandated
      • Federal government is allowed to indirectly control transportation
      • They are composed of “bureaucrats from transit agencies, toll authorities and TxDOT”
      • MPOs “can hold TxDOT funds hostage”

      • …

Texas Transportation Reinvestment Zones Working? Texas A&M Transportation Institute on the Case

Texas A&M Transportation Institute (TTI) is examining transportation reinvestment zones. TTI  Senior Research Scientist Rafael Aldrete is leading the project & is asking for information from counties and cities. The goals of the study:

  • identify the advantages
  • identify disadvantages and
  • identify lessons learned by local governments and other agencies that have considered or may be utilizing TRZ financing.

Posted byadminPosted infunding

TX Central High Speed Rail Path Coalesces. Japan Financing the $10 Billion.

New information emerges about the path of Texas first high speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. The route will:

  • Follow utility corridors
  • “Alignment through commercial areas around U.S. 290 and Loop 610 in Houston”
  • Elevated tracks along I-10 to access downtown Houston.

The goals:

  • follow existing utilities and railroad tracks 
  • minimize impact on residential areas

Administrative Process and Timeline:

…

Lege Trend: More Transportation Funds Without Raising the Gas Tax

California is working on a 3 tiered approach to transportation funding:

Tier One: The State     The state portion of transportation funding will be based in a $52 vehicle user fee.

Tier Two: Cities     Cities are turning to financing models to improve transportation funding.

Tier Three: Regional     Regional local governments are putting a 1/2 cent “quality of life tax” for transportation projects. it will require a…

Distracted Uber/Lyft Drivers Lead to New Lawsuits & 4 New Legislative Issues

Uber & Lyft are extremely convenient for passengers. Their ease stems from their apps which quickly bring transportation to you. As a result, Uber/Lyft drivers are glued to their apps awaiting new fares. This focus on the next fare is leading to distracted driving, new laws and law suits. 

In December 2014, a lawsuit was filed against a Lyft driver when the driver’s Lyft app was open when an accident occurred. In the same month, an Uber driver allegedly hit and killed a 6 year …

Texas Private Rail Proposal: Foreign Company. Eminent Domain. Transportation.

Its deja vu all over again. A foreign company finances a new transportation proposal. The foreign company has eminent domain authority. Opposition forms. Opposition gets stronger. The ultimate result: All eminent domain authority is repealed for the project.

10 years ago, it was Spanish Company, Cintra, and Trans Texas Corridor. Today it’s Japanese financed Texas Central Railway, which is proposing high-speed rail to connect Texas major metropolitan areas.  

Previous opposi…