North Texas Transportation Council Advocates for Road Safety, Rail Projects

The North Texas Regional Transportation Council is asking state legislators for funding to improve transportation infrastructure and public transit in the region, reports Eric E. Garcia for Fort Worth Report. “The council also is advocating for innovative funding methods to expand rail and transit options with the North Central Texas Council of Governments representative area. Those efforts would include requiring expenditures from a portion of the Texas Mobility Fund for regional commuter rail and Class I railroad improvements, supporting dedicated funding for transit and rail via the Texas Department of Transportation’s budget rider and allocating money to the existing Texas Rail Relocation and Improvement Fund.”

The Dallas-Forth Worth area is seeing strong ridership on the rail lines that offer service in the region. The council is calling for a statewide high-speed rail authority to help coordinate planning efforts for future HSR projects. ““The council advocates lower excessive speed limits, including automated speed enforcement over 90 mph or in construction zones, reducing aggressive driving, increased enforcement of seat belt requirements and improved messaging in construction zones.””

Meanwhile, a proposed state bill would ask voters to decide whether the Texas Department of Transportation, which is currently constitutionally obligated to spend most of its funds on highway building and expansion, should spend a larger percentage on other transportation infrastructure.