Dallas

Dallas Company Hires Irving Company to Build Bullet Train

A Dallas company planning to build a high-speed train between North Texas and Houston has reached agreements with two international construction companies to build a bullet train.

Texas Central announced Monday that Lane Construction and Irving-based Fluor Construction will be design-build contractors for the 240-mile line.

"We are excited to partner with firms that have deep Texas roots," Texas Central CEO Carlos Aguilar said. "This underscores the attention the Texas Bullet Train has received from world-class firms, wanting to be part of a project that will revolutionize travel here and generate long-lasting local economic benefits."

The multi-billion dollar project is expected to connect North Texas and Houston in 90 minutes, with a midway stop in the Brazos Valley.

Texas Central, the Dallas company planning to build a high-speed train between Dallas and Houston, has reached a deal with a major global consortium to design and build the project.

"This will be America's first true high-speed train," Lane Construction CEO Robert E. Alger said. "The project will create benefits for generations to come while providing an innovative transportation alternative for Texas commuters."

Texas Central officials said Monday they hope to start construction by late 2018 or early 2019. They said 10,000 workers could be employed on the project during construction. The agreement with contractors was called a milestone to advance project design, engineering and procurement work.

Around 30 percent of the necessary land agreements are in place, officials said. The final path is not yet finalized. Environmental studies are still ongoing that could influence the route.

Some property owners along the proposed routes oppose the bullet train. The Texas Legislature this year kept the option of eminent domain condemnation in place for bullet train right of way as a last resort.

Bill Meadows joins NBC 5 to talk about the Tex Rail, a high-speed project in the works to reduce the time travelling between Fort Worth and Dallas.

Texas law also forbids the use of tax money on the project. The company plans to use private money.

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