Bill: Kill the TTC

Waxahachie Daily Light ^ | February 4, 2007 | Joann Livingston

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

bump.

[TXnMA]

I have a better idea: drop the highway portion and build only the high-speed rail infrastructure. It's time we began supporting rail over motor traffic in a big way.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I am yet to be convinced that long-haul passenger rail is ever going to be viable in Texas. (See AMTRAK...)

Further, I know that routing freight rail lmmediately alongside road traffic is a disaster waiting to happen. (See recent Kentucky train crash/fire...)

Utility lines and pipelines should not be placed in a restricted-access corridor. They should run (as they do now) across country -- directly to where their products are needed -- so that the leased land can continue to be crossed -- unimpeded -- and can (still) be used for agriculture/grazing. (Also, imagine the impact of downed high-voltage power lines or pipline blowouts/fires on the TTC...)

The only aspect of the TTC concept that makes sense is that of providing separate, long-haul lanes for truck traffic.

Removing trucks from our interstates would:

1. Dramatically increase road safety.
2. Remove a huge impedance to passenger traffic (and alleviate much of the present I-35 gripes).
3. Drastically reduce wear-and-tear and minimize maintenance on the interstates -- preserving them for passenger traffic.
4. Maintain passenger traffic through the developed corridors that now provide much of the local revenue for rural Texas.

The multi-use, restricted-access TTC design concept of RINO Ricky and his r*mp-swab, Ric W. makes zero sense to anyone who is knowledgable in interconnection theory and practice. And it is a land-use and economic disaster.

[stevie_d_64]

For whatever logic you try to put into this debate, it is increasingly apparent that the leadership in the Republican party had better realize that this rogue, or small portion of elected officials and the lock-step leaders in the party had better start getting their collective heads out of their arses and decide that if the party is going to survive and be a viable contender for conservative ideals, they had better start listening, and stop going headlong assuming everyone is just going to hop on the coat-tails and just go along to get along...

This TTC is one big assumption by a certain faction of people in this state, that are in-line to benefit from whether it succeeds or fails, depending on your perspective...

And they are working to get as much work done on this before it ever is forced to be a referendum or outright vote for or against it ever comes to the polls...

So that when the time comes...

"But how can you oppose this??? WE have worked sooooo hard to get what we can get done and all the effort would be wasted if we stopped now???"

I heard this same tqactic done in Houston for the stupid choo choo train that doesn;t do a whole heck of a lot for the transportation in the city...Of course we'll have to build more, but its the cost, and the bang for the buck that leads me to believe that most of this stuff is a bunch of crap to begin with...

But again, what do I know...

[ravingnutter]

I have an even better idea...Perry can give back the funds they looted to divert to other projects that was originally intended for overpasses and use it for it's intended purpose. IMHO, high speed rail will never be accepted by the common folk in Texas.

[anymouse]

Cool graphic.

[Ben Ficklin]

If they were going to build a road to alleviate congestion on I 35, why would they build it to Wichita Falls? If they were going to build a I-69 road to connect to I-69 as it will be built in AR, why would it go to Tyler and Paris?

[Jedidah]

Oklahoma (or Colorado, for that matter) bound traffic from San Antonio/Austin could completely avoid I-35 and the DFW Metromess if TXDOT would improve 281 to Wichita Falls, where I-44 connects to OK City. Or improve 87 and 283 northward to Lawton and give those dying West Texas towns an economic shot in the arm.

We all saw the traffic nightmare out of Houston during the Hurricane Rita evacuation. We desperately need alternative routes, not just highways into Dallas. Why not improve existing 59 to Lufkin, 259 to Kilgore, 271 to Paris where the Indian Nation Turnpike can take traffic north to Tulsa and toward Kansas City?

I'm just trying to be a voice of reason. Take a look at a Texas map. Why should virtually all north-south traffic be routed through Dallas/Fort Worth on I-35 and I-45, when alternative routes would help other parts of the state economically and also relieve congestion on I-35 and pollution in the DFW area?

Like I said, just common sense from a commoner. I don't see much of that coming out of Austin these days.

[Ben Ficklin]

You need to looks at the maps.

[TXnMA]

Thank you! Use it if you like...

I designed it as a bumper sticker -- but decided I didn't really want to go into the bumper sticker business, myself. Offered it pro bono to some folks, but never got a response...

C'est la vie...

[Thunder90]

You forgot to say "If you have a Democrat, green, or Socialist/ANSWER/UFPJ/ACLU/WCW voter card, you may proceed for free as well"