Bullet Train Connecting California to Las Vegas Receives Bipartisan Support

A full-scale mock-up of a high-speed train is displayed at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif., on Feb. 26, 2015. Rich Pedroncelli/AP Photo

A bipartisan group of lawmakers from California and Nevada has requested funds from the Biden administration to help speed up the construction of a high-speed rail line between the two states on Monday.

All six of Nevada’s elected federal lawmakers and four House members from California sent the letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. They said they’re on board with a proposal from Brightline West to spend more than $10 billion to lay tracks along the Interstate 15 corridor.

“This project is a major priority because it will make southern Nevada more accessible to millions of visitors each year,” said U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, the Nevada Democrat leading the group. She said it “will boost our economy and create more good-paying jobs.”

A high-speed rail viaduct being built near Fresno, Calif., is part of a $105 billion, 40-plus year plan to build an 800-mile ‘bullet train’ rail line between San Francisco and Los Angeles. AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli

The train could help ease traffic congestion for drivers traveling between the California and Nevada borderlines. The train running through the Mojave Desert could potentially cut the four-hour trip in half, carrying passengers at speeds of nearly 200 mph (322 kph).

The lawmakers’ letter pointed to company projections of 35,000 construction jobs, 1,000 permanent jobs, and reduced carbon emissions from vehicles.

“This bipartisan delegation from Nevada and California are pleased to support the federal resources necessary to develop essential transportation access between this highly trafficked corridor,” the lawmakers said.

Brightline announced the memorandum with the High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition, which includes 13 rail unions representing more than 160,000 freight, regional, commuter, and passenger railroad workers.

“The High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition is proud to be in partnership with Brightline West in this historic project. Americans want high-speed rail, and Brightline West and the High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition will deliver. Brightline West will be the most elegant travel-by-rail experience you can have in America, and it will be the catalyst for America’s renaissance of travel by high-speed rail. The High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition is ready to bring this transformative transportation project to Americans. Let’s get to work,” the High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition said in a statement.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his bullet train proposal in March 2021 during his funding campaign for the state.

“This is the future of transportation in California,” he said in a promotional video at the time.

Construction was originally set to begin in 2020 but was halted during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“After more than a decade of working to find a pathway, Brightline West will be the first true high-speed rail system in America and will serve as the blueprint for how we can connect major city pairs that are too short to fly and too far to drive,” Mike Reininger, CEO of Florida-based Brightline Holdings LLC, said in a statement.

Crossings will be constructed over the railway alongside Interstate 15 as well as wildlife crossings for animals in the area.

“Roadways and rail lines must be designed to connect, not divide,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom in a statement. “This project will not only protect the precious wildlife and habitat of the Mojave Desert region but will also get people between Las Vegas and Southern California safely and efficiently—preserving one of the most popular corridors in our state.”

A 2023 report by the California High-Speed Rail Authority says environmental clearance has been obtained for 422 miles and construction is underway for 119 miles in California’s Central Valley.

Sarah Watterson, president of Brightline West, says giving wildlife the freedom to roam despite growing the infrastructure needed to support the bullet train construction is needed to protect wildlife from the high-speed trains.

“When launched, Brightline West will be one of the greenest forms of transportation in America and an eco-friendly upgrade to the I-15,” Watterson said in a statement. “Beyond significantly cutting carbon emissions and creating a cleaner, more efficient way to travel, this is just one more way the introduction of this system will ensure vital and long-term protections for a diverse array of wildlife.”

Secretary Toks Omishakin of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) says the new bullet train will help easily connect people across the Western United States.

“California’s high-speed rail project plays an important role as part of the broader climate solution in our state. It will provide the backbone of our statewide rail service that will increase connectivity between communities, statewide, regional, and urban areas. It’s a true game changer,” Omishakin said in a statement.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.