The US will soon begin the construction of the country's first ever bullet train railway system, spanning from Los Angeles to the Los Vegas Strip.
Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg said on Monday that the country is ready to complete the 218-mile stretch of track within four years following a $3 billion extended funding provided by the White House.
The planned "Brightline" project will operate from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, California, reducing congestion along highways 1 to 15 and generate millions of tickets purchases each year.
Bullet trains under the project "Brightline" will travel at a max speed of 200 mph, completing a single one-way trip in just a little over two hours.
The DOT expects the project to become operational by 2028, a year later than the initially planned 2027 deadline.
Biden Admin Touts Project 'Brightline' for Reducing Carbon Emission
Plans for a high-speed rail system in California have been going since 2008 but were repeatedly delayed due to budget constraints, corruption, and shifting priorities that come along with the changes in administration.
US President Joe Biden's administration, however, is confident to finally complete the longtime dream within the decade.
Buttigieg highlighted the administration's goal to finish the bullet train rails as part of its commitment to transition to carbon-free transportation and generate more jobs through tech industry revival.
The bullet trains are planned to be "all-electric, zero-emission trains," far from the initially planned high-powered vehicles during initial proposals of previous administrations.
Buttigieg estimates that the whole project will "remove an estimated 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year, bolster tourism, and create 35,000 good-paying jobs."
The two goals have been among the achievements and future plans Biden has been touting in his presidential reelection campaign against stiff rival and predecessor Donald Trump.
Related Article : Detroit Installs Electric Car Charging Tech on the Street
Bullet Train Project Faces Headwinds from Lawmakers
Despite the optimistic outlook of the administration on the project, the truth is further from the envisioned four-year goal.
Several news outlets have previously reported how Republican lawmakers have expressed opposition to the planned railway project.
Even Democrat senators and representatives were divided in the transportation venture when Biden first opened the idea in 2021.
The biggest challenge, however, is the high cost needed to fully realize the project as the US heads to what could be its biggest economic struggle yet in the last decade amid rising inflations and worsening job market.
