The cost of the high-speed rail project linking Las Vegas to Los Angeles has risen to an estimated $12bn, according to recent figures. The project, which is a private-public partnership led by Brightline, received a $3bn boost from the Biden administration as part of a wider $8.2bn rail investment package.
The 218-mile Brightline West line is expected to reach speeds of at least 186mph, cutting travel time between the two cities to 2 hours and 10 minutes. The company aims to price the cheapest one-way ticket at around $100 to compete with air travel. Officials hope the project will be completed before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
In addition to the Las Vegas project, California's high-speed rail link between San Francisco and Los Angeles has secured $3.07bn in federal funding. The California project, which has faced delays and cost overruns, is now estimated to cost between $88bn and $128bn. Initial service is expected to begin as early as 2030.
Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen of Nevada described the Las Vegas project as a 'gamechanger' for the state's tourism economy. Brightline West estimates it will remove 3 million cars from the I-15 freeway annually. The formal announcement of the funding, drawn from the 2021 infrastructure law, is scheduled for Friday.
Separately, a new passenger rail route between Raleigh, North Carolina, and Richmond, Virginia, will receive a $1bn grant. The Federal Railroad Administration has allocated $16.4bn to 25 projects along the north-east corridor.
