Italy's Webuild Signs $16 Bn US High-speed Rail Deal

Italian construction group Webuild announced Tuesday it had signed a $16-billion contract to build a high-speed railway line between Dallas and Houston in the US state of Texas

Milan, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 15th Jun, 2021 ) :Italian construction group Webuild announced Tuesday it had signed a $16-billion contract to build a high-speed railway line between Dallas and Houston in the US state of Texas.

The group, formerly known as Salini Impregilo, and its US subsidiary Lane Construction agreed the mega-deal with US company Texas Central, Webuild said in a statement.

The project will bring to the United States technology used in Japan's shinkansen bullet trains, it said.

The new line promises to carry travellers at speeds of up to 200 miles (320 kilometres) per hour, and is aimed primarily at commuters who currently fly or drive between the two cities every week.

The deal, presented as one of the biggest single infrastructure projects in the United States in terms of value, follows an initial deal struck in 2018.

"The project promises to be a pivotal moment for sustainable mobility in the United States by having it join the ranks of countries that offer high-speed rail service, such as Japan, China, France and Italy," Webuild said.

It added: "The agreement is the final step ahead of the financial closure -- foreseen in the coming months -- and the start of construction of the mega project, which will provide fast, safe and environmentally friendly travel, create thousands of jobs and give a major boost to the economy."