The privately funded train would shuttle passengers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas in half the time it takes to drive and could take 3 million vehicles off the road.
A high speed rail connection between Los Angeles and Las Vegas could break ground next year, promising to cut the trip between Southern California and Vegas to just over two hours. As Dan Zukowski writes in Smart Cities Dive,the $8 billion, privately funded project would operate high speed trains along the Interstate 15 corridor, primarily using the highway median.
According to Zukowski, “A total of $1 billion in private activity bonds has been approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation for Brightline West, with the actual borrowing to be done by the states of California and Nevada. Brightline West may soon ask California to issue $200 million in private activity bonds, Bloomberg News reported this week.”
The operator, Brightline, already runs passenger trains in Florida. “Brightline acquired a station site along Las Vegas Boulevard and reached an agreement with authorities in California to purchase a 5-acre site at the Rancho Cucamonga Station,” which would connect to regional transit options. According to Brightline, the train could remove 3 million vehicles from California and Nevada roads each year.
FULL STORY: High-speed rail line from LA to Las Vegas could begin construction in 2023
Bipartisan Lawmakers Support L.A.-to-Vegas Train
Legislators from California and Nevada are calling on Secretary Buttigieg to support a private effort to build a high-speed rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas.
Las Vegas-to-L.A. High-Speed Rail Project Passes Another Hurdle
The segment between Rancho Cucamonga and the high desert town of Victorville received a key approval, with groundbreaking scheduled for later this year.
Federal Railroad Administration Proposes New Midwest Rail Network
If built, regional high-speed rail networks could provide an alternative to uncomfortable air travel and prevent travelers from becoming stranded at airports during extreme weather.
‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland
Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.
Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny
The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.
Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?
New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?
700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah
A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.
More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus
Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.
Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says
Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.
Placer County
City of Morganton
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Dongguan Binhaiwan Bay Area Management Committee
City of Waukesha, WI
Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Indiana Borough
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
