Railroad Designation Decision Brings Texas One Step Closer To High-Speed Rail
Last week, Texas 13th District Court of Appeals determined that the company, Texas Central, is indeed a railroad, despite not yet operating my trains. That decision gives the company the ability to use eminent domain to secure the land needed for its planned high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston.
The decision was a disappointment to landowners and property rights advocates who oppose the project.
Evan Hoopfer is transportation reporter for the Dallas Business journal. He told Texas Standard host David Brown on Wednesday that the use of eminent domain will be essential for the project to move forward.
Texas Central has only about a third of the land that they need to build this project. Its evident that some ranchers will never sell to this company of their own volition, and so they need that eminent domain, he said.
Read more: https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/railroad-designation-decision-brings-texas-one-step-closer-to-high-speed-rail/