Brightline West

TOD Opportunities Around America's First True High-Speed Rail Line

Brightline West hopes to break ground, in anticipation of a 2027 opening. Cities in the Inland Empire and High Desert areas of Southern California are looking to take advantage.

February 14, 2024 - California Planning & Development Report

Rendering of Brightline West high-speed rail station in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Southwest High-Speed Rail Project Awarded $2.5 Billion in Private Bonds

The Brightline West line will break ground this year.

January 25, 2024 - KTNV

Close-up of 'To Trains' sign above blurred train platform in Washington, D.C.

Federal Grants for Passenger Rail Top $8 Billion

The Federal Railroad Administration announced the grants to dozens of projects for expanding or building new rail corridors.

December 11, 2023 - Mass Transit

Rendering of white, yellow, and purple Brightline West high-speed rail train speeding along highway median with blurred cars in foreground.

Brightline West Awarded $3 Billion in Federal Funding

The high-speed rail line will cut travel time between Southern California and Las Vegas roughly in half.

December 5, 2023 - Fox 5

Rendering of California high-speed rail train viaduct with arches

Tracking U.S. ‘Higher-Speed’ Rail Progress

Five projects are moving the United States forward on so-called “higher-speed” rail.

September 5, 2023 - The Washington Post

Rendering of Brightline West high-speed train with southwest desert mountains in background

Las Vegas-to-L.A. High-Speed Rail Project Passes Another Hurdle

The segment between Rancho Cucamonga and the high desert town of Victorville received a key approval, with groundbreaking scheduled for later this year.

July 17, 2023 - Las Vegas Review-Journal

Welc_me to Fabulous Las Vegas

Bipartisan Lawmakers Support L.A.-to-Vegas Train

Legislators from California and Nevada are calling on Secretary Buttigieg to support a private effort to build a high-speed rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas.

April 27, 2023 - Associated Press

Rendering of Brightline West train passing through Southern California desert

L.A.-Las Vegas High Speed Rail Could Break Ground Next Year

The privately funded train would shuttle passengers between Los Angeles and Las Vegas in half the time it takes to drive and could take 3 million vehicles off the road.

December 4, 2022 - Smart Cities Dive

Downtown Las Vegas

Las Vegas High-Speed Rail on Hold

A plan to build a high-speed rail line between Southern California and Las Vegas is on hold after the developer came up short on fundraising. Affordable housing projects in California stand to benefit from the newly available state bond funding.

November 23, 2020 - Bloomberg

News from HUD User

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Call for Speakers

Mpact Transit + Community

New Updates on PD&R Edge

HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Websites

The best of the Internet—since 2002.

Top Apps

Planning apps for a brave new world.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.