Don’t California My Texas High‐Speed Rail

Texas has a well-earned reputation for out-building California. In both renewable energy to housing, Texas builds while California makes it harder. When Texas Central, the company working to develop a high-speed rail link between Dallas and Houston, completed federal environmental permitting in 2020, it appeared that high-speed rail was about to be added to that list. The contrast between the two projects wasn’t just permitting, either. The private sector-led approach in Texas appeared to be lapping the government-led approach in California, despite the public and even federal subsidies.

Nearly five years later, the projects are unfortunately looking similar. First, they are both on the brink. Like California High-Speed Rail, the Texas project isn’t dead yet, but both projects face significant challenges. Second, opponents in both states have been successful in adding costs, delays and uncertainty. Perhaps high-speed rail projects are so large that they make the politics of easy-to-build Texas resemble those of California. Third and finally, both projects are going to need significant help from Washington to be viable.