Brightline West continues field work for future high-speed rail system

Rene Ray De La Cruz, Victorville Daily Press
·3 min read
11

Brightline West on Monday announced another round of field investigation work for its high-speed rail system between Southern California and Nevada.

Fieldwork of the proposed rail corridor within the Interstate 15 right-of-way began in January in advance of the final stages of design in preparation for a future groundbreaking.

Brightline West officials in 2020 entered into a lease agreement with Caltrans to use the existing right of way along I-15 for the $12 billion, 218-mile high-speed rail project.

The all-electric rail service will include a flagship passenger station in Las Vegas, with additional stations in Apple Valley, Hesperia, and Rancho Cucamonga, company officials stated.

Brightline West on Monday announced another round of field investigation work for its high-speed rail system between Southern California and Nevada.
Brightline West on Monday announced another round of field investigation work for its high-speed rail system between Southern California and Nevada.

Field investigation will include geotechnical borings and samplings, utility potholing and land surveying.

Work will take place primarily during daytime hours, with some work at night to minimize disruption to traffic.

Short term closures of freeway shoulders may be required, company officials said. Motorists should take extra caution when traveling through work zones and obey detour signs, speed limits and other signage.

Updated project areas are listed below. Dates and times are subject to change. Operations are also weather-dependent.

Brightline West on Monday announced another round of field investigation work for its high-speed rail system between Southern California and Nevada.
Brightline West on Monday announced another round of field investigation work for its high-speed rail system between Southern California and Nevada.

California

  • I-15 Coyote Lake Road to Old Highway 58 Connector. Night closures are planned on the southbound exterior shoulder from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. on April 10 and April 11.

  • I-15 from Palmdale Road to south of Ranchero Road. Daytime borings are scheduled on the I-15 in the center median and shoulders in Hesperia from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from April 8 through April 12. Night closures are planned on I-15 in the center median and shoulders from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. from April 8 to April 12.

  • I-15 Oak Hill Road to Baseline Avenue. Daytime borings are scheduled on the I-15 in the center median and shoulders at Oak Hill Road and in the Cajon Pass, and at the I-15 on the Etiwanda Bike Trail in Fontana. Work is scheduled from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. from April 8 to April 12. Night closures are planned on northbound and southbound I-15 shoulders and center median from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. from April 8 to April 12.

Nevada

  • I-15 median north of Jean, Nevada (milepost 12.5-27.5). Survey work from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through April 11.

  • I-15 median north of Primm, Nevada (milepost 5-12.5). Geotechnical boring and survey work from 6:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. through April 11.

About Brightline West

Brightline is the only private provider of modern, eco-friendly, intercity passenger rail service in America.

At expected speeds up to 200 miles per hour, trains will take passengers from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga in about two hours, twice as fast as the normal drive time.

Construction is scheduled to begin sometime this spring. Brightline’s goal is completion of the rail system by summer 2028, in time for the summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the company said.

Brightline is currently operating its first passenger rail system connecting Central and South Florida with stations in Miami, Aventura, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach, and Orlando.

Daily Press reporter Rene Ray De La Cruz may be reached at RDeLaCruz@VVDailyPress.com. Follow him on Twitter @DP_ReneDeLaCruz.

This article originally appeared on Victorville Daily Press: Brightline West continues field work for future high-speed rail system