Finance, rail service and budgets were on NET RMA's agenda

Finance, rail service, and budgets were among the topics discussed during the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) Board Meeting last week.

The main topic of discussion during the meeting was the board's decision to seek statements of interest from financial partners in support of Toll 49 and other potential NET RMA projects.

The move opens the door for the NET RMA to seek strategic financial partnerships with private investors in order to finance transportation projects.

"The NET RMA is interested in exploring any and all possible partnerships that will allow us to accelerate our member counties' priority projects," Jeff Austin, III, NET RMA chairman, said. "We can't stand by and wait for funding to be handed to us - we need to seek new and innovative ways to get these roads built."

Austin directed the NET RMA team to issue a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit responses from firms interested in partnering with the NET RMA. Austin estimated that the RFI would be made public in seven to ten days.

"We anticipate a good level of interest in partnering with the NET RMA," Austin said. "There are some important projects going on in northeast Texas, and we are looking forward to providing East Texans with transportation solutions sooner rather than later."

The RFI will gauge the firms' interest in assisting the NET RMA in developing Toll 49, including the part of Toll 49 referred to as the East Texas Hourglass.

"This is an exciting step for the NET RMA," Austin said. "It's part of our mission to explore every available funding alternative, and we believe this is a very viable option."

There will also be a possibility to assist the NET RMA in any other member county's priority projects. The NET RMA is eligible to work on a variety of transportation projects, including:

• Tolled or non-tolled roadway

• Airport • Pedestrian or bicycle facility • Border crossing inspection station • Passenger or freight rail • Intermodal hub • Automated conveyor belt for movement of freight • Public utility facility • Project listed in State Implementation Plan (air quality plan) • Project listed in the Unified Transportation Program

The NET RMA demonstrated its continued support of rail in northeast Texas at the same meeting by passing two resolutions during the board meeting. The first resolution voiced support for an Amtrak stop at Dallas/ Fort Worth International Airport.

Currently, Amtrak's Texas Eagle passenger rail line provides service to 41 cities, including Longview, Marshall, and Mineola. In order to provide a transportation alternative to northeast Texans who wish to travel to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, the NET RMA would like Amtrak to redirect the Texas Eagle to the Trinity Rail Express rail line to facilitate a stop at the CentrePort/DFW station. From the station, travelers could board shuttles bound for the airport.

Celia Boswell, Wood County board member and Rail Committee chair, said the new stop would be both a convenience and a necessary step to help alleviate freight congestion.

"As passenger rail service becomes faster and more dependable, the stop at D/FW's CentrePort means a direct connection for East Texans to this major international airport," Boswell said. "Also, the freight congestion at the Tower 55 point will be avoided as train passengers heading on to Fort Worth will enter by a lesscrowded rail line from this stop."

Because the demand for freight and passenger rail is increasing, the NET RMA board of directors also adopted a resolution encouraging all entities involved in the development of multi-lane public roads to preserve corridors for future rail lines. Last August, the board passed a resolution supporting the East Texas Council of Governments and the North Central Texas Council of Governments' Memorandum of Understanding to support highspeed rail along the I-20 corridor. Boswell said she believes rail may be the best choice for transporting people and goods, in addition to relieving crowded roads.

"Transportation planners acquiring right-of-way for roads should incorporate a balanced approach," Boswell said. "This includes allowing extra space for commuter or intercity rail and freight as a component."

In other business, the NET RMA Texarkana Outer Loop committee presented a resolution to initiate a Financial Assistance Agreement (FAA) to help fund the Texarkana Outer Loop. Texas Transportation Code allows an RMA to request financial assistance from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to be used in the development, construction, operation, and maintenance of turnpike projects. The Texarkana Outer Loop — stretching from US 59 southwest of Texarkana and west and north to US 71 North — has been on hold for a number of years;

Other action items and presentations during the meeting included: Edward Smith of Harrison County and William Runnels of Cass County were sworn in as board members; Gary Halbrooks, Finance Committee chairman, led a discussion regarding the application process for pass-through funding projects. Pass-through financing was established as a way to accelerate highway projects by payment of passthrough tolls as reimbursement for costs associated with the design, development, financing, construction, maintenance or operation of a toll or non-toll facility on the state highway system; and the NET RMA accepted its budget for the 2008- 2009 fiscal year.