BREAKING: The IH-35 Corridor ‘Lone Star Rail’ Might Be Gone Forever

By, Terra Rivers

Managing Editor

The Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization meets Monday to decide whether to continue or end an environmental study for the $2 billion Lone Star Rail Project.

CAMPO’s plan was to establish a commuter train on the current 120-mile stretch of Union Pacific’s rail line between San Antonio and Georgetown. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the project’s goal was to “improve mobility, accessibility, transportation reliability, modal choice, safety and facilitate economic development.”

The Lone Star Rail would reduce traffic on major roadways such as I-35 and Mopac. However, trouble arose when Union Pacific backed out of the deal; the company feared the impact sharing their tracks could have on their business financial.

In Monday’s meeting, Hays County Commissioner, Will Conley, CAMPO’s current board chairman, will make a motion to pull out of the environmental study that was expected to be completed in 2017. The study was the final step in the Lone Star Rail Project’s planning agenda before construction could begin in 2018.

Without the environmental study, the deal will be killed. But CAMPO’s board said they want to partner with other organizations or departments like TXDOT to find an alternative for the project. Deciding the fate of the Lone Star Rail project is the first item on CAMPO’s agenda for today’s meet, which will take place a 6 p.m.  The meeting will also be streamed live for the community to watch at http://www.campotexas.org/livestream/.