6 days ago
Texas High-Speed Update as Alternative Route Proposed
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The Dallas–Houston high-speed rail system is set to receive an update from local officials that could change the layout of the troubled construction project.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments is set to present an examination of an alternative route for the project at a Regional Transportation Council meeting on Thursday.
Why It Matters
The Houston–Dallas bullet train has been pitched for more than a decade as a transformative infrastructure project that could cut travel time between the two major metros to about 90 minutes. However, it has faced consistent resistance from landowners, lawmakers and local officials over eminent domain use, environmental concerns and the project's viability.
What To Know
The Regional Transportation Council is scheduled to review progress on the Dallas–Fort Worth bullet train at its August 7 meeting.
North Central Texas Council of Governments' staff members are expected to present updates, with an examination for a more westerly rail alignment near downtown Dallas.
The alternative was considered after nearby landowners opposed the original elevated route, leading officials to begin exploring different options last August.
Stock image: a Red Line light rail car in Houston, Texas, on April 5, 2024.
Stock image: a Red Line light rail car in Houston, Texas, on April 5, 2024.
Getty Images
Officials will also discuss possible effects of the fiscal year 2026 House Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations bill, which may prohibit federal funding for high-speed rail development in the region. The train project has previously lost $63.9 million in federal grant funding and the withdrawal of its operator.
A separate Boston Consulting Group study commissioned by the city of Dallas forecast that a Dallas–Houston line would boost Dallas County's gross domestic product by $5 billion annually from 2029 through 2050 and create more than 28,300 new jobs.
The study predicted the route could attract 3 million to 6.5 million riders within its first year of operations, which is expected as early as 2035 if planning is completed this year.
What People Are Saying
Republican state Representative Cody Harris, a long-standing critic of the project, previously told Newsweek: "We will not hand over Texas taxpayer money or land for a project the voters did not choose. In 2017, Texas Central Railroad asked cities and counties to agree to pay for maintenance on its proposed system, despite the fact they would not even pay property tax on land they acquired through eminent domain."
Texas Central, the developer of the Dallas–Houston bullet train, told Newsweek in June: "No other state can match Texas' healthy, 'can-do' business environment—or better understands how to meet the needs of its people. The project will improve mobility and safety for Texans, create significant new jobs, and accelerate economic growth in the Lone Star State."
What Happens Next
The environmental and engineering review process for the Dallas–Fort Worth high-speed rail project is expected to continue through at least 2025, overseen by local and federal agencies.
