Webuild, Texas green light for high-speed line

The green light for the first high-speed rail in the United States. The Texas Supreme Court, after a long dispute in state courts, granted the Texas Central Company, owner of the high-speed rail project between Dallas and Houston, the right to expropriate the land needed to complete the project. This is the final chapter, in the judicial realm, for the construction of the completely new Texas Railroad, the construction of which was entrusted to the Italian group Webuild, with its American subsidiary Lane.

The landowners opposed expropriating the affected areas of the railway line, also negotiating higher prices. The court effectively recognized Texas Central’s status as a railroad company, granting it “preeminent dominance authority under the Texas Transportation Act.” The court ruling overturned the lower court ruling that had partially upheld the landowners’ arguments, confirming instead the appeal ruling that had rejected them.

This green light represents a critical step in building America’s high-speed infrastructure, which includes global companies such as Central Japan Railways, which will supply the Tokaido Shinkansen train, which has been successfully operating in Japan for more than half a century. and the Spanish railway operator Renfe and the Italian construction giant Webuild, which will benefit from the cooperation of Italferr (Ferrovie dello Stato Group). Webuild and its subsidiary Lane will perform all civil engineering work, for a contract valued at $16 billion.

The Texas Express will travel 379 km from Dallas to Houston in about 90 minutes. It is the first truly high-speed line in the United States and will ensure passengers a safe and sustainable mode of transportation capable of reaching a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour.

The new rail line, which is also one of the most important infrastructure projects launched in the United States, is expected to benefit at least 100,000 passengers traveling by plane or car between the two cities each week, reducing, according to the project’s calculations, by more than 100 thousand tons of greenhouse gas emissions.