DOT terminates $64 million in federal funding for Texas high-speed rail project

The U.S. Department of Transportation terminated nearly $64 million in federal funding for a high-speed rail between Dallas and Houston, Texas

The rail would travel at just over 200 miles per hour and take only 90 minutes to get to Dallas from Houston and vice versa

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced Monday the agreement between the Federal Railroad Administration and Amtrak

would end $63.9 million in grant funds for the Amtrak-Texas high-speed rail corridor

known as the Texas Central Railway Project. I am pleased to announce that FRA and Amtrak are in agreement that underwriting this project

is a waste of taxpayer funds and a distraction from Amtrak's core mission of improving its

existing subpar services, Duffy said in a statement. Adding the project was proposed as a private venture and that the private sector should

cover the costs associated with construction. According to the announcement, the cost of the

Texas bullet rail is believed to be over $40 billion. Kleinheinz Capital Partners

the lead investor in the high rail project reacted to the news Monday and provided a statement to the Texas Tribune We agree with Secretary Duffy that this project should be led by the

private sector, and we will be proud to take it forward. This project is shovel-ready and will

create significant new jobs and economic growth for Texas as part of President Trump's efforts

to boost the U.S. economy, the company said in a statement. The high-speed rail line, first

introduced in 2009, has faced several setbacks in development and opposition from rural land and

homeowners. About 25 percent of the parcels along the rail route have been bought by the project's

investors, the Texas Tribune reports. Advocates for the project cite construction jobs for Texans

and the slashing in time it would take people to commute between Houston and Dallas. Duffy says

the approximately $60 million remaining balance will be able to support Amtrak's other rail

operations that'll keep services safe, efficient, and reliable for existing customers. For Straight

Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan. For more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or

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