Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) held a press conference to call on the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to fund Nevada’s application, seeking $3.75 billion in federal funding to construct the Brightline West’s 218-mile high-speed rail project. The project will connect Nevada and Southern California through planned stations in Las Vegas and San Bernardino County, with connectivity into Los Angeles County through Metrolink.
Brightline CEO Michael Reininger confirmed that the project has completed all environmental review process and is shovel-ready to break ground in the fall of this year if the federal funding comes through and open before the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
Brightline West renderings (Courtesy of Brightline)
The project is estimated to create $10 billion in economic impact and $1 billion in tax revenue. The project will be constructed and operated by union workers.
The project is estimated to remove 3 million cars from Interstate-15 annually, reduce more than 400,000 tons of carbon emissions each year, and create 35,000 jobs.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act authorized the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to fund rail projects through the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant Project. Senator Rosen also sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg to urge USDOT to fund this project.
In June, USDOT awarded the project a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant to fund the final design and construction of two Brightline West passenger rail stations in Hesperia and Apple Valley, California. In July, the FRA determined that the Brightline West project between Apple Valley and Rancho Cucamonga would cause no significant environmental impacts.
At the press conference, Senator Rosen was joined by Brightline CEO Michael Reininger, Clark County Commissioner Michael Naft, Nevada Department of Transportation Director Tracy Larkin Thomason, President and CEO of the Vegas Chamber Mary Beth Sewald, and President of the Transportation Trades Department for the AFL-CIO Greg Regan.
