A privately funded high-speed rail line could link Houston and Dallas.
A Texas high-speed rail proposal, once thought dead in the water, could become reality under a new agreement between Amtrak and the rail company Texas Central, reports Ryan Nickerson in the Houston Chronicle.
Amtrak Senior Vice President of High-Speed Rail Development Programs Andy Byford (known in some circles as ‘Train Daddy’) said in a press release, “We believe many of the country’s biggest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas, like Houston and Dallas, deserve more high quality high-speed, intercity rail service and we are proud to bring our experience to evaluate this potential project and explore opportunities with Texas Central so the state can meet its full transportation needs.”
The proposed train would be privately funded and run roughly 240 miles in less than 90 minutes. “According to Texas Central's website, the train used would be the Shinkansen N700, a Japanese bullet train that can travel as fast as 205 mph (but which likely would begin at a modest 186 mph if employed in Texas).”
FULL STORY: High-speed bullet train between Houston and Dallas may happen under new Amtrak, Texas Central plan
Texas High-Speed Rail Awarded $63.9M Federal Grant
In August, Amtrak received a $63.9 million grant from the FRA to continue its work to identify a high-speed rail corridor between Dallas and Houston.
Will Texas Really Get a Bullet Train?
While state leaders remain silent, federal transportation officials are touting the proposed project’s benefits.
Amtrak Takes Lead on Texas Central Rail
The high-speed rail project isn’t a done deal, but if it moves forward, trains could begin operating in 2030.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?
The Five Most-Changed American Cities
A ranking of population change, home values, and jobs highlights the nation’s most dynamic and most stagnant regions.
San Diego Adopts First Mobility Master Plan
The plan provides a comprehensive framework for making San Diego’s transportation network more multimodal, accessible, and sustainable.
Housing, Supportive Service Providers Brace for Federal Cuts
Organizations that provide housing assistance are tightening their purse strings and making plans for maintaining operations if federal funding dries up.
Op-Ed: Why an Effective Passenger Rail Network Needs Government Involvement
An outdated rail network that privileges freight won’t be fixed by privatizing Amtrak.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
New York City School Construction Authority
Village of Glen Ellyn
Central Transportation Planning Staff/Boston Region MPO
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada
Toledo-Lucas County Plan Commissions