Gulf corridorThe idea of a commuter rail line to connect Houston and Galveston and points in-between is among several ideas to be discussed at three public meetings this month.

“The Houston-Galveston corridor, I-45, is about the fastest-growing corridor in the region,” said Barry Goodman, president of Goodman Corp., a transportation planning firm that is conducting the study. “It’s already very dense. We’ll probably add 500,000 vehicles to this corridor in next ten years, and we’re running out of space to carry people through the traditional method of automobiles.

“It’s important that we look for the most cost-effective solutions to provide alternatives, such as an express bus service that covers the Bay Area and Houston, and Park and Ride,” Goodman said.

A new conference on what's officially called the Galveston-Houston Mobility Corridor Alternative Analysis is planned for Tuesday, and public officials are planning a trip to Washington this week to discuss the project. The people who would use commuter rail can have their say next week at the open-house public meetings:

• Tuesday, Sept. 22: 6- 8 p.m. at the Galveston Island Convention Center, Ballroom A, 5600 Seawall Blvd., Galveston.

• Wednesday, Sept. 23: 6-8 p.m. at the Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 West Walker St., League City.

Thursday, Sept. 24: 6-8 p.m. at the Ripley House Neighborhood Center, 4410 Navigation St., Houston.

The study – sponsored by the city of Galveston, Galveston County and the Federal Transit Administration – is being coordinated with Harris County, the Texas Department of Transportation and the 11 cities in between Galveston and Houston.

A decision on commuter rail or one of its alternatives is expected to be decided over the next nine to ten months, and includes public input provided through the public meetings. The project Web site should be online later this month at www.galvestonrailstudy.com.

Galveston Mayor Lyda Ann Thomas said she supports the idea of commuter rail to link Galveston and Houston.

“I-45 is Galveston’s highway to Houston. It is one of Texas’ most congested roadways,” Thomas said in a prepared statement. “The cities along that corridor are increasing in population, energy use and pollution.

“Taking people out of cars and putting them on commuter rail will address those problems and bring economic and social benefits to all our region,” the mayor stated. “Commuter rail will provide a viable lifeline for future emergency evacuations and promises to greatly enhance our region’s progress and the quality of life of our citizens.”

League City Mayor Toni Randall said that commuter rail is “critical” for the Greater Houston area. She maintains that the most viable route in the area is between Houston and Galveston.

“Not only for our economics, but for evacuation and taking some of the traffic of our roads,” Randall said. “We’re going to have to do something. We’ve got to get with it.”

Randall will be part of a delegation of Harris County and Galveston County officials traveling to Washington, D.C., to meet on Wednesday and Thursday with local federal officials about potential grant funding.

The delegation will meet and update officials such as U.S. Rep. Pete Olson (R-Sugar Land), U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), and U.S. Rep. Gene Green (D-Houston) on the study and discuss possible grant funding for a preliminary engineering phase.

Houston Chronicle correspondents Robert Stanton and Thayer Evans contributed to this report.