DRAFT ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT FOR HOUSTON DALLAS HIGH SPEED RAIL (TEXAS CENTRAL) Background On June 25, 2014, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) issued a Notice of Intent to Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the 240-mile-long Dallas-Houston High Speed Passenger Rail Corridor. In preparation for an EIS, FRA conducted an independent environmental analysis of corridor level alignment alternatives previously identified in Texas Rail Plan (2010) as well as by Texas Central. This analysis can be found in the Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Project Corridor Alternatives Analysis Report (2015). Corridor alternatives under consideration included the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Corridor, Union Pacific Railroad (UPRR) Corridor, I-45 Greenfield Corridor, and the Utility Corridor, which follows Centerpoint Energy and Oncor Electric Delivery s high voltage electrical transmission lines. In addition to corridor level alternatives, FRA also evaluated other transportation modes such as higher speed and conventional rail service, direct bus service, and expansion of I-45. Through screening of corridor and transportation alternatives against the project s stated purpose and need 1, alternative transportation modes (other than passenger rail transportation) were eliminated from further consideration. The remaining corridor alternatives were evaluated based on human and natural environment constraints, operational feasibility, and physical characteristics. FRA s analysis concluded that the Utility Corridor (See Figure 1-1 in this background paper) was the most suitable alternative for end-to-end travel between Dallas and Houston. The inability to secure shared right-of-way with freight for long distances, in addition to the inability to safely run higher speed passenger rail service on existing freight rail tracks were critical to the elimination of BNSF and UPRR corridors from evaluation. However, this elimination does not rule out potential future agreement with private railroads for shorter high-speed rail segments. Regarding the I-45 Greenfield Corridor, it was eliminated due to right-of-way limitations within the corridor and a high cost to acquire necessary right-of-way through freeway expansion. Moving forward with the Utility Corridor and Texas Central s work regarding route alternatives, FRA independently evaluated 21 alignment (route) alternatives in its Dallas to Houston High- Speed Rail Project Alignment Alternatives Analysis Report (2015). The 21 alternatives underwent two levels of screening that considered alignment with the project purpose and need, environmental constraints, and cost and construction. FRA s alternatives screening resulted in the identification of six end-to-end alignment alternatives that will be examined further in the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Figure 1-2 of this document shows segmentation of routing alternatives, varying combinations of which form the six end-to-end alignment alternatives for the high-speed rail project. Those combinations are shown in Table 1-1. Individual maps can be viewed in FRA s report. 1 The purpose of the Dallas-Houston High Speed Passenger Rail Project is to provide reliable, safe and economically viable passenger rail transportation using proven high speed rail technology between Dallas and Houston. It would provide a convenient and competitive alternative to automobile travel on IH 45 or air travel between the two major metropolitan areas and introduce rail capacity in the vicinity of the corridor. Source: https://dallashoustonhsr.com/
Station Locations Texas Central performed its own analysis of feasible stations and determined that US 290/IH 610 in Houston and Downtown Dallas are the preferred and recommended locations. Current Situation FRA is in the process of developing a Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the project. It is anticipated that the DEIS will be issued in September or October 2016; however, this timeline is subject to change. The Draft EIS will present FRA s environmental analysis of the six draft alignment alternatives and open the Draft EIS for public input. Alignment alternatives will continue to be refined in this process as they are evaluated for potential impacts to the human and natural environment. Action Requested For information only ITEM-10-Update-DEIS-TCR-High Speed Rail July 06, 2016
Figure 1-1. Utility Corridor Alternative Source: FRA - Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Project Alignment Alternatives Analysis Report (2015)
Figure 1-2. Segmented Route Alternatives within Utility Corridor Source: FRA - Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Project Alignment Alternatives Analysis Report (2015) ITEM-10-Update-DEIS-TCR-High Speed Rail July 06, 2016
Table 1-1 Draft EIS End-to-End Alignment Alternatives Draft Alignment Alternative Segments Alternative A 1, 2a, 3a, 4, 5 Alternative B 1, 2a, 3b, 4, 5 Alternative C (IH 45A) 1, 2a, 3c, 5 Alternative D 1, 2b, 3a, 4, 5 Alternative E 1, 2b, 3b, 4, 5 Alternative F (IH 45B) 1, 2b, 3c, 5 Source: FRA - Dallas to Houston High-Speed Rail Project Alignment Alternatives Analysis Report (2015)