April 28, 2025 - TRA Austin -

In the first step of a long journey, Texas Representative John Bucy III presented House Bill 483, legislation that would enable high speed rail in Texas along the Interstate 35 corridor. 

Bill author Bucy, in a news conference prior to the hearing, laid out the plan that would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to enter into a Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) will a private entity to construct and build a high-speed rail line from Dallas-Fort Worth to Austin and San Antonio. 

Bucy (@BucyforTexas) said "let's build a Texas where the economy isn't slowed by gridlock." 

"In 2017 Texas banned high speed rail. Today, I announced legislation to repeal that outdated ban and invest in the rail line Texas deserves," according to Bucy. "This is about expanding our economy and connecting Texas." 

"This is going to take Texans being bold and building bold. We've seen the Governor talk about how Texas is leading the way in so many area", said Bucy. "The Governor can join us and we can build a bold Texas together. It's going to be a bi-partisan issue." 

A companion bill in the Texas Senate, SB424, filed by Austin Senator Sarah Eckhardt, has not yet received a hearing in the transportation committee and time is running out. The legislature ends their session June second.

"Here's the truth. The Texas Miracle isn't just about oil and exports. The Texas Miracle is also about movement", said Bucy. "It's about building an economy where people, products, and ideas can move freely."

Texas Rail Advocates President Peter LeCody spoke in support of HB483 at the hearing. "Since there is a ban on the use of state money why not see if there's an appetite from the private sector to advance this CDA on the I-35 corridor."

LeCody asked the comittee members how many of them enjoyed driving on Interstate 35 and how many of them wished they had more transportation choices between cities.

LeCody pointed to the TxDOT I-35 Corridor Advisory Committee report that surveyed 2,000 Texans on their transportation needs. A majority of respondents to the survey favored high-speed rail to connect Texas cities and were also willing to use tax dollars to make it a reality.

A number of organizations testified in support of the I-35 high-speed rail plan including Travis County Judge Andy Brown, Texas Streets Coalition and Farm and City. The only two speakers that spoke against the bill incorrectly assumed that it would be a public project that would leave Texas taxpayers on the hook. 

Bucy said the bill is very flexible and allows TxDOT the ability to get competitive bids to see what companies want to offer, pick the best path forward and get the project moving. 

There were over 125 public comments about HB 483, with support of the I-35 high-speed rail bill a 3-1 margin over opposition. This closely mimics the results of the TxDOT I-35 Corridor Advisory Committee study which was released in 2010.  

Photo credit: Lorena Campos