Las Vegas mayor pushing to widen I-15 between Primm, Barstow

[Plutonic Panda]

This high speed rail project is completely private, right? I'm also aware of a planned project for HSR along the HDC so perhaps they're waiting for some sort of movement on that. I'm really skeptical that any of the HSR happens(even the SF-LA line).

[sparker]

This high speed rail project is completely private, right? I'm also aware of a planned project for HSR along the HDC so perhaps they're waiting for some sort of movement on that. I'm really skeptical that any of the HSR happens(even the SF-LA line).

Every time that any form of rail service from LA to LV is proposed -- even conventional service over the UP tracks (which was serviced by Amtrak's Desert Wind before 1995), it's been shot down for various reasons -- most of which pertain to station location and ownership (apparently Metrolink wants very high fees from any private entity to utilize its LA metro stations) and the insurance required by the host railroads (in this case a combination of Metrolink and Union Pacific).  Also, the fact that there's no existing passenger station in Las Vegas means the train operators would have to build a station facility there, including trackage, platforms, and egress facilities (car rental agencies, shuttle drops, etc.).  While such a terminus would be part of the plans for HSR, it, along with the other costs, would likely pose such a high level of expenditure for any private train operator that the trips would likely have to be priced higher than optimal to compete with private automobile travel.  Unless any HSR developers are willing and able to amortize their investment over a very long time frame, it's more than likely economic circumstances similar to this -- or even worse -- will exist for their ventures.   

[Plutonic Panda]

Has there been any such proposals by Las Vegas to build a station there?

[sparker]

Has there been any such proposals by Las Vegas to build a station there?

The old Amtrak station was embedded within the Union Plaza hotel at the foot of Fremont Street; the entire hotel complex was torn down well after the rail service had ended.  AFAIK, there has been no effort on the part of the city of LV or any other jurisdiction to build a passenger terminal anywhere within the city -- and UP certainly won't take any initiative to do so.  In all likelihood any plans -- and subsequent expenses -- for such a facility would have to be undertaken by the parties planning to operate the passenger rail service. 

[roadfro]

Has there been any such proposals by Las Vegas to build a station there?

The old Amtrak station was embedded within the Union Plaza hotel at the foot of Fremont Street; the entire hotel complex was torn down well after the rail service had ended.  AFAIK, there has been no effort on the part of the city of LV or any other jurisdiction to build a passenger terminal anywhere within the city -- and UP certainly won't take any initiative to do so.  In all likelihood any plans -- and subsequent expenses -- for such a facility would have to be undertaken by the parties planning to operate the passenger rail service.

The Plaza Hotel & Casino (without "Union" in its name since at least the mid 2000's) still stands today. The hotel and part of the casino was closed for about a year circa 2010 as the property underwent a major renovation, but the complex is still standing. I'm not sure what purpose the former train station facilities embedded into the property currently serve–I cannot recall ever entering The Plaza while the rail service was still operating.

The XpressWest concept is still alive. But, it being a private venture, any passenger terminals would be constructed by this private enterprise.

ISTR at one point that the Las Vegas station would be built near the Strip corridor somewhere west of I-15, since that is where the current UP tracks are. (I'm actually wondering if the initial concept might have been to place the station at what is now going to be the Raiders' stadium site...)

[sparker]

Has there been any such proposals by Las Vegas to build a station there?

The old Amtrak station was embedded within the Union Plaza hotel at the foot of Fremont Street; the entire hotel complex was torn down well after the rail service had ended.  AFAIK, there has been no effort on the part of the city of LV or any other jurisdiction to build a passenger terminal anywhere within the city -- and UP certainly won't take any initiative to do so.  In all likelihood any plans -- and subsequent expenses -- for such a facility would have to be undertaken by the parties planning to operate the passenger rail service.

The Plaza Hotel & Casino (without "Union" in its name since at least the mid 2000's) still stands today. The hotel and part of the casino was closed for about a year circa 2010 as the property underwent a major renovation, but the complex is still standing. I'm not sure what purpose the former train station facilities embedded into the property currently serve–I cannot recall ever entering The Plaza while the rail service was still operating.

The XpressWest concept is still alive. But, it being a private venture, any passenger terminals would be constructed by this private enterprise.

ISTR at one point that the Las Vegas station would be built near the Strip corridor somewhere west of I-15, since that is where the current UP tracks are. (I'm actually wondering if the initial concept might have been to place the station at what is now going to be the Raiders' stadium site...)

Since the central Vegas attraction has long shifted from downtown out to the lower Strip, it would make sense to place any rail terminal utilizing the current UP tracks somewhere in that area; likely west of the airport near the south I-15/215 interchange, where there would be a much smaller shuttle distance between depot and the destination cluster.  Unless Amtrak would be functioning as the contracted operator -- and if they still have contractual obligations to the Plaza complex (which after 22 years is probably not the case) -- a downtown depot is likely a DOA concept.   

[Sub-Urbanite]

This is probably good — but it should be coupled with a HSR investment. Give people the choice between a 2 hour trip on a train (with no TSA/trip to LAX) and a 3.5-7 hour drive, the market is going to push folks in a specific direction. Uber/Lyft make a good "last-mile" (or last-10-miles) connection on either end, something that wasn't there five years ago.

Again, I still think 6 lanes from Primm to Barstow makes sense — but at a certain point, you also need to prepare for the eventuality that 6 lanes won't be enough, either, and that folks need a choice that doesn't involve an airplane.

[Desert Man]

There's also a need to widen I-10 from Indio/Coachella to Blythe (what a crappy town) to Buckeye, AZ. An increase in year-round (double in the winter) traffic, high truck volume and sharp doubling in accidents in 3 years is an important concern. And what about I-40 from Barstow to Needles (another crappy town) to Kingman AZ? Desert stretches of freeways are becoming as busy and crowded like in LA, Orange county, Riverside or San Diego.

[Plutonic Panda]

The only time I've encountered traffic on I-40 in between Barstow and Needles is when they had a bridge closed and traffic was backed up for miles. Other than that, I've never seen much traffic on that stretch of I-40. I-40 should be six lanes through Flagstaff.