North Texas Looks At High-Speed Rail Between Dallas And Fort Worth

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has spent the past year developing a high speed public transit study, that examines a possible non-highway transportation artery between Dallas and Fort Worth.

The DFW High-Speed Transportation Connections Study examines various methods of possible mass transit tied to high speed capability.

Under the study, analysts are now proposing a direct high speed transit system along I-30 between downtown Dallas and downtown Fort Worth.

The line would not be viable for at least a decade or longer.

"We're talking about a high speed transportation mode that will go between Dallas and Fort Worth, and also connect with the high speed rail planned for Houston to Dallas," NCTCOG Senior Program Manager Dan Lamers said Thursday, Oct. 21.

The mode of transit proposed currently, includes high speed trains, capable of speeds beyond 200 mph.

NCTCOG officials also highlighted the emerging transportation technology known as a hyperloop.

A hyperloop would possibly be able to transport riders via "cargo pods", moving people at speeds at three times the rate of a high speed train.

NCTCOG sites research on future DFW population, along with projections for highway use, as indicators for creating a high speed system along the I-30 freeway that connects Fort Worth and Dallas. Officials also emphasize, the train or hyperloop would be part of the planned network of high speed transportation proposed for the Dallas region.

Work continues for a high speed rail train that would provide service between Dallas and Houston.

"This will help those coming into DFW from out of town, in particular, to be able to travel to the central part of the region, Dallas or Ft. Worth, in a more efficient manner," Lamers said. "The population in Dallas-Fort Worth is 7 million people. It's expected to be 13 million by 2045. The congestion in the area will double. We can't build enough roadways to handle that demand," Lamers said.

NCTCOG has been holding public meetings for communities along the proposed I-30 route.

The next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 25 in West Dallas, inside Mercy Street Dallas, a community outreach operation at 3801 Holystone St.