Bullet train between Houston and Dallas reaches two regulatory milestones

Courtesy Texas Central Railroad

HOUSTON - A high-speed train between Dallas and Houston is closer to construction after reaching two major regulatory milestones.

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration released the final Rule of Particular Applicability and the Record of Decision for Texas Central Railroad.

“This is the moment we have been working towards,” said Carlos Aguilar, CEO of Texas Central Railroad. “The release of the final RPA and ROD by the Federal Railroad Administration represents years of work by countless individuals, affirming a very thorough and careful federal regulatory process that will make the Texas Central Railroad the first high-speed rail system to be implemented in the United States.”

According to Texas Central, the RPA and ROD establish federal safety standards under which Texas Central Railroad will operate the high-speed train and give environmental clearance for the selected alignment from Dallas to Houston.

Texas Central is the company undertaking the development, design, construction, finance, and operation of a high-speed passenger train line that will connect the fourth and fifth largest economies in the country, North Texas and Greater Houston, in less than 90 minutes, with one stop in the Brazos Valley.

“Today’s announcement from Texas Central means that this landmark project is closer than ever to breaking ground. The construction of high-speed rail will have a generational impact, creating thousands of jobs right here in Houston and injecting billions of dollars into our local businesses,” said Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner. “Once operational, the system will create connections and opportunities never thought possible. The City stands with Texas Central and looks forward to continuing our work together to make this project a success for the City of Houston and our state.”

Texas Central expects to create more than 17,000 jobs during the six years of construction and a multi-billion-dollar economic impact across the U.S via contracts for steel mills, manufacturers and businesses.