WASHINGTON — The Federal Railroad Administration has officially signed the $3 billion grant agreement for the Brightline West rail project, the company has announced.
The grant, awarded to the Nevada Department of Transportation, was signed today (Sept. 26). The grant award was announced in December 2023 [see “Legislators say Brightline West will receive $3 billion …,” Trains News Wire, Dec. 5, 2023]; that award set the stage for an April ceremony in Las Vegas to mark the start of the construction process for the 218-mile project linking Las Vegas to the Los Angeles area at a station in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. [See “Brightline West groundbreaking hailed …,” Trains News Wire, April 22, 2024]
“This is a historic commitment that will jumpstart the high-speed rail industry in America, creating thousands of jobs all across the country,” Brightline CEO Michael Reininger said in a press release. “Brightline West will be American made and American built, and will serve as the blueprint for connecting city pairs that are too close to fly but too far to drive.”
The company says the project is on pace to begin operations in 2028, with high speed trains operating at up to 200 mph.
“This $3 billion federal investment is a transformative step forward in shaping the future of Nevada’s transportation,” said Tracy Larkin Thomason, director of the Nevada Department of Transportation. “With this funding, we’re closer than ever to making high-speed rail a reality—offering a fast, sustainable alternative to car travel between Las Vegas and Southern California. This project will stimulate economic growth and create jobs, providing lasting benefits for both our state and the region.”
I’d be surprised if this was done by 2028. There are environmental issues that have to be addressed and they normally take at least several years for a project of this size. I also assume that with federal funds, all the federal regulations will be part of the process. My experiences from years ago was they noticeable slow things down. If everything goes right, the best case scenario would be 2030-2031.
I’m not sure what environmental issues you’re speaking of. The FRA signed off on the environmental assessment in 2022. NDOT and CalTrans finished their right-of-way clearances last year, once Brightline decided to power over the I-15 grades rather than taking the originally proposed alignment that departed from the freeway for several miles near the state line. There might be some local issues around stations and maintenance facilities I’m not aware of, but the big hurdles have been jumped as far as I know…