Texas Central—the proposed high-speed rail system from Houston to Dallas—received approval in August from the Federal Railroad Administration to use the utility corridor along Hwy. 290 as its route.

The private railway company has since begun a series of meetings with local officials and property owners to appease residents neighboring the route, Texas Central Vice President Travis Kelly said.

The company hopes to learn the concerns of residents who could be affected after the project faced some opposition for its possible use of eminent domain in Montgomery and Grimes counties.

“There was a lot of anxiety [about Texas Central], but the more people learn, the more productive the conversations [became],” Kelly said.

Texas Central hosted the meetings as a precursor to the process of attaining rights of way in the second quarter of 2016 when the FRA environmental study is completed, Kelly said.

Texas Central announced an agreement with Archer Western Construction and Ferrovial Agroman U.S. Corp. in October to provide engineering, cost-estimation and construction-related activities for $130 million. Combined with $75 million raised in capital in July, the company is halfway toward its goal of securing $400 million before starting construction, which is expected to begin in 2017.  

Texas Central plans to start selling tickets in 2020 and give its first ride in 2021.