US, Mexico High-Speed Rail Proposal Would Link San Antonio To Monterrey

A high-speed train service could connect the United States and Mexico in 2018. Mexican and American officials met on Thursday to discuss the builidng of a high-speed rail service between San Antonio and Monterrey through the border city of Laredo, transporting passengrs across the border in less than two hours. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, Texas Department of Transportation Commissioner Jeff Austin and Mexican officials met with Transportation Sec. Anthony Foxx in Washington to discuss plans which could start as early as 2015.

The high-speed train service would be a joint project between both nations. Thanks to a proposed pre-clearance migration system, passengers would be able to make the 300 mile trip in just a matter of hours. "Secretary Foxx and his team are interested," Cuellar said. “A high-speed rail between San Antonio and Monterrey through Laredo would revolutionize trade and travel between the United States and Mexico.” The proposed project would reach completion in 2018.

Mexican officials told Fox News Latino that they have already received the green light for federal funding. Mexico estimates that their share of the project cost will be about $1.5 billion. However, American officials are still in study phase with construction slated to begin as early the first half of 2015 and completed by 2018. The idea of the international railway first emerged from Texas Department of Transportation 850-mile study started in September of 2012.

The initial study, to to be completed in December 2014, originally looked at building a high-speed rail between Oklahoma City and South Texas: the study has now expanded to include an extension from San Antonio to Monterrey Mexico."The study costs $5.6 million dollars, and an additional $400,000 would allow us to extend the study to Monterrey. Once we have route selection then we will begin talking to the private sector," Texas transportation commissioner Jeff Austin said. "We are hoping to get this started by 2015."