$3 Billion Brightline West Grant Agreement Officially Signed
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has officially signed the 3 billion USD grant agreement awarded to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for the Brightline West project.
The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has officially signed the 3 billion USD grant agreement awarded to the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) for the Brightline West project.
Initially announced by President Biden in December 2023, this grant is a part of the Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail.
It will support the construction of Brightline West, which broke ground in April. This high-speed line will connect Southern California to Las Vegas with trains travelling at speeds of over 200 miles per hour.
Michael Reininger, CEO of Brightline said:
“This is a historic commitment that will jumpstart the high-speed rail industry in America, creating thousands of jobs all across the country. Brightline West will be American-made and American-built, serving as the blueprint for connecting city pairs that are too close to fly but too far to drive.”
The Brightline West project is expected to generate over 35,000 jobs, including more than 10,000 union construction jobs. Once operational, the system will provide approximately 1,000 ongoing jobs.
The environmental impact of the project is equally significant. The high-speed rail system is projected to reduce traffic congestion on Interstate 15 by removing three million cars from the road each year, leading to the elimination of over 400,000 tonnes of emissions annually.
Brightline West’s trains will be fully electric, thus setting a standard for sustainable high-speed travel once the service becomes operational in 2028.