Brightline West officially broke ground on the high-speed rail system which will connect Las Vegas to Southern California.
The 218-mi. system will be constructed in the middle of the I-15 and is based on Brightline's vision to connect city pairs that are too short to fly and too far to drive. Hailed as the greenest form of transportation in the world, Brightline West will run zero emission, fully electric trains capable of speeds of 200 miles per hour.
Brightline West is a watershed project for high-speed rail in America and will establish the foundation for the creation of a new industry and supply chain. The project was recently awarded $3 billion in funding from President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill. The rest of the project will be privately funded and has received a total allocation of $3.5 billion in private activity bonds from USDOT.
Construction
Brightline West's rail system will span 218 mi. and reach speeds of 200 mph. The route, which has full environmental clearance, will run within the median of the I-15 highway with zero grade crossings. The system will have stops in Las Vegas, as well as Victor Valley, Hesperia and Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
The privately-led infrastructure project is one of the largest in the nation and will be constructed and operated by union labor. It will use 700,000 concrete rail ties, 2.2 million tons of ballast and 63,000 tons of 100 percent American steel rail during construction. Upon completion, it will include 322 mi. of overhead lines to power the trains and will include 3.4 million sq. ft. of retaining walls. The project covers more than 160 structures including viaducts and bridges. Brightline West will be fully Buy America Compliant.
"People have been dreaming of high-speed rail in America for decades — and now, with billions of dollars of support made possible by President Biden's historic infrastructure law, it's finally happening," said Secretary Buttigieg. "Partnering with state leaders and Brightline West, we're writing a new chapter in our country's transportation story that includes thousands of union jobs, new connections to better economic opportunity, less congestion on the roads, and less pollution in the air."
"This is a historic project and a proud moment where we break ground on America's first high-speed rail system and lay the foundation for a new industry," said Wes Edens, Brightline founder. "Today is long overdue, but the blueprint we've created with Brightline will allow us to repeat this model in other city pairs around the country."
Stations, Facilities
Brightline West will connect Southern California and Las Vegas in two hours or almost half the time as driving. The Las Vegas Station will be located near the iconic Las Vegas Strip, on a 110-acre property north of Blue Diamond Road between I-15 and Las Vegas Boulevard. The site provides convenient access to the Harry Reid International Airport, the Las Vegas Convention Center and the Raiders' Allegiant Stadium. The station is approximately 80,000 sq. ft. plus parking.
The Victor Valley Station in Apple Valley will be located on a 300-acre parcel southeast of Dale Evans Parkway and the I-15 interchange. The station is intended to offer a future connection to the High Desert Corridor and California High Speed Rail. The Victor Valley Station is approximately 20,000 sq. ft. plus parking.
The Rancho Cucamonga Station will be located on a 5-acre property at the northwest corner of Milliken Avenue and Azusa Court near Ontario International Airport. The station will be co-located with existing multi-modal transportation options including California Metrolink, for seamless connectivity to Downtown Los Angeles and other locations in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties. The Rancho Cucamonga Station is approximately 80,000 sq. ft. plus parking.
The Hesperia Station will be located within the I-15 median at the I-15/Joshua Street interchange.
The Vehicle Maintenance Facility (VMF) is a 200,000-sq.-ft. building located on 238 acres in Sloan, Nev., and will be the base for daily maintenance and staging of trains.
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