Photo by Grant Cai on Unsplash
Biden Funds $3B for Brightline West Rail Between CA and Las Vegas
December 6, 2023
On Tuesday, the Biden administration revealed a $3 billion grant to fund a quarter of the costs of the Brightline West rail project. This high-speed rail line, which will traverse from the glitz of Las Vegas to the shores of Los Angeles, has been on the cards for a while now. The news has certainly brought high spirits to the bipartisan team of lawmakers from Nevada and California who have been lobbying for this federal grant.
Brightline West has been visualized as a catalyst for economic development. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) expressed her enthusiasm in a statement, calling the venture a “historic high-speed rail project” that will revolutionize Nevada’s tourism and transportation sectors. She added that the project will attract more tourists, ease traffic on I-15, decrease carbon emissions, generate thousands of jobs, and stimulate local union labor.
The substantial $3 billion grant comes as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Brightline, the country’s only private passenger rail company operating a high-speed service, had earlier requested $3.75 billion for the project. The overall anticipated expenses for the venture stand at an estimated $12 billion.
Advocates of the project believe that it will provide a more affordable travel option from Las Vegas to California, relieving traffic and reducing emissions in the process. It’s estimated that an overwhelming 16 million people drive this route annually, traversing the Mojave Desert via Interstate 15. According to Brightline, the proposed rail connection could potentially remove 3 million car trips every year.
The Brightline West project will start from a new station positioned near the vibrant Las Vegas Strip and extend to Rancho Cucamonga, California. Here, it will connect with Los Angeles’s existing regional rail system. This nearly three-hour journey will be facilitated by trains traveling at impressive speeds of up to 180 miles per hour. Each train can accommodate around 500 passengers and is expected to run as frequently as every 45 minutes.
The completion of the Brightline West project is targeted for 2027, just in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. President Biden is scheduled to visit Las Vegas on Friday, where he’s expected to formally announce the project. This highly anticipated rail project undoubtedly promises a more connected and sustainable future for the regions involved.
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