{"id":47362,"date":"2019-05-22T15:56:28","date_gmt":"2019-05-22T22:56:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/soulofamerica.com\/?page_id=47362"},"modified":"2024-04-27T11:09:48","modified_gmt":"2024-04-27T18:09:48","slug":"interstate-hsr-las-vegas-la","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.soulofamerica.com\/blog\/interstate-hsr-las-vegas-la\/","title":{"rendered":"Interstate High Speed Rail Las Vegas-LA"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Interstate<\/p>\n

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Interstate High Speed Rail Las Vegas-SoCal<\/h2>\n
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Los Angeles to Las Vegas High-Speed Rail (HSR) has been a vision for decades. Today, journeys between that city-pair have grown to a 5-hour drive or 3.5-hour Total Air Travel Time. The 19-million population Los Angeles Consolidated Metro Area consisting of 5 counties is the largest source of visitors to Las Vegas. A private passenger train company snagged a federal grant and is finally going to build it in stages — Thomas Dorsey, Soul Of America<\/em><\/p>\n

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In its Las Vegas-Southern California HSR project, Brightline West has raised $8 billion in private funds from a combination of venture capital, $3.2 billion in California tax-exempt bonds, and $800 million in Nevada tax-exempt bonds.<\/p>\n

That sum is enough to acquire property south of the Las Vegas Strip across from Las Vegas South Premium Outlets<\/strong><\/a>, acquire 284 acres in Victor Valley, California next to Interstate 15 Freeway, and build 218 miles of HSR in the Las Vegas-Victor Valley-Rancho Cucamonga corridor.<\/p>\n

For a higher return on investment, Brightline West will build mixed-use developments at their station properties similar to Brightline Florida that draws revenue from mixed-use development on its Miami Station<\/strong><\/a> or eventually sells that real estate development.<\/p>\n

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Brightline West in Las Vegas-Victor Valley-Rancho Cucamonga Corridor<\/h3>\n
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The initial market for Brightline West is San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and eastern Los Angeles County residents who commonly drive or ride Uber\/Lyft up to 30 miles to Victor Valley<\/strong><\/a>, then transfer for comfortable train rides to Sin City.<\/p>\n

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2021 Las Vegas-Los Angeles Union Station HSR Map<\/strong>; credit Brightline West<\/p><\/div>\n

In December 2023, Brightline West was granted $3 billion in USDOT funds to extend from Victor Valley to Rancho Cucamonga. It will continue in the I-15 Highway median through a steep Cajon Pass to Rancho Cucamonga in San Bernardino County.<\/p>\n

A new Brightline Rancho Cucamonga Station will connect Brightline West to Metrolink San Bernardino Line commuter rail running 41 miles west to Los Angeles Union Station and several miles east to Metrolink San Bernardino Station. Brightline will most likely develop the land around for profitable retail and residential activity.<\/p>\n

Though Brightline West says its trains would travel up to 140 mph through Cajon Pass from Victor Valley to Rancho Cucamonga, I don’t see how passenger trains can exceed 90 mph in the 4-6% grade of I-15 Freeway in Cajon Pass for 23 miles between Hesperia and the Fontana I-15 and I-210 Freeway Interchange<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Fontana freeway interchange is only 5 miles from Rancho Cucamonga Station. Since land flattens after the freeway interchange, trains can increase to 100-110 mph in the I-15 Freeway median, then slow to enter the last mile on Metrolink San Bernardino Line tracks to Rancho Cucamonga Station.<\/p>\n