August 8, 2024 - TRA Newswire -

The Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments will move ahead on two different plans at the same time for a high-speed rail connection in Dallas, while some sorting out is underway at the Dallas City Council. 

The RTC voted to continue working on plans for an elevated bypass of a high-speed rail line around downtown Dallas while the city plans to fast-track an economic development study of the original proposal which would put the elevated structure parallel to the Union Pacific Railroad right-of-way on the west side of downtown, next to Union Station.

After an outcry from the Dallas City Council, brakes were tapped on plans for having the tracks run along the Union Pacific right-of-way (purple line on the map) situated between Union Station and the Hyatt Hotel. That decision several months ago threw the timeline for the regional transportation council planners off in their quest to meet deadlines for federal funding. 

The so-called western concept (light blue line on the map) would skirt around the Hyatt Hotel, Dallas Convention Center and properties that developers want to build upon. It would mean that there would be no direct high-speed rail connection to Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station to connect with DART light rail, Trinity Railway Express and Amtrak services. It could allow a connection to the Dallas Convention Center from the planned Cedars neighborhood Texas Central high-speed rail terminal. 

"30 miles of the corridor (between Fort Worth and Dallas) is pretty well set and we've coordinated with stakeholders, looked at all the design options," according to NCTCOG high-speed rail program manager Brendon Wheeler. On the last mile and a half with the concern over the Dallas alignment, Wheeler said "the proposal is to continue advancing the engineering and stakeholder coordination on the western concept to bring that up to the same level of engineering design as the downtown alignment concept so you can review apples to apples." 

Omar Narvaez, Chair of the Dallas City Council Transportation Committee, said that an economic impact study of the downtown portion of the high-speed rail alignment is being fast-tracked. Originally schedule for next year, Narvaez said "we approved the request for the economic impact study in our last agenda meeting."

Narvaez said the goal is October, not next year as previously stated. "Being able to leave two options open for us so we can get this right is the best thing to do and we can have all the data we need in order to make a good decision so we can continue along with high-speed rail."  

The delay does come at a cost. Consultants would require an additional $1.650,000 to continue the pace of the work on the alternative bypass. 

Dallas City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn, a constant critic of the high-speed rail project, was concerned that developers have not been sufficiently involved in the process. "Jack Mathews, the Hunt Corporation, both are making billion dollar investments adjacent to this property." Transportation Director Michael Morris responded by saying "I've had six meetings with the Hunts, six meetings with Jack Mathews and I'll be happy to meet with anyone else. I've had six meetings with Harrell Simmons Park folks (Trinity Park Conservancy), whoever you'd like us to meet with we will be happy to meet with." 

Wheeler said "We know this will stand the test of time and be around for 50 to 100 years so be want to make sure we are not rushing the process but we are maintaining momentum to be able to make the right decision for all stakeholders involved."  

Screenshots credit: NCTCOG video