Brightline West groundbreaking in Las Vegas kicks off high-speed rail project

A major milestone for a high-stakes, high-speed rail project is expected Monday. Brightline West is set to break ground on a new rail system that will someday link Southern California with Las Vegas.

Once operational, it will be the nation’s first truly high-speed intercity rail system. And it will largely expand on Brightline’s innovative concept and service in Florida that currently connects the southeast coast with Orlando.

Brightline West

Monday’s groundbreaking at Brigthline’s future station in Las Vegas will mark the official start of construction on the planned 218-mile rail line, featuring a station just south of Vegas’ strip. From there, the all-electric trains would cross the Nevada desert en route to Southern California stops in Victor Valley and Hesperia, before reaching the westernmost station in Rancho Cucamonga, outside Los Angeles.

In Rancho Cucamonga, Brightline West riders would be able to connect to regional transportation, with the planned station set to be located just steps from a Metrolink stop, where travelers could then travel onward to other parts of Southern California.

Once fully functional, trains are expected to reach speeds up to 200 miles per hour, with the ride between Rancho Cucamonga and Vegas expected to take just over two hours. By car, the trip can take well over four hours — including a drive across the Mojave Desert.

In total, a Vegas-to-Rancho Cucamonga trip followed by a Metrolink connection to central Los Angeles should take closer to three hours, the company says.

Significant investment planned

Discussed for years, the estimated $12 billion project got a significant leg-up in December, when the Biden administration announced $3 billion in grants supporting Brightline West, made possible through partnerships with California and Nevada via the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law.

Like Brightline in Florida, the the company’s western line may be well-positioned to avoid many of the trappings of red tape, by relying on existing rights of way for its tracks. Brightline West trains will run along the Interstate 15 corridor — down the median of the highway. That should help the company avoid many of the time-consuming permitting processes that come with clearing land or cutting across properties — often factors that can delay rail projects.

Construction on the Brightline West project is expected to last about four years. If all goes according to plan, that timeline could see the new system open just in time for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.