Full Speed Ahead for a Texas Bullet Train? Lawmakers Let the Market Decide — for Now

In lawmaking, as in life, some of the best moves are the ones you don’t make.In the recent Legislature, over 20 bills were filed that took aim at a high-speed rail project between Dallas and Houston, including some that may have killed the plan. Ultimately, just two bills passed — one ensuring the state won’t pick up any costs for the train and the other requiring adequate safety measures.Texas Central Partners, the group developing the rail line, didn’t object to the bills.That means the $12 billion-plus project can keep moving forward, and the market — not the government — will decide whether a private bullet train will fly in Texas.That’s how it should be, especially with something this audacious. A high-speed rail line between two of the country’s biggest, fastest-growing metros could have a major impact on transportation, jobs and economic development. It also would make Texas a trailblazer, which would help attract talented workers to the region.  Continue reading...

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