Investigation of Rail Facilities Relocation in the U.S. and Potential Lessons for Texas Rail Planning Initiatives

This project summary report summarizes the research performed in Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) Project 0-5322. One approach to addressing urban vehicular-train conflict and urban rail operational issues is to consider the relocation of train operations to new rail corridors and facilities located outside urban boundaries. TxDOT has begun to move toward this possibility through its promotion and steps toward implementation of the Trans-Texas Corridor (TTC) plan and state approval of a railroad relocation and improvement fund. This project examined rail relocation projects in the United States to determine best practices, documented project costs and the anticipated benefits of those projects, and developed recommended policies for TxDOT use in assessing proposed urban rail relocation projects throughout the state. Researchers analyzed a range of critical issues related to rail relocations, identified known major rail relocation projects around the country (both past and planned projects), and thoroughly analyzed five of those projects as case studies. The critical information gathered from the literature review and case studies assisted the research team in creating a list of best practices related to implementing this type of project and identified significant factors for TxDOT and local urban rail planners to consider. The findings of this research provide TxDOT rail planners with additional tools to use in evaluating, prioritizing, and implementing rail relocation projects to better address the department's strategic goals.