Central Texas needs a new train. Currently, Amtrak’s Texas Eagle route runs between San Antonio, San Marcos, and Austin once per day, bypassing the towns and residential centers in between. This makes driving the only option for the millions of people that commute in the region each year, resulting in miserable traffic and often dangerous road conditions.

There used to be a plan to establish a high-quality rail service that would connect the cities and towns of Central Texas using existing freight rail lines, but in 2016, the Lone Star Rail District’s board voted to suspend the project indefinitely.

Central Texas deserves better. We call on the elected officials of Central Texas to restart the Lone Star Rail District to establish a fast, frequent, and reliable rail service along the I-35 corridor to connect the region’s almost 5 million residents.