The US Department of Transport (USDOT) has begun construction on the 351 km high-speed rail line, between Las Vegas and Southern California, USA.

The US$12 billion Brightline West project, featuring speeds of up to 322 km/h, has secured US$3 billion in funding from Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill and an additional US$3.5 billion from USDOT. Primarily paralleling interstate 15, the line will introduce new stations in Hesperia, Rancho Cucamonga, and Victor Valley. The initiative also encompasses US$800 million in enhancements to the I-15 corridor. Construction materials include 700,000 concrete rail ties, 2.2 million tons of ballast, and 63,000 tons of domestically sourced steel rail. Upon completion, the project will deploy 322 miles of overhead lines to power the trains and integrate 3.4 million square feet of retaining walls, covering over 160 structures including viaducts and bridges. The route will connect Southern California and Las Vegas in just two hours, approximately half the time of driving. The Las Vegas Station, situated adjacent to the renowned Las Vegas Strip on a 110-acre site north of Blue Diamond Road between I-15 and Las Vegas Boulevard, offers convenient access to the Harry Reid International Airport, the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the Raiders’ Allegiant Stadium. The station, encompassing approximately 80,000 square feet plus parking facilities, promises to serve as a significant transportation hub for the region.

The Hesperia Station, situated within the I-15 median at the I-15/Joshua Street interchange, will primarily operate as a local rail service for High Desert residents during select weekday mornings and evenings. The Vehicle Maintenance Facility (VMF) will be housed in a 200,000-square-foot building on a 238-acre plot in Sloan, Nevada, serving as the central location for daily train maintenance and staging.