Proposed Texas bullet train station would bridge Houston-Dallas gap

10K jobs to be created each year of construction, officials say

DALLAS – Plans for a Dallas passenger station for the Texas bullet train were announced Monday.

Developers for the train said the terminal will be built on a 60-acre plot in the Cedars neighborhood, near the Interstate 30 and Interstate 35 interchange, giving passengers from Houston a 90-minute connection.

The maps and conceptual renderings, which are pending final designs, show a multilevel station that will include proposed traveler-friendly connections with the Dallas Area Rapid Transit.

“This station will be a magnet for economic activity in an area ripe for development, and it will connect seamlessly with local roads and public transit,” Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar.

Officials said the Federal Railroad Administration identified the train's preferred route, mostly following transmission lines in a utility corridor between North Texas and Houston, with a Brazos Valley stop to serve the Bryan-College Station area.

Aguilar said the train is also a draw for a new Amazon headquarters in the area.

File: Dallas bullet train station map 1

"This creates a super economy," he said. "It’s an amazing way to accelerate transit-oriented development that sets Texas apart from any other state, and provides businesses with unparalleled access to workers, suppliers and other critical needs."

Officials said the station and its supporting facilities would generate more revenue for property-taxing entities, and station ticket sales would produce more in local sales taxes.

Texas Central, an investor-owned company, said it is not taking federal or state grants for the construction or its operations, and that it has reached an agreement with Jack Matthews, who owns the site picked for the proposed terminal.

File: Dallas bullet train station map 2

Officials said the railroad will create 10,000 jobs during each year of construction and about 1,500 full-time jobs when operations start.


About the Author:

Dawn Jorgenson, Graham Media Group Branded Content Managing Editor, began working with the group in April 2013. She graduated from Texas State University with a degree in electronic media.