TSRT Blog: Texas, New Mexico and Colorado Pursuing High Speed Rail Corridor Study

Texas, New Mexico and Colorado Pursuing High Speed Rail Corridor Study

El Paso-Denver High-Speed Rail of 11 Designated Corridors Takes First Step

Taking El Paso to the next level

By Gustavo Reveles Acosta / El Paso Times

July 10, 2009

EL PASO — Electric trains traveling at 150 mph could one day connect El Paso to Albuquerque and Denver if a proposed high-speed rail corridor gets money from the federal government.

Texas, New Mexico and Colorado today will submit a joint application to the Federal Railroad Administration to secure $5 million, which would pay for a feasibility study of the creation of a high-speed rail corridor between El Paso and Denver.

If approved, the study could land the El Paso-Denver line on the list of 11 designated corridors that will receive $13 billion from the federal government to start construction of rail lines throughout the country.

"This could be the type of project that really takes El Paso to the next level. It's a wonderful opportunity," said Mayor John Cook. "It would help us move thousands of people for business, tourism and education in a matter of minutes. It's the right thing for our community."

The proposed corridor would connect El Paso to cities such as Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Colorado Springs and Denver. The driving distance between El Paso and Denver is about 715 miles.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has already selected 10 corridors, most of which are on the east and west coasts.

President Obama has said 11 corridors would be funded, and if the El Paso-Denver line was picked, it would be the only one in the Southwest and mountain states.

"Almost all of these lines are on the coasts, so the Southwest deserves to have its own," said state Sen. Eliot Shapleigh, who has advocated rail-based transportation for years. "The goal would be to turn this into the Camino Real corridor of the 21st century ... a corridor that strengthens the economic ties in our region."

About 18,000 people commute between El Paso and Las Cruces every day, according to figures from the city. About 30 percent of those people are from Juárez.

Shapleigh said he would like to see any feasibility study into high-speed rail in the region include lines heading south into Juárez and Chihuahua City.

"To maximize the trade value of the new corridor, we must include Mexico," he said. "The political question now is whether (Obama) and others will help the heartland connect such progressive areas of the country like Denver, Albuquerque and, of course, El Paso."

The governors of Colorado, Texas and New Mexico all released statements of support for the El Paso-Denver corridor.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry said high-speed rail could help the state deal with its rapid growth in urban centers such as El Paso.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who spearheaded the creation of the RailRunner commuter train between Belen and Santa Fe, said the demand for faster service in the area is evident.

"The overwhelming success of the New Mexico RailRunner is proof of the demand for more modern, efficient and environmentally friendly transportation options," he said. "High-speed rail is the future of our country and is going to be a major boost to the economic vitality of the cities and states along its routes."

The exact route of the corridor would be determined by the feasibility study if money for it is approved. But preliminary maps show it following Interstate 25 from Denver to Las Cruces. As for the route between Las Cruces and El Paso, it essentially would follow Interstate 10.

High-speed trains that could cut trip times between El Paso and Denver in half excited travelers in the region.

"I could see myself hopping on a train to go to Albuquerque for the weekend or a basketball game," said East Side resident Robert Lopez, who travels to New Mexico at least three times a year. "If this high-speed train happens, it could make El Paso into one of the most modern cities in the country. I hope this happens."

Gustavo Reveles Acosta may be reached at greveles@elpasotimes.com; 546-6133.

Existing corridors

The U.S. Department of Transportation has already designated 10 high-speed rail corridors throughout the country. Most of them are along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The designated corridors are:

California: connecting Los Angeles, San Diego, Las Vegas and Sacramento.
Pacific Northwest: connecting Seattle to Oregon and Vancouver.
South Central: connecting San Antonio and the Dallas-Fort Worth areas to Oklahoma and Arkansas.
Gulf Coast: connecting Houston to New Orleans and Atlanta.
Chicago Hub: connecting Chicago to Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri.
Florida: connecting Tampa to Orlando and Miami.
Southeast: connecting Washington, D.C., to Virginia, Raleigh, N.C., Atlanta and Jacksonville, Fla.
Keystone: connecting Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pa., to Philadelphia.
Empire: connecting Buffalo and other upstate New York cities to New York City.
Northern New England: connecting Boston to Maine, Connecticut and Montreal