April 28, 2023
Ready to cut three hours off the Los Angeles to Sin City trip? Well, Las Vegas high speed rail is on the way, thanks in large part to a bipartisan group of state congressmen from Nevada and California. And they are asking the Federal Government to approve funds to help the project get developed by 2026.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has received a letter from the congressmen seeking financial support for a project, which would be handled by Brightline West. That proposal outlines a plan to spend more than $10 billion laying tracks along the Interstate 15 corridor,
Additionally, the Vegas high speed rail will use electric-powered trains, which could move passengers at speeds of close to 200 mph while taking millions of cars off the road. That would take much of the burden off on the freeway and result in keeping about 400,000 tons of CO2 out of the atmosphere.
U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada stated that “This project is a major priority because it will make southern Nevada more accessible to millions of visitors each year,” adding that the project would boost the economy and create up to 35,000 jobs.
The Brightline West trains used for the Las Vegas high speed rail service would connect Las Vegas, Victorville, California, and Rancho Cucamonga in the suburbs of Los Angeles. The California High-Speed Rail Authority says environmental clearance has been obtained for 422 miles, and that construction is underway for 119 miles in California’s Central Valley.
