AUSTIN, Texas — Interstate 35 can be a traffic nightmare. Some wish a commuter rail was an option. 

As a transportation planner, preparing for the future is Clay Anderson’s thing.

“Trying to bring better passenger rail to Central Texas between San Antonio and Austin,” Anderson said.

I-35 is considered one of the most dangerous roadways in Texas. On I-35 from San Antonio to north of Austin, TxDOT reported 73 deadly crashes in 2022. 

“I think we are reaching a breaking point when it comes to traffic in Central Texas,” Anderson said. “We are growing so quickly. Thousands of people are moving here each year. And it’s just come to a point where expanding the highway is no longer feasible.”

Returning home to Texas, Anderson founded Restart Lone Star Rail District. It advocate for a regional passenger train between the Capitol and the Alamo City and would connect the growing metros and all the towns in between.

“A lot of people in San Marcos, they also work in San Antonio or Austin,” Anderson said. “So we can not forget that there are lots of people who live in these smaller cities across the I-35 corridor.” 

The Restart Lone Star Rail District group is pushing for the train to stop in eight cities and multiple stops in Austin and San Antonio. Anderson says researchers believe a train could reduce I-35 traffic by 20%.

“We would be doing this all on existing fright track,” Anderson said. “A really big advantage we have. We don’t have to go out and buy 100 miles of new right away.”

“We are working with all the transportation and development stakeholders to make sure we get mobility right,” said Bexar County Judge Peter Sakai.

Sakai knows rail is a controversial topic but says it’s worth exploring.

“I need the information,” said Sakai. “If rail is the best and economic use of our taxpayer money, we need to go there. Especially as we try to connect with the city of Austin and all the communities in between.”

During the State of the County address, Judge Sakai said he’s advocating for a regional approach to economic development. He said the I-35 can’t be the only connector in the emerging mega metro.

“[There are] federal dollars out there, and there’s an opportunity for us to leverage so we don’t have to carry this initiative all by ourselves,” said Judge Sakai.

As a student at Columbia University, Anderson says using public transportation was the norm in New York City. It's something he thinks Texans could learn to love.

“Now we have two prominent elected officials who actually have the power to lobby people at the state and federal government to actually get this done,” Anderson said.