While state leaders remain silent, federal transportation officials are touting the proposed project’s benefits.
Plans for a high-speed train between Dallas and Houston are becoming more and more real as passenger rail projects around the nation gain steam, reports Benjamin Schneider in Bloomberg CityLab. Texas Central, the authority overseeing the project, says the project would use Japanese Shinkansen technology, a type of high-speed rail not yet available in the United States.
“The 240-mile Dallas to Houston corridor, with a stop in the Brazos Valley serving Texas A&M University, is ideal for high-speed rail,” according to Amtrak’s Senior Vice President for High-Speed Rail Development Programs Andy Byford. But the project would cost upwards of $30 billion and require the acquisition of private property. Meanwhile, the state has remained silent on any level of financial support.
Hopes for the project, which was first proposed in 2009, grew last year when Amtrak and Texas Central announced they are ‘exploring’ a partnership that would have Amtrak operate the future line. “How, exactly, Texas Central and Amtrak would work together remains unclear.” A 2017 Texas law outlaws using state funds for privately operated high-speed rail, but Schneider points out that “It’s not clear whether an Amtrak-led but partially privately funded project would be barred from funding under this law.”
FULL STORY: The Dream of a Texas Bullet Train Lives On
High-Speed Rail Tracker
Smart Cities Dive follows high-speed rail developments around the country
Texas Central Railway Could Have “Massive Positive Impact”
Amtrak took the lead on the proposed high-speed rail project, which would connect Houston and Dallas in less than 90 minutes.
Will Texas High-Speed Rail Become a Reality?
A proposed Houston-to-Dallas rail line shows promise, but faces major hurdles before it can come to fruition.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Congressman Proposes Bill to Rename DC Metro “Trump Train”
The Make Autorail Great Again Act would withhold federal funding to the system until the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), rebrands as the Washington Metropolitan Authority for Greater Access (WMAGA).
The Simple Legislative Tool Transforming Vacant Downtowns
In California, Michigan and Georgia, an easy win is bringing dollars — and delight — back to city centers.
The States Losing Rural Delivery Rooms at an Alarming Pace
In some states, as few as 9% of rural hospitals still deliver babies. As a result, rising pre-term births, no adequate pre-term care and harrowing close calls are a growing reality.
The Small South Asian Republic Going all in on EVs
Thanks to one simple policy change less than five years ago, 65% of new cars in this Himalayan country are now electric.
DC Backpedals on Bike Lane Protection, Swaps Barriers for Paint
Citing aesthetic concerns, the city is removing the concrete barriers and flexposts that once separated Arizona Avenue cyclists from motor vehicles.
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.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)