Texas could become home to the nation’s first high-speed rail. Texas Central, a private company funded by foreign investors, is seeking to build a 240-mile, high speed rail connecting Dallas and Houston. The Texas High Speed Rail is modeled after and utilizes the the same technology as the high speed rail in Japan which connects Tokyo to Osaka. Texas Central has been met with strong opposition from some Texas lawmakers and rural landowners. Despite this opposition, the project is moving forward through the regulatory process.
In May of 2020, the Federal Railroad Administration released the Final Environmental Impact Statement for the project. In September 2020, the Federal Railroad Administration released a pre-publication of its final ruling, the Rule of Particular Applicability and Record of Decision, which addresses safety requirements of the project.
Before construction begins, Texas Central still needs to acquire additional right-of-way needed for the project. The high-speed rail will have an unprecedented negative impact on the value of impacted properties. Additionally, the project must still be approved by the Federal Surface Transportation Board before construction can begin.