PRELIMINARY ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF THE HIGHWAY ELEMENT OF THE TEXAS 2020 CORRIDOR

The report investigates the costs involved in the highway element of the proposed Texas 2020, a high-speed transportation facility that will link the Texas Triangle cities of Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio. In specifically weighing each of the costs and benefits implicit in such a project, the report concludes that construction of the highway toll facility, from an economic standpoint, is feasible. It was determined that the facility - in terms of expense versus potential benefits - was cost-effective. A key element is the overwhelming traffic demand that is estimated to grow over the next 40 years within the Texas Triangle. In other findings, the report found that the cost of the highway element is comparable to that of the proposed high-speed rail system, and that heavy-truck traffic will provide an important source of income for the project.