The long-awaited high-speed train to connect Southern California to Las Vegas just got a big boost from the federal government.
The U.S. Department of Transportation announced that the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority has been awarded a $25-million grant to fund the design and construction of new stops on Brightline West. The money will go toward stations in Hesperia and Apple Valley.
The funding was granted as a part of the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity program.
Brightline, the company behind the 170-mile Las Vegas-to-Los Angeles route, previously announced a landmark labor agreement with the High-Speed Rail Labor Coalition, affording for construction on the 170 miles of new rail to begin this year. The $10 billion investment is expected to create some 35,000 jobs during construction and more than 1,000 permanent jobs once operational, according to Brightline.
The fully electric, emission-free system will also be one of the greenest forms of transportation in the U.S., removing 3 million cars and 400,000 tons of CO2 each year.
Once completed, the Brightline train would travel at a top speed of 200 mph, making the 260 mile trip between Vegas and L.A. in about three hours.