The US government has given the Texas department of transportation $15,000,000 to study the feasibility of high speed rail in Texas. There is a strong possibility that the route chosen will start with the tracks along highway 290. These tracks are ideal because they go in an east west direction. The railroads main traffic pattern from the Port of Houston is north. This allows for the rails to be used by commuter trains in the morning and afternoon. Freight trains would use the rails at other times.
Jersey Village Station
The existing rail lines by Highway 290 could easily be connected with METROrail from Houston. Most likely this connection would take place around the 610 Loop.
There is a tract of vacant land south of Highway 290 which could be annexed by Jersey Village. The City could built a train station at this point with plenty of land for commuters to park their cars. The Gulf Coast Rail District estimates that commuter trains could e running between Houston and Hempstead between 3 to 5years. There could be a rail station in either Fairfield, Metro’s Cypress Park, or Jersey Village. Jersey Village has the advantage in being an incorporated city which could plan and zone for the station. Think what Sugarland has done with town center and visualize that south of Highway 290 in Jersey Village.
The Jersey Village City Council is seriously considering building a rail stop. The only drawback is that it might be 20 years before the city of Houston completes a commuter rail line to the west. Jersey Village could build a parking garage as part of a build out to attract the City to locate a stop in Jersey Village. The big thing in favor of this rail is that it will cost the city of Houston the same amount of money for the 5 miles of rail it will need to connect to the Union Pacific line. As it will for the 45 miles of line which will run to Hempstead. Jersey Village is in a unique position to plan its own future.
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Source: Gulf Coast Rail District, City of Jersey Village