Examining the Use of Existing Public Rights-of-Way for High-Speed Rail or Other Infrastructure

The administrative difficulties, delays, costs, and environmental impacts associated with the acquisition of property for transportation projects point to a need to consider utilizing existing right-of-way (ROW) resources to the greatest extent possible. The primary purpose of this research work plan is to determine if and how existing Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), public, utility and freight rail ROW can potentially accommodate high-speed intercity passenger rail (HSIPR) and/or dedicated freight transportation systems. A number of states have considered and have chosen existing highway, public, freight rail, and utility ROW for preferred alignments for HSIPR, such as Florida (I-4, freight rail, utility, and Orlando airport ROW) and California (I-5, I-10, and freight rail). To answer the research question for Texas, all potential ROW routes in Texas will be identified and their key characteristics considered for utilization by a spectrum of HSIPR and dedicated freight systems. At least four of those routes will be evaluated in greater detail for technical, political, and legal feasibility. For those four case studies, the study will develop potential solutions to engineering challenges encountered in the ROW, such as highway interchanges and narrow ROW width. The case study research will include meetings and interviews with affected ROW owners and critical stakeholders.

• Record URL:
  http://library.ctr.utexas.edu/Presto/content/Detail.aspx?ctID=M2UxNzg5YmEtYzMyZS00ZjBlLWIyODctYzljMzQ3ZmVmOWFl&rID=Mjk=&sID=MQ==&qrs=VHJ1ZQ==&q=KCop&qcf=M2UxNzg5YmEtYzMyZS00ZjBlLWIyODctYzljMzQ3ZmVmOWFl

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $387943.00
• Contract Numbers:

  0-6698

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Texas Department of Transportation

  125 E. 11th Street
  Austin, TX  United States  78701-2483
• Project Managers:

  Williams, Charon

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Texas, Arlington

  P.O. Box 4089
  Arlington, TX  United States  76010
• Principal Investigators:

  Mattingly, Stephen

• Start Date: 20110913
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20130831
• Source Data: RiP Project 30028

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Case studies; Freight transportation; High speed rail; Right of way (Land)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Intercity passenger rail
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Freight Transportation; Public Transportation; Railroads; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01568909
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 0-6698
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jun 30 2015 1:02AM