BRIGHTLINE West and the California High Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) have secured respective $US 3bn and $US 3.1bn grants from the US federal government to support construction of their high-speed projects, Nevada and California congressional representatives confirmed on December 5.
The projects will both receive Federal-State Partnership for Intercity Passenger Rail Grant funding, which was established to distribute funds allocated to rail under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, passed by the US federal government in November 2021.
The Nevada Department of Transportation in conjunction with Brightline West applied for $US 3.75bn of funding from the programme earlier this year to help fund construction of the new 350km line from Las Vegas to Southern California, which is estimated to cost $US 12.5bn.
Local media have reported that US president, Mr Joe Biden, will officially announce the $US 3bn of funding that has been awarded during an event in Las Vegas on December 8.
Brightline founder and chairman, Mr Wes Edens, says the company is “honoured and humbled” by the confidence that Biden, US transportation secretary, Mr Pete Buttigieg, Nevada senator, Ms Jacky Rosen, and many others have placed in Brightline’s project to bring high-speed rail to America.
“This is a historic moment that will serve as a foundation for a new industry, and a remarkable project that will serve as the blueprint for how we can repeat this model throughout the country,” Edens says. “We’re ready to get to work to bring our vision of American-made, American-built, world-class, state-of-the-art high-speed train travel to America.”
The proposed Las Vegas - Rancho Cucamonga line is expected to take about four years to build. The alignment would primarily run within the median of the I-15 highway and include stations in Apple Valley and Hesperia. Rancho Cucamonga station would be located adjacent to the existing Metrolink commuter station, enabling onward travel to downtown Los Angeles. Additionally, Brightline West has reported that it is working with CHSRA on a future interchange in Palmdale.
Brightline West envisages operating 25 trains in each direction between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga every day. Trains would operate at 45-minute intervals and run at up to 290km/h.
The US Surface Transportation Board (STB) authorised the construction of a modified alignment for the Las Vegas - Victorville section of the high-speed line last month.
California
In addition, CHSRA will receive $US 3.1bn to support work on the Central Valley section of the future San Fransisco - Los Angeles high-speed line, construction of which is underway on a 192km section of Phase 1 between Merced, Fresno and Bakersfield.
The grant is the single largest allocation that the project has received from the federal government since it was launched in 2009. It will fund six high-speed trains for testing and revenue service, with CHSRA issuing a request for proposals to supply six 350km/h trains in August. It will also fund design of rolling stock maintenance facilities, design and construction of Fresno station, final design and early works, including right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation on the section from Merced to Bakersfield, and construction in the Central Valley.
Mr Brian Kelly, CEO of the CHSRA, says the new federal money will help close a funding gap of about $US 10bn for the Central Valley route, the Associated Press reported. He says the authority will look for more money in the future from both the federal and state governments. California Democratic governor, Mr Gavin Newsom, also called the funding “a vote of confidence” adding that it comes “at a critical turning point, providing the project with new momentum.”
“With the southernmost 35.4km stretch of active construction currently on the verge of completion, the authority continues advanced design work to extend the 191km under construction to 275km of future electrified high-speed rail from Merced to Bakersfield,” CHSRA says. “The high-speed rail project has created more than 12,000 good-paying jobs since the start of construction, 70% of those going to Central Valley residents.”
“This record federal grant is a welcomed investment in the future of this transformative project,” Kelly says. “The authority is humbled by the expression of confidence and commitment from our federal partner. We look forward to advancing the project, putting more Californians to work and buying new, electric high-speed trains, all made possible by this grant.”
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