Letter to the editor: Using farm land for high-speed rail
April 3,2018-
A special thank you to the Telegram for printing the March 6 comprehensive article regarding the proposed high speed train for the Interstate 45 corridor. A few years ago Gov. Perry was promoting the Trans Texas Corridor for Interstate 35. Remember what affects one part of Texas affects all of Texas.
There were several items not addressed in the article. It is common knowledge that Amtrak has been subsidized by public funds for a number of years, so how can the company officials state that lenders or the government is not on the hook for the money?
With the projected increase in Texas population over the next 20 years and this project proposes to take some 8,000 acres out of productivity, the question is how will the food be produced to support these citizens? Food does not grow on the shelves in H-E-B or Walmart. What provisions are made for crossing for emergency vehicles and school buses since developers describe the project as a “sealed corridor” between stations?
The emphasis of the article is the “conveniences of citizens of Dallas and Houston.” Are the rights of other Texas taxpayers to be sacrificed for their benefit? A high-speed rail system is practical for heavily populated areas like New York, California and Japan. The article stresses the financial benefits to these citizens; however, if the food-producing land is covered by a rail system, money cannot buy food that is not available or is very expensive due to being imported.
Think about it!
Haroldine Early
Troy
http://www.tdtnews.com/news/letters_to_the_editor/article_b0faa89e-369c-11e8-95f1-f77aa704ae49.html