A report from Houston Chronicle correspondent CARISSA D. LAMKAHOUAN:

What can be done to ease congestion on the Gulf Freeway? Community leaders from Galveston to Houston have put their heads together and come up with three ideas for public consideration: commuter rail, bus rapid transit and express buses.

And one of these options could come to pass by 2013. Or there's always that fourth option, to do nothing at all.

At a news conference Tuesday, Barry Goodman, whose company has been hired by the governments involved to help find a solution for the Galveston-Houston Mobility Corridor, said authorities are leaning toward implementing commuter rail. He stressed, however, that the public’s opinion is vital to a final decision and urged residents to have their say at public meetings that begin next week.

“The solution may or may not be commuter rail,” he said. “We think it’s a good solution, but we have to prove our case.”

During Tuesday's presentation, each of the three options for action was presented in detail:

COMMUTER RAIL

If a commuter rail were put in place, the line would run along the existing Union Pacific railroad line.

The service would require passengers to transfer to their final destination after exiting the train, would offer limited stops at fixed platforms, would average 50 and 60 miles per hour and would be able to transport 150 to 160 passengers.

Most cities that choose commuter rail rely on locomotive engines rather than self-propelled vehicles like light rail uses.

The preliminary cost estimate for commuter rail is $400 million.

BUS RAPID TRANSIT

If a bus rapid transit system is chosen, the buses would be able to bring people directly to their destinations without a transfer, it would travel in existing HOV lanes or in mixed traffic, would be able to travel between 40 and 50 miles per hour, would serve park and ride locations with a limited number of stops and would be able to carry from 40-60 passengers.

EXPRESS BUS SERVICE

Express bus service would operate on semi-exclusive lanes at speeds averaging between 30 and 40 miles per hour and drop passengers at their destinations with stops at activity centers and park and ride locations.

Goodman said the process of soliciting public opinion and creating a consensus about which option is best is crucial for the project and integral to securing federal funds, which could pay up to 50 percent of the project’s cost, which he added is unknown at this time.

“The process is a serious one,” he said. “We’re competing for funding.”

Carl Sharp, who works with Goodman, said each of the options has its advantages and disadvantages.

He offered a timeline for the process, saying he expects a final option to emerge in January after public meetings are held next week and again in November. He said a study on that option is expected to be complete by June 2010.

Goodman said he expects whatever option is chosen will be implemented by 2013.

Geraldine Sam, mayor of the City of La Marque, said she is in favor of a solution to the transit problem and, of the three options, supports commuter rail for its environmental benefits.

She said improving mobility in the area would make La Marque one of the corridor’s major stopping points thereby improving economic development and creating jobs.

“This is a much-needed project,” Sam said.

Next week, three meetings are planned to get input from the public:

• Galveston Island Convention Center, 5600 Seawall Boulevard, Ballroom A, Tuesday, Sept. 22 from 6-8 p.m.

• Johnnie Arolfo Civic Center, 400 W. Walker Street in League City near Texas Highway 3, Wednesday, Sept. 23 from 6-8 p.m.

• Ripley House Neighborhood Center, 4410 Navigation Street in Houston’s East End, Thursday, Sept. 24 from 6-8 p.m.

The project to improve mobility along the Gulf Freeway corridor is a government collaboration that includes the city of Galveston, Galveston County, the Federal Transit Administration, Harris County, the Texas Department of Transportation and the 11 cities between Galveston and downtown Houston.