What’s happening with high-speed rail in Texas

Seventeen years after it was first proposed, the vision of a high-speed rail line connecting Dallas and Houston is still just that – a vision. But momentum is building again. New legislation, fresh debates, and revived interest from transportation leaders have returned the project to center stage. If realized, the line would cut travel time between the two cities to just 90 minutes, roughly three times faster than driving, promising to reshape how Texans move between these major urban centers. Here are the latest developments:  

Trump administration cancels federal funding

While the lack of movement on the project is partly due to delays from the COVID-19 pandemic and difficulty securing property, the biggest hurdle it faces is a lack of funding. It seemed as though we were near the beginning of construction last year with Amtrak receiving a $64 million grant to plan the rail, however, the Trump administration terminated the grant in April. Without federal aid, the project relies on private investors to pay the $33.6 billion price tag in order to move forward. Interestingly, the Texas Central Railway Project, the project’s owner, claims that this is in the company’s best interest as bypassing Amtrak funding could help avoid federal red tape and make planning smoother.

New study projects major environmental benefits

A recent Economic Impact Study by the City of Dallas on this project revealed that its implementation would result in an estimated 2.5 million car trips removed from Texas roadways – meaning less emissions, gas consumption, and accidents. Annual CO₂ emissions would drop by nearly 150,000 tons – the equivalent of what 6.8 million trees would absorb. It would cut down on smog-forming pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, improving air quality for communities along the route. 

Attacks by legislators fail again

There were a number of bills introduced this session that may have slowed down the project’s progress, but that failed to pass, such as:

• House Bill 663 (Harrison) which would have blocked the use of eminent domain (the governmental power to take private property and convert it for public use) for the purpose of developing high-speed rail
• House Bill 1402 (Harris) which would have prohibited the use of public funds for planning, construction, and operation of a high-speed rail by a private entity

These bills may be a result of pressure from some rural landowners along the proposed route who complain that the uncertainty around if or when the line will be built leaves them unable to sell or modify their property. This lack of clarity has led to a number of lawsuits against Texas Central. 

The passage of House Bill 2003 (Harris) aims to fix this, as it requires the disclosure of certain financial documents before the allowance of permits needed to continue construction. While Texas Central expressed concern that early-stage financial reports required by the bill could be misinterpreted, potentially discouraging private investment, landowners are relieved that they may finally have more answers about the rail’s progress. 

What’s next

The road to high-speed rail in Texas hasn’t been easy, but that doesn’t mean it’s a dead end. With smart policy, transparency, and a commitment to both innovation and local voices, Texas has a real opportunity to lead the way in sustainable, forward-looking infrastructure.