Concerned property owners pack opposition meeting in Madisonville to discuss high-speed rail project

MADISONVILLE, Texas (KBTX) -Nearly 200 other people collected for an opposition meeting on Monday night time in Madisonville, the place property owners and warring parties of the proposed Texas Central high-speed rail project have been knowledgeable on the newest tendencies.

The meeting used to be hosted through Texans Against High-Speed Rail, a nonprofit coalition of greater than 70 property owners, stakeholders, and native leaders who say they’re no longer hostile to high-speed rail in normal however this actual project.

This meeting adopted the new announcement of a possible collaboration between Texas Central Partners and Amtrak. Those in opposition argue that the 240-mile Houston to Dallas line would have adverse results on their communities and would jeopardize taxpayer greenbacks. They expressed issues about what they are saying used to be to begin with introduced as a personal partnership however now seems to be taking a unique course, particularly with Amtrak expressing passion in becoming a member of forces with Texas Central.

Madison County Judge Clark Osborn used to be one of the county judges, sheriffs, and elected officers in attendance who expressed issues and reservations concerning the project and partnership.

“I mean this thing is going to cut Madison County in half like it will every other county along the line. We’re not going to get any county tax money if this thing’s turned into a federal public right of way, so it’s dollars and cents. This doesn’t make sense,” mentioned Osborn.

In Normangee, the proposed path threatens to bisect the Oak Leaf Ranch, a property that Army veteran Gene Whitesides has known as house for over a decade.

“What you see around you is our forever home, and shortly after we bought the property and built our homes on the property, that’s when TCR surfaced,” mentioned Whitesides.

Whitesides, Texans Against High-Speed Rail, and others say they continue to be dedicated to opposing the project, advocating for transparency and property rights.

“There’s a lot of fight left even though the players have changed. We were very successful in round one, and I think that we’ll be very, very successful in round two.”

Judge Osborn known as for a pause at the project and a go back to the strategy planning stage. He wired the will to totally read about the budget and feasibility of bringing Amtrak into the equation and probably spending taxpayer greenbacks.

“If we’re going to start and bring in Amtrak I think the first thing we need to do is let’s talk about the finances, let’s see if it’s even feasible. If there’s a step number two then we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” mentioned Osborn.

The proposed 240-mile path guarantees a go back and forth time of underneath 90 mins between those primary metropolitan spaces, with the opportunity of a forestall in Grimes County. At the time of the announcement, Amtrak expressed its trust that all of a sudden rising metropolitan spaces like Houston and Dallas deserve enhanced high quality, high-speed transportation choices.

“If we are going to add more high-speed rail to this country, the Dallas to Houston Corridor is a compelling proposition and offers great potential,” mentioned Amtrak Senior Vice President of High-Speed Rail Development Programs Andy Byford. “We believe many of the country’s biggest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas, like Houston and Dallas, deserve more high quality high-speed, intercity rail service and we are proud to bring our experience to evaluate this potential project and explore opportunities with Texas Central so the state can meet its full transportation needs.”

Texas Central and Amtrak have submitted programs to a number of federal systems in reference to additional find out about and design paintings for the project, together with the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure Safety and Improvements grant program, the Corridor Identification and Development program, and the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail grant program.

Amtrak has labored with Texas Central since 2016 when it entered into agreements to supply through-ticketing the use of the Amtrak reservation machine and different fortify products and services for the deliberate high-speed rail line, according to a news release shared Wednesday by Amtrak.

“This high-speed train, using advanced, proven Shinkansen technology, has the opportunity to revolutionize rail travel in the southern U.S., and we believe Amtrak could be the perfect partner to help us achieve that,” mentioned Texas Central Chief Executive Officer Michael Bui. “We appreciate Amtrak’s continued collaboration and look forward to continuing to explore how we can partner in the development of this important project.”

Another opposition meeting is deliberate for this week in Ennis. Waller County Judge Trey Duhon, who serves because the president of Texans Against High-Speed Rail, the significance of conserving landowners and stakeholders knowledgeable for the reason that battle to offer protection to property rights continues.

We’ve been at this now for 10 years. There’s so much at stake. We’ve, you realize, attempted the entirety we will to ensure that we’re no longer construction a bridge to nowhere. So it’s necessary for other people to keep up to pace on the newest tendencies and keep trained,” mentioned Duhon.

The meeting in Ennis is scheduled for Thursday at 6:30 p.m. on the SPJST Lodge 1901 E. Ennis Ave.

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