Leaders from various North Texas cities urged Dallas officials on Thursday to provide clarity regarding the completion timeline of an economic impact study tied to a proposed high-speed rail project between Fort Worth and Dallas.
The Regional Transportation Council (RTC) convened a special two-hour session specifically to address concerns raised by the Dallas City Council’s June vote against any new elevated rail passing through the city’s central business district.
Michael Morris, the director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), presented an alternative route proposal. This alternative suggests routing the final mile of the proposed 30-mile Fort Worth to Dallas route west around downtown Dallas. This proposal emerged after Dallas officials expressed reservations about an eastern route that would traverse the southwest sections of downtown, near the Hyatt Regency Hotel and Reunion Tower.
Dallas city officials emphasized that they would postpone deciding which route to support until completion of an economic impact study. This study is being coordinated with Fort Worth and Arlington to assess the anticipated benefits of the high-speed rail project.
During the RTC session, Councilmember Chad West, who represents Dallas on the RTC, queried Morris about potential delays resulting from the city’s economic impact study on the current project timeline.
Morris stressed the importance of achieving consensus on the high-speed rail’s process and route selection, indicating a willingness to accept delays of several months to a year if necessary. He emphasized the need for RTC agreement on a route during its August meeting.
Morris also highlighted the requirement for NCTCOG to have 30% of the design process completed by February, crucial for submissions to the Federal Railroad Administration and Federal Transit Administration. He emphasized the challenges in conducting detailed design work for two routes simultaneously, underscoring the urgency of reaching consensus soon.
Despite these discussions, Dallas councilmembers did not provide a definitive timeline for completing the economic impact study during the workshop.
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross expressed concerns over the lack of clarity, emphasizing the importance of meeting regional deadlines without delay due to uncertainties from any single city’s decision-making process.
Morris underscored the need for RTC support for the newly proposed western route around downtown Dallas, which could potentially sidestep the immediate need for Dallas to select a specific route by a set deadline.
The proposed route is part of a broader vision to establish a high-speed rail network linking Houston and Dallas, positioning North Texas as a pivotal hub within a national high-speed rail system spanning the continental United States and Mexico.
