December 13, 2016 - Washington Examiner -   Op-Ed by Holly Reed -

 In a recent Washington Examiner piece, Blog Contributor Charles Sauer attempted to channel Superman while discussing the high-speed train that will connect north Texas and Houston and bring significant economic benefits to the Lone Star State. Unfortunately, all he managed to conjure is Superman's antithesis, Bizarro, who is wrong in every way.


His conclusions against the project are not only off-base, but also incredibly surprising for someone who claims to be a champion of the free-market system.

The Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute, an Austin-based think tank that reviewed the project, recently reported that the privately-developed train fits the historic precedent of a public-use railroad and that objections to the potential use of eminent domain are "misguided."

The institute further concluded that Texas law provides property owners with ample protections, ensuring they will be treated fairly and compensated properly should their land be required for a public use project.
Texas Central, my employer and the project's private developer, is ushering in a new business model for much-needed infrastructure projects, using a market-led approach backed by private investors, not government grants. The company's efforts are in line with the state's long and admirable history of preserving private property rights and respecting landowners.
Contrary to Sauer's missive, most of the proposed route already follows high-voltage power lines, significantly reducing impacts to homes and businesses. Hundreds of landowners have already come to agreements with Texas Central. Some of their testimonials about the process of working together with the rail line can be found on the company's website.

This project is the embodiment of free market principles. It is directed by the full discipline of private markets that drive a focus on cost, schedule and ridership. Considering that the private sector is stepping up to provide safe, reliable, affordable and productive transportation alternatives, there's only one word that can truly describe Sauer's objections to the Texas Central high-speed rail project: Bizarro.

Holly Reed is the managing director of external affairs for Texas Central. Thinking of submitting an op-ed to the Washington Examiner? Be sure to read our guidelines on submissions.