This week, we learned from several reports that Brightline West and the California High-Speed Rail Authority will each receive $3 billion in federal funding.
The US Department of Transportation has awarded the California High-Speed Rail Authority nearly $3.1 billion in grant funding for continued progress on the country’s first electrified 220-mph high-speed rail system. Brightline West, the proposed high-speed rail line that would connect Las Vegas with Southern California and the only private intercity passenger railroad in the country, is getting a $3 billion federal grant to help build the $12 billion high-speed railway.
Brightline West aims to be open ahead of the 2028 Olympics, which will take place in Los Angeles, CA. This grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will help advance the 218-mile route.
California High-Speed Rail is currently under construction in the Central Valley and is expected to open its 171-mile initial operating segment between Merced and Bakersfield near 2030 and has created more than 12,000 good-paying jobs since the start of construction.
This funding marks a significant turning point for both projects and represents the Biden administration’s commitment to high-speed rail advancements.
Sources:
Listen to our latest podcast episode: The Challenges and Opportunities of Water in Southern California.
Follow us on Spotify for more episodes of The Rebuild SoCal Zone podcast.
Rebuild SoCal Partnership provides information about other construction projects affecting Southern California communities. Keep up-to-date on essential infrastructure issues by signing up for the Rebuild SoCal Partnership newsletter. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and listen to The Rebuild SoCal Zone podcast.
