High-speed rail from Nevada to California breaks ground for planned 2028 opening


U.S. President Joe Biden (R) delivers remarks next to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg (L) on protecting consumers in the South Court Auditorium at the White House, May 2023. Buttigieg was in Nevada on Monday to break ground on America's first high-speed railway. File Photo by Chris Kleponis/UPI | License Photo

April 22 (UPI) -- The Transportation Secretary on Monday was on hand to break ground with other officials on what will be America's next high-speed railway.

"I'm convinced that the first time Americans actually experience American high-speed rail on U.S. soil, there's going to be no going back and people are going to expect and demand it all across the country," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg told CNBC Monday.

Brightline West's railway -- which also has a Florida route -- is expected to be open by 2028 and will be able to reach speeds of 200 miles per hour across its 218-mile-long route which will run from Las Vegas in Nevada to Los Angeles in California.

It is being described as the "first true high-speed rail system" in the United States. Plans call for it to be running in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and will get passengers to their destinations in half the typical time at two hours.

It is funded by President Joe Biden's 2021 bipartisan infrastructure bill. In December, Biden had announced $8.2 billion in federal funds for new rail projects, which included the $3 billion to "fast track" the high-speed rail system project between Nevada and California.

But the rest of the project will be privately funded. Brightline said they expect the project to have more than $10 billion in economic effect and will create over 35,000 new jobs during construction between the two states.

Talks of a possible high-speed railway in California date back as far as Obama administration efforts in 2012 to get the idea off the ground. The high-speed line is projected to serve more than 11 million passengers each year, leading to fewer cars on the road and reduced emissions in the region, Biden had said in December.

A Transport Workers Union official praised the groundbreaking day.

"The Transport Workers Union is proud to be here for the unveiling of this critical infrastructure project that will transform the way people travel and provide thousands of good-paying jobs," International President John Samuelsen said in a statement.



"Investments in big infrastructure projects like Brightline West provide more than just a way to get from one place to another, they provide jobs with a pathway to economic security for hardworking Americans," he said.

On Monday morning, Buttigieg called the day "a major milestone in building the future of American rail and the jobs that come with it" on social media.

"For decades, America has not invested in passenger rail the way other countries have," the Transportation Department posted online.

"That changes today, with the start of construction on Brightline West," they wrote.

"This project will support Nevada's tourism economy and create good-paying union jobs," Nevada Sen. Jacky Rosen, a Democrat, posted on X.

The state's other senator, Catherine Cortez Masto, a fellow Democrat, echoed Rosen's sentiments about boosting Nevada's tourism industry and creating "good-paying union jobs -- and that's what Brightline West will do for our state," she put on social media.
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Nevada's state Assembly speaker, a Democrat, also pointed to union jobs, "reduced traffic and air pollution, and a greatly improved travel experience" Speaker Steve Yeager said in his take on the day, calling the groundbreaking ceremony "a packed house."