The Dallas to Houston Commute is About to Get a Whole Lot Faster

Plans to build a high-speed train connecting Dallas and Houston got approval from the Federal Railroad Administration. That means that eventually, if things pan out this time, that commute will only take about 90 minutes.

According to a report from KXXV, Channel 25, Texas Central Railroad, the company in charge of the project, will begin construction in the first half of next year, 2021.

CEO of Texas Central Railroad, Carlos Aguilar, said in a statement,

“This is the moment we have been working towards. The release of the final (approvals) 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.”

The route is expected to go through the Brazos Valley.

There is opposition to the project. In the past, there've been concerns that new rail lines could disrupt development in some counties and towns along the proposed route, for example. However, leaders in Dallas and Houston have defended the high-speed railroad and worked with the company behind it to secure areas to build stations and lines.

“High-speed rail will be a major part of the future of transportation in Texas, and it will be transformative for the city of Dallas," Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson recently said. "I am thrilled by the announcement of Texas Central’s latest historic milestones, and I am proud to advocate for this project, which will create thousands of jobs in Dallas, attract new businesses, and strengthen our economy for years to come.”

The current drive from Dallas to Houston is easily three and a half hours on a good day with light traffic. To make that commute a 90 minute trip is definitely worth it.