The Biden administration is spending millions to support a bullet train linking Las Vegas to Southern California, but it faces some of the same problems plaguing similar high-speed rail projects in other parts of the country. there is a possibility.
of brightline west As part of President Joe Biden’s package, high-speed rail has received $3 billion from the federal government to support a 318-mile line connecting Las Vegas, Nevada, and Rancho Cucamonga, California. broader efforts Promote the development of a nationwide high-speed rail system. The project may face serious challenges once completed due to the expected high cost of round-trip flights and geographical factors. according to In the Los Angeles Times.
According to the LA Times, Brightline executives are foreseeing a true bullet train route ahead of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, with trains reaching speeds of 200 miles per hour. The entire project is expected to cost about $12 billion and will also benefit from $3.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds to supplement $3 billion in aid from the federal government. (Related: California spends more than $600 million on environmental review of yet-to-be-built high-speed rail)
Dream of a future where your journey to the Super Bowl begins with us. We can’t wait to bring you closer to the action. Please look forward to the exciting ride ahead! 🌟🚅 #BrightlineWest #High-speed rail pic.twitter.com/Ez8CJEjbq8
— Brightline West (@BrightlineWest) February 8, 2024
“Our goal is for this to be the train that puts water at the pump,” billionaire Brightline founder and chairman Wes Edens told the LA Times. “Once we have this evidence, more evidence will follow.”
According to the LA Times, a round-trip ticket on Brightline West could end up costing about $400 if the route is to turn a profit. Traveling between the two regions is much cheaper by car, and round-trip tickets from Las Vegas to Ontario International Airport, about a 15-minute drive from Rancho Cucamonga, can be purchased for about $60. according to Go to Expedia. A flight between the two locations takes him just over an hour, while a car from one location to the other takes about three and a half hours.
Additionally, Rancho Cucamonga is approximately 60 miles from downtown Los Angeles, according to the LA Times. Travelers seeking to reach Los Angeles from Las Vegas via Brightline West can arrive at Rancho Cucamonga and then drive an additional 1-2 hours to Los Angeles, or take the local subway system to the city center. You have to go inside.
Without direct access to Los Angeles, Brightline West’s high-speed rail line in South Florida may similarly fail to meet or exceed expectations for Brightline West ridership, according to the LA Times. That’s what it means. Florida Line has yet to meet passenger numbers since opening in 2018, and Florida Line posted operating loss of $190 million in first nine months of 2023 ahead of expansion to Orlando .
According to the LA Times, Brightline West has already cleared some key hurdles that caused problems for the unfinished high-speed rail project intended to connect Los Angeles and San Francisco. The project has already secured collective bargaining agreements, environmental permits and necessary right-of-way arrangements, factors that are plaguing the Los Angeles to San Francisco line.
The Los Angeles-San Francisco line has not been near completion for years after it was predicted to be ready for service, and development has ballooned the budget far beyond the originally proposed $33 billion. according to In Reason Magazine. CEO of the project Said California lawmakers said Tuesday that an additional $100 billion will be needed to complete the development, according to local news outlet KCRA 3.
Brightline did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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