The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) officially signed the $3 billion grant agreement awarded to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for Brightline West. In December 2023, President Biden announced the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant at a ceremony in Las Vegas and in April, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke at the Brightline West groundbreaking event.
Brightline West will be America’s first true high-speed rail project set to connect Southern California to Las Vegas, with trains travelling over 200 miles per hour.
Several federal, state, and local elected officials hailed the grant signing as a major milestone. This historic grant will provide the critical funding needed to bring to life a rail system that will significantly reduce travel time between Las Vegas and Southern California, offering a fast, efficient, and environmentally friendly alternative to road and air travel.
“This is a historic commitment that will jumpstart the high-speed rail industry in America, creating thousands of jobs all across the country,”
said Michael Reininger, CEO of Brightline. “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 Brightline West rail project will create over 35,000 jobs, including more than 10,000 union construction jobs. Once operational, the project will include approximately 1,000 jobs. Brightline signed historic labor agreements with the California and Southern Nevada Building Trades to construct the project and the High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition to operate and maintain the system.
The project’s environmental benefits are equally impressive: reducing traffic congestion on Interstate 15, removing three million cars from roadways, and eliminating more than 400,000 tons of emissions annually. Brightline West’s zero-emission, fully electric trains will be the greenest form of transportation in America.
The project is on pace to initiate operations in 2028. Upon completion, the high-speed rail line will offer travelers a seamless, comfortable journey between Las Vegas and Southern California, reducing travel time to two hours.
Photo Credit: Brightline West
