After nearly four years of studying the environmental impact of the Dallas-to-Houston high-speed rail route, the Federal Railroad Administration signed a draft environmental impact statement Dec. 15. The environmental report outlines a preferred route for Texas Central’s proposed high-speed railway.

The route proposes three stations at Dallas, Grimes County and Houston. While the report does not grant Texas Central a permit to build the high-speed railway, it does mark a milestone in moving the project along.

The FRA will consider public input on the report until Feb. 20 and hold 10 public hearings during this time in the counties through which the route passes, including Grimes, Waller and Harris counties.

After the public weighs in, the FRA compiles a final environmental impact statement and issues a record of decision. According to Texas Central, construction on the route could begin later this year.