Nevada DOT Advancing Rail ‘Blueprint’
Written by Marybeth Luczak, Executive Editor
The Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT) is finalizing the state’s freight and passenger rail plan that will set recommendations on enhancing rail service and serve as the basis for federal and state investments.
NDOT brought together more than 270 rail, economic development and government stakeholders to analyze current and future shipping and transportation needs, and draft the 2021 Nevada State Rail Plan (NVSRP). (Download Executive Summary below.) NDOT’s rail plan advisors, Strategic Rail Finance (SRF), played a key role.
NDOT described described the plan as an update of a 2012 initiative “with a new approach to public-sector transportation planning that:
• “Engages with the economic development community and the private sector from the outset to create and implement commercially relevant plans.
• “Addresses the marketplace dynamics that have led to a shrinking rail network and service in Nevada.
• “Identifies growth opportunities for freight rail that the private-sector business and investment community are attracted to fund.
• “Builds on existing rail assets and private-sector initiatives to grow passenger rail transportation.
• “Supports the sustainability of Nevada’s industrial development and transportation.”
Among its goals are to:
• “Integrate rail and truck transportation for logistics services that capitalize on the strategic location of the state and its businesses.
• “Mitigate the negative transportation impacts of industrial development and population growth on the environment and communities.
• “Integrate freight transportation with strategic land-use planning.
• “Develop options for the efficient transportation and distribution of minerals and bio-resources and their return logistics for recycling, reuse, and re-manufacturing.
• “Improve the safety of freight rail transportation.
• “Explore how the state can leverage private-sector passenger rail initiatives and expand Amtrak service.
• “Provide a structure for ongoing rail project support.
• “Establish a public/private funding mechanism for new rail infrastructure.”
The plan outlines 80 projects to improve and integrate rail through local and private-sector investment in eight regions of the state. They offer an investment opportunity of $7.8 billion for the near term (1-4 years) and long term (5-20 years), and are “designed to be implemented in their entirety, in a coordinated, integrated sequence,” according to NDOT.
Among the project strategies, by region:
• Region 1 (Clark County): The plan looks to redevelop the Black Mountain Industrial Center as a rail-served heavy-industry site, connect existing truckload shippers to rail; support land developers in orienting around rail; and develop new regional passenger rail services.
• Region 4 (I-80 Corridor, Lovelock to W. Wendover): The plan looks to create corridor-wide, rail-based land development strategy for I-80 communities; establish freight rail connections with California market
and ports; and expand Amtrak services.
“Ultimately, the statewide rail plan will paint a blueprint for potential rail improvements to augment our existing freight systems and provide jobs, tax revenue and business opportunities, not to mention enhance mobility, traffic safety and the environment for Nevada’s families,” NDOT State Rail Program Manager Lee Bonner said. “It sets us on a path to fully utilize rail for an integrated and sustainable statewide freight transportation network.”
Public comments on the plan are open through March 4; NDOT is holding a virtual summit on Feb. 16 to provide a plan overview.
The Nevada State Rail Plan will be the subject of an upcoming Rail Group On Air podcast with prime consultant Strategic Rail Finance and NDOT State Rail Program Manager Lee Bonner.
Download the Executive Summary:
