Texas Gov. Rick Perry Monday unveiled the "Trans Texas Corridor" plan, which would incorporate toll and non-toll roads, high-speed freight and commuter rail, utilities and telecommunications infrastructure - all in the same corridors.

According to the governor, the Trans Texas Corridor plan "utilizes innovative and fiscally sound funding methods that will allow the state to construct the system with a minimal expenditure of public money," and without new taxes. These measures, he says, were approved by the Texas Legislature and by Texas voters last year.
The corridors will consist of six highway vehicle lanes - three in each direction - and six rail lines - three in each direction. One rail line will be dedicated to high speed commuter rail, one to high speed freight rail and one dedicated to short haul regional rail.
The corridors also will have easements for petroleum, natural gas, electric and telecommunications lines.
While exact routes of the transportation corridors have not been selected, Perry said that they will generally parallel many existing highway systems. The Corridor will link with existing interstate systems, three existing regional transportation systems, as well as major ports of entry in Laredo, El Paso, Brownsville, Corpus Christi and Houston. He has asked Texas Transportation Commissioners to finalize a plan by this summer.
When all segments are completed, the system will provide approximately 4,000 miles of roads, rail, water lines and lift stations to transport water from border to border, broadband, oil and gas pipelines, and electric utilities. Perry said construction could begin as early as this year. Construction of the entire plan, which will extend all across Texas, is expected to take at least 25 years to complete.