The prospects of high-speed passenger rail service between Dallas and Fort Worth have brightened with Amtrak’s Houston-Dallas project gaining momentum.
Earlier this month, the federal rail company announced it was partnering with the private firm Texas Central Partners to build a high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston.
As previously reported in The Dallas Express, Amtrak currently has several stations in Texas, with most routes in North Texas averaging only one train per day. Tracks in the southern portion of the state average around three per day.
Michael Morris, the transportation director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, told NBC 5 DFW that he is now advocating for the Dallas-Fort Worth leg to be built first.
“I think it has the chance to open much faster,” Morris explained, noting that environmental approval could be ready in just 13 months.
The prospective route for the high-speed rail is along I-30.
Arlington — lacking mass transit systems since its residents don’t pay taxes toward DART or Fort Worth transportation — is pushing for its own stop.
“It’s real to us. We’ve been working on it for several years. We’re serious about it. We’re continuing to work on it,” said Alicia Winkelblech, Arlington’s director of transportation, according to NBC 5.
The Dallas-Houston high-speed rail line has been subject to setbacks and controversy, including arguments put forward by the group Texans Against High-Speed Rail (TAHR).
While the newly announced private-public venture might get the ball rolling, the use of public taxpayer funds for the project has also come under scrutiny.
“We’ve said all along there’s no way this can be done without public money and that’s a different conversation. So, I absolutely think they have to start at the beginning,” said Waller County Judge Trey Duhon, TAHR president, according to NBC 5.
On the other side, Dallas City Council Member Carolyn King Arnold thinks that while there “will be growing pains,” the project is good for Texas and even better for Dallas.
“I think it’s something that we want to see. We want to be on the cutting edge,” Arnold said, according to NBC 5. “We want to see this project off and running as soon as we possibly can. We want to see the dirt turning.”
From August 29, the North Central Texas Council of Governments will be hosting four open-house events across the metroplex to give the public a chance to learn more about the prospect and voice their thoughts on high-speed rail services in the area.
- August 29, 5-7:30 p.m., the North Central Texas Council of Governments at 616 Six Flags Dr., Arlington.
- August 31, 4-7 p.m., the Fort Worth Central Station Community Room at 1001 Jones St., Fort Worth.
- September 6, 5-7:30 p.m., the Tony Shotwell Life Center at 2750 Graham St., Grand Prairie.
- September 7, 4-7 p.m., the West Dallas Multipurpose Center at 2828 Fish Trap Rd., Dallas.