I-20 Corridor
Long Distance Train
Long Distance Train
Proposed passenger rail connection between Dallas/Fort Worth and Atlanta, connecting to the East Coast and New York City
ABOUT
I-20 CORRIDOR COUNCIL
The I-20 Corridor Council was formed to re-establish passenger rail service along the Interstate 20 Corridor, connecting Fort Worth, Texas to Atlanta, Georgia, through northeast Texas, northern Louisiana, and Central Mississippi, also connecting to Washington, D.C., and New York City. The efforts in support of this route commenced in 2004 and gained momentum in 2007 with the assistance of renewed grassroots volunteer efforts and federal grant funding. Originally designated as the East Texas Corridor Council, and then the Ark-La-Tex Corridor Council, as grassroots efforts built and a multi-state coalition grew to include Louisiana, Mississippi, and other stakeholders along the route, the name was changed to the I-20 Corridor Council.
The Corridor Council coalition now encompasses some 35 municipalities in northeast Texas, northern Louisiana, and central Mississippi. The Southern Rail Commission, which represents Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, has also joined in a resolution of support for the I-20 Corridor passenger rail route. The I-20 Corridor Council is a non-profit corporation which seeks to establish a regional consensus for providing daily frequencies for higher-speed passenger rail along existing rail right-of-way for the more than 15 million residents along the I-20 Corridor from Dallas/Ft. Worth to Atlanta, Georgia.
The Fort Worth to Marshall passenger link currently exists as part of Amtrak’s Texas Eagle long-distance route. By “connecting the dots” of the 345 miles of existing rail right of way between Marshall, Texas and Meridian, Mississippi, we not only create an East-West connection between Texas and the East Coast, but we also create a transcontinental connection between Los Angeles and New York City, by connecting the proposed I-20 Corridor route with the Texas Eagle, Sunset Limited, and the Crescent. Once completed, this I-20 Corridor route will provide a much-needed East-West long-distance passenger rail connection across the southeastern United States.
The proposed route envisions passenger rail travel along existing track owned by host railroads Trinity Railway Express (“TRE”) between Fort Worth to Dallas; Union Pacific (“UP”) from Dallas to Shreveport Kansas City Southern (“KCS”) from Bossier City to Meridian (acquisition of KCS pending by Canadian Pacific); and Norfolk Southern (“NS”) from Meridian to Atlanta (the “Host Railroads”). The proposed I-20 Corridor passenger rail route would require the agreement of the Host Railroads and the cooperation of elected officials and the Surface Transportation Board.
OVERVIEW
Find out about the Corridor Council’s grassroots beginnings to build a multi-state coalition in support of the I-20 Corridor route and to help determine the route’s economic viability.
PARTNERSHIPS
Connecting with partners to enhance the future of transportation across our nation’s Southern region. See who has made this possible.
PROGRESS
See the most recent developments with the I-20 Corridor Council and the efforts in support of the I-20 Corridor passenger rail connection.
FEASIBILITY STUDY
Read the Feasibility Study that Amtrak carried out, in coordination with the I-20 Corridor Council using federal grant funding obtained by the Corridor Council; related outcomes from the study provided.
CAPACITY STUDY
Read the Capacity Study that was conducted by the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT), in coordination with the I-20 Corridor Council using federal grant funding obtained by the Corridor Council; related outcomes from the study provided.
SUPPORT
Local, state, and federal elected officials and other stakeholders along the I-20 Corridor route have expressed strong support for the proposed long-distance passenger rail connection. See some of the related materials showing this support.
CONTACT US
Contact us to see how you can get involved with the multi-state efforts to establish this important I-20 Corridor passenger rail connection. Find out the latest developments with the I-20 Corridor Council.
"With Congress’ passage of the $1.2 Trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law by President Biden on November 15, the time is now to make the proposed I-20 Corridor long-distance passenger rail connection a reality.
This important East-West passenger rail connection across America's Southern region will not only connect two of our nation’s fastest-growing urban mega-regions (greater Dallas/Fort Worth with 7.5 million in population and greater Atlanta with 6 million), it would also connect the rural communities and smaller cities along the route with each other and to the East Coast, Washington D.C., and New York City.
This could be a 'win-win' for everyone since the passenger rail route could be established with a comparatively small amount of funding in a relatively short period of time and bring many transportation, economic development, environmental, and other quality of life-related benefits to our communities, states, and nation."