The Brightline West line will break ground this year.

The Brightline West high-speed rail project is moving along, well, speedily with the recent approval of another $2.5 billion in “private activity bonds” financing. As an article for KTNV explains, “The DOT previously approved a $1 billion bond in 2020 to Brightline, a $3 billion grant in December 2023 to Nevada DOT, and a $25 million grant to the San Bernardino County Transportation Authority.”
The 218-mile rail line will be fully electric and connect Las Vegas to a transit center in Rancho Cucamonga, California, where riders can connect to other Southern California train systems. According to Brightline Founder and Chairman Wes Edens, “Connecting Las Vegas and Southern California will provide wide-spread public benefits to both states, creating thousands of jobs and jumpstarting a new level of economic competitiveness for the region.”
The project is expected to break ground early this year, with much of the line using existing right-of-way on Interstate 15.
FULL STORY: U.S. Department of Transportation announces $2.5 billion in private funding for Brightline West rail project

Alabama: Trump Terminates Settlements for Black Communities Harmed By Raw Sewage
Trump deemed the landmark civil rights agreement “illegal DEI and environmental justice policy.”

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

How Atlanta Built 7,000 Housing Units in 3 Years
The city’s comprehensive, neighborhood-focused housing strategy focuses on identifying properties and land that can be repurposed for housing and encouraging development in underserved neighborhoods.

In Both Crashes and Crime, Public Transportation is Far Safer than Driving
Contrary to popular assumptions, public transportation has far lower crash and crime rates than automobile travel. For safer communities, improve and encourage transit travel.

Report: Zoning Reforms Should Complement Nashville’s Ambitious Transit Plan
Without reform, restrictive zoning codes will limit the impact of the city’s planned transit expansion and could exclude some of the residents who depend on transit the most.

Judge Orders Release of Frozen IRA, IIJA Funding
The decision is a victory for environmental groups who charged that freezing funds for critical infrastructure and disaster response programs caused “real and irreparable harm” to communities.
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