DALLAS — The possibility of a high-speed rail line from Dallas to Fort Worth faced another setback Wednesday as City Councilmembers unanimously voted to express their displeasure with the plans and ordered the city to conduct a study into its economic impact.
The resolution took particular umbrage with the plan for the rail lines to go above the ground from South Dallas, through Downtown and Uptown. That proposal led a prominent developer to warn that the iconic Reunion Tower may be "sacrificed" if existing plans go forward.
"My hope is that this resolution will send a clear message that the City of Dallas does not currently support the above-ground alignment that is currently being presented," Councilmember Jesse Moreno said. "I want to make sure that we’re sending the message that we’re halting any additional study until that economic-impact study comes before us."
City staff said the study would not begin until October at the earliest and would not be completed until 2025, which further slows the timeline for the project.
"I appreciate the opportunity for us to pause," Councilmember Chad West said, adding that he wanted additional information, but hopes to support the project.
The resolution specifically says the city opposes the above-ground nature of the train tracks and the council plans to re-visit the plan after the economic-impact study is complete.
"It does put a break on this accelerating train, pardon the analogy," said Councilmember Paul Ridley.
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said in a statement Thursday that high-speed rail was an integral part of transportation future and will include Tarrant County.
"The regional long-term success of DFW is connected to regional partnerships, such as the high-speed rail project, as the region is poised to be the third largest metro region in the country by 2030," Parker said in the statement. "Collectively, our success is dependent on world class mobility solutions that connect not just DFW, but the entire state of Texas."
Parker further said she is confident the Regional Transportation Council and other stakeholders can navigate the complexities of the high-speed rail system and will see that the route includes Fort Worth and Arlington.
"We have the opportunity to build the first high-speed rail network in the United States," Parker said. "As leaders, it is our responsibility to act with the visionary leadership needed for the soon-to-be third largest region in the nation and home to 12 million people."
Earlier this year, Hunt Realty Investments, a division of the company founded by the wealthy Hunt family, said the plan for an above-ground bullet train track through downtown would be "an ugly scar" tearing apart neighborhoods and risking the economic viability of businesses.
Renderings commissioned by Hunt Realty Investments showed the train line passing inches from its Hyatt Regency's hotel room windows and the Reunion Tower complex. This would force the company to sacrifice more than 1,000 hotel rooms, its affordable housing development plans and the iconic Reunion Tower Ball, Hunt Realty Investments President Colin Fitzgibbons said in a March statement.
Amtrak is among the supporters of a high-speed rail connection from Houston to Dallas, which the proposed Fort Worth line would build upon. Council's resolution Wednesday will not affect ongoing plans for that project.
Councilmember Cara Mendelsohn says the Dallas to Fort Worth line only makes sense if the Houston connection goes forward.
"Why are we even spending money on this?" she asked of the economic-impact study for the Fort Worth line.
"Once they have built Dallas to Houston come talk to us," she said. "None of us will be here -- and that may mean not around the horseshoe, that may mean not alive at that point."
Councilmembers also raised concerns the proposed line would pull business from Dallas to Arlington and Fort Worth.
"I think it's really important that we look 50 years out in terms of our economic development partners, in terms of our economic development competitors," said Councilmember Jaynie Schultz "Right now we're seeing Fort Worth not as much as Arlington as the potential economic challenger."
Other councilmembers urged a more isolationist approach. "I understand the region, but we are Dallas," said Mayor Pro Tem Tennell Atkins, who asked for the resolution to be added to the agenda. "If we don't take care of Dallas than we're going to be in trouble."