Las Vegas Light Rail Plans Take a Big Step Forward

Alison Noon reports for the Associated Press about a big step forward for a plan to bring light rail to the Las Vegas Strip. According to Noon, state and local officials recently presented a legislative plan for a light rail line connecting McCarran International Airport and the strip. The Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada has been developing the proposal for two years, producing a cost estimation of $12.5 billion for the light rail line. Additional, related projects could add to that total, bringing the cost up to $26 billion.

Audrey Wachs follows up on the story in a separate article. "A bill under consideration in the state senate would give local officials authority to pursue federal grants or impose tax increases to fund transit, as well as emerging technologies like self-driving cars. Right now, state law forbids local transit commissions from creating “high-capacity” mass transit systems like the proposed railway," explains Wachs.