Dallas Rejects Elevated High-Speed Rail Route

City cites concerns over impact on downtown, as Congress withdraws funding for Texas bullet train project

Jan. 28, 2026 at 5:47am

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The future of a proposed high-speed rail line connecting Dallas and Houston has been thrown into doubt after the Dallas City Council reaffirmed its ban on elevated tracks through the city's downtown core. This comes as Congress recently eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding for high-speed rail projects across the country, dealing a significant blow to the Texas Central bullet train initiative.

Why it matters

Dallas' decision to prohibit above-ground high-speed rail through key parts of the city could reshape long-term mobility planning across North Texas and determine whether high-speed rail has a future in the region. With Congress defunding nearly $1 billion in rail grants and legal and logistical barriers mounting, the viability of a Dallas-Fort Worth high-speed connection - and its integration with the planned Houston-Dallas route - now faces new challenges.

The details

The Dallas City Council last week reaffirmed its 2024 decision that no high-speed rail line between Dallas and Fort Worth should be built above-ground through the Central Business District, Victory Park, or Uptown. This follows Congress' recent elimination of hundreds of millions of dollars in high-speed rail funding, a blow noted by Council Member Paul Ridley. The city's stance could reshape long-term mobility planning across North Texas and determine whether high-speed rail has a future in the region. The renewed resolution comes as the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) considers how to apply a $500,000 corridor identification grant approved by the Federal Railroad Administration in 2023. Dallas supports the use of this grant only if the study includes city-proposed alignments introduced in June 2024, when the council 'paused' the project over concerns about NCTCOG's recommended above-grade alignment along Interstate 30 east of Arlington.

  • In 2024, the Dallas City Council 'paused' the high-speed rail project over concerns about the proposed above-grade alignment.
  • Last week, the Dallas City Council reaffirmed its 2024 decision to ban elevated high-speed rail through the city's downtown core.
  • In 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration approved a $500,000 corridor identification grant for the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG).

The players

Dallas City Council

The governing body of the city of Dallas that has reaffirmed its ban on elevated high-speed rail through the city's downtown area.

North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

The regional planning organization that is considering how to apply a $500,000 federal grant to identify potential high-speed rail corridors in North Texas.

Texas Central

The developer of the proposed Dallas-Houston bullet train project.

Hunt Realty Investments

A major real estate developer in Dallas that has opposed certain high-speed rail alignments that could adversely affect its $5 billion development near Reunion Tower.

Michael Morris

The transportation director of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG).

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What they’re saying

“If that station changes, then the Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail investment is dead.”

— Michael Morris, Transportation Director, North Central Texas Council of Governments

“It is important because it sets parameters for such rail development should it ever come to pass, which at this time seems problematic in light of Congress just this week reaching a deal to defund $928 million in high-speed rail grants.”

— Paul Ridley, Dallas City Council Member

“We have to do projects that are a win for everybody, and downtown Fort Worth and Arlington do not get below-grade treatment, and Dallas gets seven stories up.”

— Cara Mendelsohn, Dallas City Council Member

What’s next

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) will determine how to proceed with the federal corridor identification grant and whether the city's requested alignments can be meaningfully evaluated. Dallas' insistence on avoiding elevated rail and its renewed interest in upgrading the existing Trinity Railway Express (TRE) commuter rail system set the stage for a consequential round of regional negotiations.

The takeaway

The future of high-speed rail in the Dallas-Fort Worth region remains uncertain, as the city's opposition to elevated tracks, combined with the withdrawal of federal funding, poses significant challenges to the proposed bullet train project. Regional leaders must now weigh the merits of pursuing full high-speed service versus improving the existing commuter rail network as a more cost-effective alternative.