THE IMPACT OF MEXICAN RAIL PRIVATIZATION ON THE TEXAS TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) has increased truck traffic and infrastructure needs on the Texas highway network, which carried more than 70% of the total incoming U.S.-Mexico truck traffic due to trade in 1997. An opportunity to alleviate highway congestion on main highway corridors in Texas and the U.S. is through the encouragement of rail intermodal facilities that could divert freight from the highways. U.S. and Mexican railroad companies, created from the recent privatization of the Mexican Railroad System, are building intermodal facilities and rail yards and upgrading railroad infrastructure accessing Texas-Mexico rail border crossings, which could handle increasing amounts of transboundary freight via rail and/or intermodal, thus reducing the rates of deterioration of the highway systems in Texas and Mexico. The purpose of this project is to provide the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) with information on current and future infrastructure and operational plans conducted by the U.S. and Mexican railroad private sectors and their impact on TxDOT's highway infrastructure needs.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Research Project Title: The Impact of Mexican Rail Privatization on International Trade Corridors with Mexico.
• Corporate Authors:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  Texas A&M University System, 1600 E Lamar Boulevard
  Arlington, TX  United States  76011

  Texas Department of Transportation

  Research and Technology Transfer Office, P.O. Box 5051
  Austin, TX  United States  78763-5051

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Roop, S S
  • Warner, J E
  • Zambrano, F
  • Ismailova, R
  • Kang, D-H
• Publication Date: 2001-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 202 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Freight transportation; Highways; Impacts; Infrastructure; Intermodal facilities; International borders; International trade; Privatization; Railroads; Traffic congestion; Traffic mitigation; Truck traffic
• Identifier Terms: North American Free Trade Agreement
• Geographic Terms: Mexico; Texas; United States
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Railroads; Security and Emergencies; Terminals and Facilities; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00818845
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/TX-00/2128-2,, Research Report 2128-2,, TTI: 0-2128
• Contract Numbers: Project No. 0-2128
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Oct 16 2001 12:00AM