Texas Central is proposing a 240-mile Houston-to-Dallas high-speed rail project that would utilize the N700 bullet train available in Japan to transport riders between the cities in 90 minutes.

Montgomery County commissioners continue to oppose construction of a bullet train between Houston and Dallas after passing a resolution stating the court did not support the use of eminent domain for the project Oct. 24.The railway is a project by Texas Central Partners, a private company, The railway is expected to cross portions of Harris, Waller, Grimes, Madison, Leon, Limestone, Freestone, Navarro, Ellis and Dallas counties.Precinct 3 commissioner James Noack said he proposed the resolution to support the efforts of neighboring counties—who have passed similar resolutions themselves—as well as state legislators concerned about the use of eminent domain for the project. Eminent domain is the legal authority for a governmental or private entity to take private property for public use.“This is going to be a very hot topic in the state legislature as we move forward," Noack said during the meeting. "We have had joint meetings where we oppose the high speed rail, we have discussed the opposition the use of eminent domain and I want our legislators to know that Montgomery County supports them as well as other counties in this region."The resolution is the third passed by Montgomery County Commissioners Court intended to address concerns regarding the railway. The county first passed a resolution opposing construction of the railway in December 2014—before Montgomery County had been eliminated from the list of possible routes for the railway.The county and city of Magnolia also approved an interlocal agreement in July 2015 to create a Montgomery County sub-regional planning commission solely in opposition of the project.State Rep. Cecil Bell Jr. said the high-speed railway is financially unviable and would require governmental financial support to maintain the railway—reducing the amount of funds available in the state transportation budget."In the end the [Texas Central] railway remains a financially unviable effort," Bell said. "Based on maintaining ticket prices no higher than one plane ticket is—if you give them $200 per ticket each way—they lose hundreds of millions of dollars."Additionally, Bell said construction of the railway would put a financial burden on the counties that they are not necessarily able to meet."Most of rural counties that it would be passing through are not developed infrastructure-wise," Bell said. "Every time there is a need for an overpass there is a $25 million cost that goes along with that. The preeminence of the railroad would put that burden on the counties. In Waller County, there are three or four overpasses that would have to be added. That is a $75 million price tag, and the total annual budget for Waller County will not pay for one overpass."