The October ribbon-cutting ceremony that signaled the commencement of construction on Texas Highway 130 also marked the first step toward realizing what may be one of the most innovative, visionary transportation concepts in the state's history-the Trans Texas Corridor.

The Trans Texas Corridor is a proposed 4,000-mi. network of corridors designed to move people and goods swiftly and safely through Texas from Mexico to Canada. The corridor may be up to 1,200 ft. wide in some places and will include separate tollways for passengers and trucks, high-speed passenger rail, high-speed freight rail, commuter rail, and a dedicated utility zone that could accommodate everything from natural gas to water.

advertisement

The 90-mi. stretch of Texas Highway 130 will run from IH-35 north of Georgetown to IH-10 in Seguin, following the path of the proposed main north-south artery of the corridor.

The corridor is the largest engineering project ever proposed for the state, and is viewed by the Texas Department of Transportation as a futuristic but necessary remedy to the state's transportation challenges. In addition to relieving congestion in metropolitan areas, the Trans Texas Corridor is designed to facilitate commerce and increase safety for Texans by reducing hazardous materials and emissions in populated areas. It is also heralded as an economic boon for the highway construction industry and Texas economy. (Total estimated cost for the corridor ranges from $145.2 billion to $183.5 billion.)

It is even suspected that, as has been the case with development of interstate highways, the corridor will spawn the development of new cities.

The Trans Texas Corridor, for all practical purposes, remains in its conceptual phase.
However, as construction commences on Texas Highway 130, the hope is that the corridor will begin to take shape in the near future.

The Texas Highway 130 project is a testing ground of sorts to determine how future segments of the corridor will be developed, constructed, financed and maintained.

"I don't think that with the Trans Texas Corridor we will see a cookie cutter formula," Texas Transportation Commissioner John Johnson, who oversees TxDOT's annual operations, said. "It will adapt to each area it serves."

The project, awarded to Lone Star Infrastructure, a consortium of engineering and construction firms, is the first to be awarded by TxDOT as a Comprehensive Development Agreement. The agreement serves as a contract between TxDOT and partners of Lone Star Infrastructure, who may perform any or all aspects of the project.
The goal is to streamline all processes through a unified effort to accelerate completion, reduce cost and improve efficiency.

"This stretch of 130 gives us an example of how a Comprehensive Development Agreement could work," said Mike Behrens, TxDOT's executive director. "What we've seen so far is that it can work and demonstrate to others how a project could be put together, designed and financed with different tools."

Most of the 90-mi. stretch being constructed by Lone Star Infrastructure has substantial right-of-way to accommodate six lanes, with enough space for a divided facility with basic utilities or rail. "It is a lot larger than our normal allowance for a state highway," Behrens said. "One thing we're looking at is being more mindful of footprints for the Trans Texas Corridor so we don't wind up with a shortage of space to satisfy our transportation system of the future."

Although TxDOT is not currently developing a rail project, having the space to accommodate one is a step forward, Johnson said.

So far, the department has received an unsolicited proposal for another segment of the corridor, and more are expected this year. Once proposals are received, TxDOT is obligated to receive competing proposals, so the process takes some time. "One of the proposals is from an international consortium," Johnson said. "That not only shows interest from outside the state, but it introduces a whole new realm of ability to get these projects done."

The Trans Texas Corridor is a testament to TxDOT's eagerness to step up to the plate with creative solutions. "We've probably been behind the curve for a long time," Behrens said. "The Trans Texas Corridor is forward-thinking."