North Texas transit planners are asking federal representatives for support for a proposed Dallas to Houston high speed rail project, but but doubts remain among some local leaders.
The Regional Transportation Council on Thursday voted to send a letter to congressional representatives asking them to oppose language in an appropriations bill that would prohibit federal funding to high-speed rail development in Texas.
A section in the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Bill states “none of the funds appropriated under this Act or any other Act may be provided to the State of Texas for a high-speed rail corridor development project that is the same or substantially similar to the Amtrak Texas High Speed Rail Corridor previously known as the Texas Central Railway Project.”
"Only two projects were named in this bill, and this is one of them," RTC staffer Brendon Wheeler told the council. "We believe that this, unfortunately, may have unintended consequences for your efforts for high speed rail, which is why we're flagging it here today."
The letter says the rail project will “alleviate congestion on the roadway and provide a faster and safer alternative” as Texas’ population grows.
“As the bill proceeds to the full House, the RTC hopes you will advocate for a funding bill that does not prohibit appropriating funds to high-speed rail corridor … development projects in Texas,” the letter reads.
Dallas City Council member Cara Mendelsohn, who has consistently questioned the project, was one of the two RTC members to oppose sending the letter. She called the bill a "very specific action" by Congress not to fund the bullet train.
“I don’t think there’s been an unintended consequence,” she said. “It was led by one of our own regional congressmen who publicly declared 'high-speed rail in Texas dead.'"
Mendelsohn was referring to Republican North Texas-area Congressman Jake Ellzey, who in April praised a U.S. Department of Transportation decision to terminate a nearly $64 million planning grant for Amtrak for Texas’ high-speed rail line. He called the project a "boondoggle" that would threaten to seize land from rural Texans using eminent domain.
KERA News has reached out to Ellzey’s office for comment on the letter and will update with any response.
Kleinheinz Capital Partners, a private Fort Worth-based company and a lead investor in Texas Central, took the lead on the project after Amtrak’s grant was terminated.
"Mr. [Kleinheinz] requested he wanted the ball in the private sector," said regional transportation director Michael Morris. "He believes he can deliver Dallas to Houston [bullet train] faster without Amtrak."
Earlier this year, Dallas completed a study into the bullet train showing a $5 billion economic impact.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross told the council he still wants to move forward with a separate study his city is funding along with the city of Fort Worth into the economic impact of a Dallas-Fort Worth high speed rail line.
"Congressman Ellzey is entitled to his opinion. We're entitled to say: 'You're full of crap,'" Ross said. "If it's a privately funded project and has the potential of moving forward, us local leaders are going to do what's best for our communities."
Pablo Arauz Peña is KERA’s growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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