George Bush underpass....

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woodiewood1
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4:44p, 4/24/25
The state needs get off their butts on this and get it done.

Yesterday late morning a train had GB blocked for 20 minutes. I was stopped going west about where Pershing is and behind me the cars lookrf to be all the way to Oakwood school. Trucks and SUVs were giving up and turning around across the grassed medium to go back east. There were at least five A&M buses stopped dead in the crowd. One of these days someones going to die because an emergency vehicle can't get out of the cluster.

The issue has been there for about 50 years. We need to get the underpass built.
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NotJPMorgan
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8:50p, 4/24/25
AG
As of right now, construction will start summer 2027. But there's a lot of time between now and then for TXDoT to find more delays.
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DonHenley
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9:23p, 4/24/25
Highway 6 and Bush/Wellborn major projects. Gonna be even more fun driving around here for the next decade
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EBrazosAg
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9:47p, 4/24/25
AG
That project was nearly ready to go when I graduated in 89. CoCS really messed that one up. Shocking- I know.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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Aggie@state.gov
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10:01p, 4/24/25
AG
Not moving the RR tracks in the 1980s when they had the chance is the worst infrastructure decision of the past 100 years. Can you imagine the better design of campus if they had gotten them moved?
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woodiewood1
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In reply to DonHenley • 7:36a, 4/25/25
DonHenley said:
Highway 6 and Bush/Wellborn major projects. Gonna be even more fun driving around here for the next decade
And the city councils and business community want to attract more and more businesses and people to move here. We will be approaching a smaller size Austin situation that occured there in the 1980s.....a big mess.
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doubledog
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In reply to woodiewood1 • 8:37a, 4/25/25
woodiewood1 said:
The state needs get off their butts on this and get it done.

Yesterday late morning a train had GB blocked for 20 minutes. I was stopped going west about where Pershing is and behind me the cars lookrf to be all the way to Oakwood school. Trucks and SUVs were giving up and turning around across the grassed medium to go back east. There were at least five A&M buses stopped dead in the crowd. One of these days someones going to die because an emergency vehicle can't get out of the cluster.

The issue has been there for about 50 years. We need to get the underpass built.
Trains are a big issue on GB. Emergency vehicles know this and can take 2818, University, Old main and even Villa Maria if they need to. For now a light on GB at say Houston, BIzzell and Coke streets that would indicate when a train is passing, would be helpful to commuters.
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Koko Chingo
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8:59a, 4/25/25
AG
I don't even want to think about. Its is going to be a nightmare.

How long has it been since they tore down the apartments and adjacent buildings at GB & Wellborn?
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AggiePhil
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In reply to Koko Chingo • 9:58a, 4/25/25
AG
About 10 years.
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doubledog
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In reply to Koko Chingo • 12:34p, 4/25/25
Koko Chingo said:
I don't even want to think about. Its is going to be a nightmare.

How long has it been since they tore down the apartments and adjacent buildings at GB & Wellborn?
With all due respect, if they had not torn them down, they would have fallen down
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Chewy
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In reply to Aggie@state.gov • 1:03p, 4/25/25
AG
Aggie@state.gov said:
Not moving the RR tracks in the 1980s when they had the chance is the worst infrastructure decision of the past 100 years. Can you imagine the better design of campus if they had gotten them moved?
Where were the tracks going to be moved to? Was there an agreement in place but never acted on?

I've heard stories but nothing finite on what actually could have been done.
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75AG
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In reply to Chewy • 4:49p, 4/25/25
AG
Chewy said:
Aggie@state.gov said:
Not moving the RR tracks in the 1980s when they had the chance is the worst infrastructure decision of the past 100 years. Can you imagine the better design of campus if they had gotten them moved?
Where were the tracks going to be moved to? Was there an agreement in place but never acted on?

I've heard stories but nothing finite on what actually could have been done.
my (fading) memory is there were discussions to move the tracks west toward Easterwood. But because of the required university funding, it never got beyond the discussion phase. Others may have better memories.
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Scotch
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9:18p, 4/25/25
AG
LoTrack was ready to go. Texas A&M had pledged funding. Brazos County had pledged funding. The City of Bryan had pledged funding. College Station voters said "not our problem".
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EBrazosAg
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In reply to Scotch • 9:30p, 4/25/25
AG
Correct. COCS was the obstacle. Imagine.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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Chewy
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8:11a, 4/26/25
AG
Where were the tracks going to go?

That's what I'm most curious about. The actual physical plan as I've heard all sorts of rumors on where they would actually go.

Like just follow 2818? On the other side of the airport? Further out west?

Just curious how they planned to physically make it happen.
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woodiewood1
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In reply to Chewy • 8:49a, 4/26/25
Chewy said:
Where were the tracks going to go?

That's what I'm most curious about. The actual physical plan as I've heard all sorts of rumors on where they would actually go.

Like just follow 2818? On the other side of the airport? Further out west?

Just curious how they planned to physically make it happen.
In the early 1980s the plan was to move it out to just this side of the Brazos River.

"In the early 1980s, there was a plan to relocate the railroad tracks in College Station to the Brazos River. This plan aimed to address the noise and safety issues caused by the tracks within the city limits. The plan was a complex project that involved the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the city of College Station, the Texas State Railroad, and the Brazos River Authority. "
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LOYAL AG
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12:43p, 4/28/25
AG
For whenever they do get this thing started.


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91_Aggie
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10:39a, 4/29/25
AG
Yeah... there were two ideas.
1. Move out near Brazos river
2. Lower them beneath surface level
-------------------------------------------------------
"91_Aggie is right again." -YankeeAg00
"91a: You are so classy." -abl
"and i find myself agreeing with 91 yet again..." -Gramercy Riffs
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jello123
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In reply to Scotch • 10:54a, 4/29/25
Scotch said:
LoTrack was ready to go. Texas A&M had pledged funding. Brazos County had pledged funding. The City of Bryan had pledged funding. College Station voters said "not our problem".
Exerpt from the Feb. 22, 1990 Battalion: https://ibb.co/3ytkSr43
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jac4
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In reply to Scotch • 11:28a, 4/29/25
AG
Scotch said:
LoTrack was ready to go. Texas A&M had pledged funding. Brazos County had pledged funding. The City of Bryan had pledged funding. College Station voters said "not our problem".


If the tracks had been moved then, COCS would probably already have been able to build a Taj Mahal conference center. Ironic.

Next step, COCS can commission a study on the feasibility of time travel. Then we could send Karl Mooney back in time terminator style to ensure the tracks are moved and ultimately the conference center could be completed in the mid 2000s. That would still be a better use of funds than COCS buying the Macy's building.
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EBrazosAg
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In reply to jac4 • 12:29p, 4/29/25
AG
Conference center and a YMCA. Don't forget the YMCA
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oklaunion
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In reply to Scotch • 8:23a, 4/30/25
Scotch said:
LoTrack was ready to go. Texas A&M had pledged funding. Brazos County had pledged funding. The City of Bryan had pledged funding. College Station voters said "not our problem".
You left out Union Pacific. If the city can't get UP to commit to a crossing exchange at Capstone/Barron, why would they have jumped at the "opportunity" to relocate the entire tracks to the west. It works perfectly fine for them as it is.
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techno-ag
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In reply to woodiewood1 • 8:52p, 4/30/25
AG
woodiewood1 said:
Chewy said:
Where were the tracks going to go?

That's what I'm most curious about. The actual physical plan as I've heard all sorts of rumors on where they would actually go.

Like just follow 2818? On the other side of the airport? Further out west?

Just curious how they planned to physically make it happen.
In the early 1980s the plan was to move it out to just this side of the Brazos River.

"In the early 1980s, there was a plan to relocate the railroad tracks in College Station to the Brazos River. This plan aimed to address the noise and safety issues caused by the tracks within the city limits. The plan was a complex project that involved the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the city of College Station, the Texas State Railroad, and the Brazos River Authority. "

There was resistance among the farmers out there near Brushy Creek and elsewhere. One of the points brought up was the number of black landowners who would be adversely affected by running the tracks through their property. So the idea faded.
The left cannot kill the Spirit of Charlie Kirk.
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Scotch
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In reply to oklaunion • 4:31p, 5/3/25
AG
I wasn't talking about them moving. I was talking about the lowering project. They would have lowered going south along Finfeather creating a grade separation at Villa Maria, south of campus my memory is more fuzzy when it would return to grade. Wellborn Rd would have also been lowered through campus, with numerous car and pedestrian overpasses.

https://texags.com/forums/35/topics/1525910

Batt article about LoTrack. March 23, 1990:
https://newspaper.library.tamu.edu/lccn/sn86088544/1990-03-23/ed-1/seq-4/
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FILO505
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In reply to oklaunion • 4:40p, 5/3/25
AG
Granted, it's all hindsight, but Santa Fe would've been more maleable
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EBrazosAg
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5:30p, 5/3/25
AG
It would have happened if it wasn't for CoCS council. Never figured that one out.
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
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maroon barchetta
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In reply to EBrazosAg • 10:55p, 5/3/25
EBrazosAg said:
It would have happened if it wasn't for CoCS council. Never figured that one out.


You figured it out.
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woodiewood1
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6:39a, 5/4/25
It really is not really important what happened decades ago,but what needs to be done now. I suspect the least expensive and quicker fix would be a GB underpass under the track at Wellborn. Another one should follow at Rock Prairie and a third at Holleman. Maybe overpasses at RP and Holleman?

That would solve about 75% of the traffic stoppage issues.

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maroon barchetta
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In reply to woodiewood1 • 6:57a, 5/4/25
We tried for an underpass at Greens Prairie when UP said they were going to close Straub and Wade. The UP rep straight up told me it was too expensive and they wouldn't commit that kind of money to what they claimed was a safety issue, but was really more of a parking issue for trains.

It's not gonna happen at Holleman. They would have to move the new McDonalds after building it there to allow the one at Bush to be knocked down.

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PS3D
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12:51a, 5/5/25
LoTrak was defeated at the polls in December 1990 by over 60% (700 votes) amidst other bond packages that were rejected. The City Council actually revived the idea in 1992 under a different name.

Context gathered from newspaper archives indicated the price kept going up, it wasn't even clear if CS would contribute 4.5 million or 5.5 million by fall 1990. In December 1989, the total price quoted was $34M, that had shot up to $39M by 1990. Bryan of course was paying less for LoTrak since College Station's higher price was for buying right of way on the west side of the tracks (Finfeather would've served as the southbound route). Apparently Bryan didn't have much faith in LoTrak, they approved the Villa Maria/Wellborn underpass back in 1984 as a separate item and that was one of the things that the project incorporated, then got mad when the CS City Council revived the idea a few years later.

A few more items to note:
- The right of way acquisition would've been the same, the Unitarian Universalist Church didn't like the idea of having to move (they moved anyway) and the apartment building at George Bush and Wellborn was also doomed.
- The project wouldn't have included FM 2818.
- Today A&M still limits Wellborn Road traffic to 35 MPH despite eliminating all but one pedestrian crosswalk, so it's doubtful that Wellborn Road would've been a better road to drive on.
- The railroad effectively would've been in the median of the "new" Wellborn Road and given this board complains bitterly about medians I don't think they'd be in favor of it back then.
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NotJPMorgan
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In reply to PS3D • 8:33p, 5/5/25
AG
Unless you're counting George Bush/Wellborn all pedestrian crossings at grade have been removed now.
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PS3D
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In reply to NotJPMorgan • 11:16p, 5/5/25
NotJPMorgan said:
Unless you're counting George Bush/Wellborn all pedestrian crossings at grade have been removed now.


I was counting it, but I realize now the 35 MPH speed limit starts after that crossing. Granted, you aren't going to be moving 35 MPH anyway during daytime A&M hours (or after a game), but it's still artificially low and it doesn't need to be.

Even with LoTrak, Wellborn Road was never going to become some sort of 65 mph freeway like Marsha Sharp Freeway cuts through Texas Tech or something like MoPac Expressway. Main advantage of LoTrak would be connecting northbound Wellborn Road with Finfeather, which would've been nice.

Of all the missed opportunities to improve city connectivity, I don't think LoTrak was a huge loss, and had this forum existed 30+ years ago with the same personalities as now the LoTrak idea would be hotly debated.
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NotJPMorgan
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In reply to PS3D • 5:55a, 5/6/25
AG
Agree completely that it wouldn't have solved problems the way people think, but I guess hindsight is 20/20. The underpass will greatly improve a lot of things (traffic and safety wise), it just should have been done 25 years ago.
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Smeghead4761
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9:10p, 5/6/25
After today, hope they build it with good drainage...unlike the Old Main one.
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Bob Yancy
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In reply to 75AG • 9:18p, 5/6/25
75AG said:
Chewy said:
Aggie@state.gov said:
Not moving the RR tracks in the 1980s when they had the chance is the worst infrastructure decision of the past 100 years. Can you imagine the better design of campus if they had gotten them moved?
Where were the tracks going to be moved to? Was there an agreement in place but never acted on?

I've heard stories but nothing finite on what actually could have been done.
my (fading) memory is there were discussions to move the tracks west toward Easterwood. But because of the required university funding, it never got beyond the discussion phase. Others may have better memories.


You are basically correct. And land owners out West were seriously opposed.

Respectfully

Yancy '95
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