The publication of two federal decisions brings the Webuild Group and its U.S. subsidiary and joint venture partner Lane Construction a step closer to starting work on a high-speed railway between Dallas and Houston, Texas.
Texas Central LLC, which awarded the design-build contract for the early works to Webuild and Lane in September 2019, received from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) the Rule of Particular Applicability (RPA) that sets the safety requirements for the railway’s signal and trainset control, track rolling stock, operating rules and practices, system qualifications and maintenance. It also received the Record of Decision (RoD), completing the environmental review process and confirming the alignment that the railway will follow between Dallas and Houston.
“This latest achievement, with these two decisions, brings us a step closer to the start of construction on the new railway. Webuild’s unique track record, especially in high-speed rail, will see us apply our expertise to this project that is important for sustainable mobility. As leaders of the design and build work, we are honored to have been given this unique opportunity to build a high-speed railway in Texas,” said Webuild Chief Executive Pietro Salini.
The two decisions are a crucial milestone for the start of work on the project, with a total investment of about $20 billion – an estimated $14 billion of which for the civil works – will prove to be very important for Texas, especially in job creation. It is forecast to bring an estimated $36 billion in economic benefits during the next 25 years. The immediate impact is estimated to be more than $10 billion in the United States. Construction, which Texas Central aims to start as soon as possible to help with the economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis, will lead to the creation of 17,000 direct jobs during the first six years of construction and more than 20,000 indirect jobs.
Webuild brings its expertise in building megaprojects throughout the world. The civil engineering work on the new high-speed railway between Dallas and Houston includes the design and construction of the viaduct and embankment sections along the entire route, the installation of the track system and the alignment and construction of all the buildings and services that will house maintenance and other rail system equipment.
Webuild says the railway, which will be 235.5-miles long, will transform mobility between the two cities. It will be based on Central Japan Railway’s Tokaido Shinkansen system. It will carry travelers between Dallas and Houston – with a stop at Brazos Valley near the Texas A&M University - in 90 minutes, with departures every 30 minutes during peak hours and every hour during off-peak times. It is expected to be 90 minutes faster than car travel and one hour faster than air travel considering boarding times.
Texas Central and its partners say they are committed to the Business and Workforce Opportunity programs created to ensure a highly skilled workforce and promote the growth of small, rural, minority, woman, veteran and disabled individual-owned businesses in Texas by offering fair and competitive opportunities to bid and participate in building and operating the railway.
