Governor Abbott Expresses Caution on I-35 High-Speed Rail
September 15th, 2016
September 15, 2016 - Texas Tribune -
WACO — Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday expressed caution about high-speed rail in Texas, warning that any investment in transportation must not be a "money-losing proposition."
It was one of several notable topics that came up during a wide-ranging Q-and-A with the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, where Abbott also vouched for the continuation of the Texas Enterprise Fund and provided a brief preview of the next legislative session.
Abbott had previously expressed hesitation about high-speed rail, a perennial flashpoint in Texas that sparks debate over how to pay for it and its impact on property rights. He was again somewhat skeptical-sounding Thursday at the luncheon for the Chamber of Commerce, which supports high-speed rail. Waco is along a potential route being studied for a high-speed rail alternative to Interstate 35 that would go from Oklahoma City to Laredo.
"It is important to be able to invest in anything that works, but when you invest, you don't want to lose money," Abbott said, bringing up a high-speed rail project in California that ended up costing much more than originally projected. "You've got to proceed with caution."
Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2016/09/15/abbott-expresses-caution-high-speed-rail/
WACO — Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday expressed caution about high-speed rail in Texas, warning that any investment in transportation must not be a "money-losing proposition."
It was one of several notable topics that came up during a wide-ranging Q-and-A with the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, where Abbott also vouched for the continuation of the Texas Enterprise Fund and provided a brief preview of the next legislative session.
Abbott had previously expressed hesitation about high-speed rail, a perennial flashpoint in Texas that sparks debate over how to pay for it and its impact on property rights. He was again somewhat skeptical-sounding Thursday at the luncheon for the Chamber of Commerce, which supports high-speed rail. Waco is along a potential route being studied for a high-speed rail alternative to Interstate 35 that would go from Oklahoma City to Laredo.
"It is important to be able to invest in anything that works, but when you invest, you don't want to lose money," Abbott said, bringing up a high-speed rail project in California that ended up costing much more than originally projected. "You've got to proceed with caution."
Read more: https://www.texastribune.org/2016/09/15/abbott-expresses-caution-high-speed-rail/