A proposed Dallas to Atlanta passenger rail project gets a boost

KERA | By Pablo Arauz Peña

Published December 8, 2023 at 10:40 AM CST

An Amtrak Train arrives at Eddie Bernice Johnson Union Station in Dallas, Texas on Sept. 17, 2022.

A passenger rail project is on the horizon that would connect North Texas to cities across the South going east all the way to Atlanta.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is awarding a $500,000 grant for the proposed I-20 Corridor Long-Distance Passenger Rail Project.

“Bringing home the resources and investments we need to grow our economy and create jobs will always be a priority of mine in Congress," Dallas-area Democratic Congressman Colin Allred said in a statement announcing the grant funding on Friday. "The I-20 Corridor passenger rail service will do just that as well as offer a new transportation option, promote tourism and reduce traffic on an already congested highway.”

The project would connect the existing Texas Eagle service from Dallas and Fort Worth to several cities in East Texas including Longview and Marshall, and extend across north Louisiana all the way to Meridian, Mississippi. From there, passengers could transfer to Amtrak's Crescent passenger train that goes to the Atlanta metro area.

Efforts to bring more accessible rail service to North Texas have been a topic of discussion for several years. The North Central Texas Council of Governments has been working on plans for a high-speed rail project between Dallas and Fort Worth that would ultimately go to Houston. Amtrak announced in August that it's exploring a partnership with Texas Central, the project's developer, to study the potential for the bullet train.

The funding comes from the FRA's Corridor Identification and Development Program, which Allred advocated for as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021.

While there's still no timeline for the I-20 corridor project, the new funding will help develop a scope, schedule and cost estimate.

“This award is a huge win for Texas and will help folks get around better and further connect our region to growing economic opportunities across the South," Allred said.

Got a tip? Email Pablo Arauz Peña at parauzpena@kera.org

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