High Speed Rail at Cy Fair Chamber of Commerce

The Dallas-Houston private high speed rail proposal presented to Cy Fair Chamber of Commerce this week. Former Harris County Judge Eckles, who leads the Texas Central High-Speed Railway (TCHSR), presented these facts about high speed rail:

  • it will be privately funded
  • the project will be overseen by TXDOT and Federal Railroad Administration
  • travel time bewtween Houston and Dallas would be 90 minutes
  • “TCHSR can pay a reasonable amount of money plus a little more if that could keep any negotiations out of the court system…”

Refreshing our Recollection: Senator Kolkhorst’s Senate Bill 1601 would prohibit TCHSR from using eminent domain.  

Spring Observer

 

Regulatory Road Block for Self Driving Cars

California was one fo the first states to create a regulatory framework for testing self driving cars. Way back in yesteryear, 2012, California created its landscape for regulating selfd-riving car testing.

A regulatory hiccup, in the form of no rulemaking to verify safety, has caused California’s innovativeness to stall. It seems no one can agree on the standards that should be imposed upon automotive makers that determine whether self driving cars are safe for the road. The competing views are:

  • Self driving car makers want to follow the traditional car industry and allow car manufacturers to attest to safety
  • Safety advocates want outside entity to verify safety
  • Computer Programmers want an outside group to verify the safety of the software code
  • Some automakers want federal guidelines

For now the California DMV permits the cars to be tested on public roads but as of yet, car makers cannot move beyond testing. 

WallStreet Journal

Move Texas Forward Transportation Funding Goal

  • “sustained, predictable long term funding”

Move Texas Forward mentions the following transportation funding proposals but takes no position:

  • Governor Abbott’s tranportation plan  which Move Texas Forward describes as “meaningul, long term”
  • The Senate plan to end transportation funding diversions & dedicate the motor vehicle sales tax to transportation
  • The House plan to end transportation funding diversions and Chairman Pickett’s proposal to dedicate general sales tax to transportation

Move Texas Forward TribTalk

Anchia: Tollroads Needing Taxpayer Buyouts Not Popular

The Trinity Toll road in Dallas is financially drowning. 

What entity has oversight and control?

  • The North Texas Tollway Authority
    • Yes, that tollway Authority who will soon lose its eminent domain authority

How much a financial problem is there?

  • $1 BILLION 

The Solution:

  • HB 3674 by Anchia to prohibit the state from bailing out the Trinity Project

​Dallas Morning News

Bill Filing: Update to Transportation Reinvestment Zone Power Attorney General Opinion

Rep. Martinez filed HB 3040 to allow economic development corporations to build transportation infrastrcture.  

Refreshing our recollection, Chairman Pickett asked about County Transportation Reinvestment Zones but Attorney General Opinion said the Texas constitution probably prohibits it. 

 

Previously on Information Intelligence:

Attorney General Opinion, KP-004, tells us without a constitutional amendment, a county probably cannot:

  • Create a County Energy Transportation Reinvestment Zone
  • Create a County Transportation Reinvestment Zone
  • Create a County Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone

The AG rational is that:

  • Article VIII, Section 1(a) doesn’t permit counties to create these zones
  • Because the Constitution requires taxation to be equal and uniform
  • And, a county reinvestment zone would treat property inside the zone and outside the zone differently

 

 

 

 

A P3 Solution for Transportation?

Miami-Dade is proposing a Public Private Partnership , P3, solution to help address its roadway congestion.

Currently the area uses P3 solutions for recapitalizing Miami’s infrastructure, expanding options for mass transit, and incorporating modern design and innovative operational techniques.

P3 for transportation congestion differs from normal contracting by:

  • involving more stakeholders
  • creating a secure, long-term revenue stream
  • the P3 must “earn a level of return that adequately compensates for the level of risk.”

National Law Review