Last week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg traveled to Nevada to continue his Summer of Construction Tour and celebrate investments made possible by the Biden-Harris Administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Across the country, projects are underway to improve safety and the way people get around their communities, create new opportunities for American workers and small businesses, and strengthen our supply chains and lower the costs of everyday goods.
Secretary Buttigieg began his trip in Las Vegas, where he joined workers and community leaders to break ground on the Maryland Parkway Bus Rapid Transit project, a project that will improve the transportation accessibility for residents. While in Las Vegas, Secretary Buttigieg spoke to two groups of union workers to thank them for the work they are doing to complete infrastructure projects across the country.
The Secretary then headed to Northern Nevada, where he celebrated the start of work on the Arlington Avenue Bridges project in Reno, and then joined state and local leaders to participate in the Lake Tahoe Summit.
Read the coverage of Secretary Buttigieg’s visit to Nevada:
Fox 5 Las Vegas: Sec. Buttigieg calls for scrutiny of hazardous materials on freeways to prevent another I-15 shutdown
Secretary Buttigieg was in town this past Spring for the ceremonial groundbreaking of Brightline. A spokesperson for the company said the company is finishing up the field work needed for major construction to start on Las Vegas Boulevard.
“That’s going to be a benefit to millions, not just the people who use it, but anybody counting on I-15 who will face less congestion because of the people who are using it,” Secretary Buttigieg said, telling FOX5 that project leaders are still set for a completion by the Summer 2028 Olympics.
ABC 13 Las Vegas: Transportation Sec. Pete Buttigieg touts Maryland Parkway project, announces Harry Reid terminal makeover
“This is an area that hasn’t had the investment that it deserves in transit, even though there’s about 9,000 riders a day,” Buttigieg said.
The $378 million project will cover a 12.5-mile stretch of the heavily traveled corridor. Improvements will include expanding transit service, enhancing up to 50 transit shelters, developing seven miles of dedicated shared bus-bike lanes, widening sidewalks, signalizing pedestrian crossings, installing advanced traffic signal timing, improving lighting and landscaping, and employing hydrogen fuel cell electric buses.
Telemundo Las Vegas: VIDEO: Inicia el proyecto Maryland Parkway
El secretario de Transporte de Estados Unidos, Pete Buttigieg, dio a conocer detalles de este importante proyecto de infraestructura
Las Vegas Sun News: Buttigieg celebrates start of major Maryland Parkway transit overhaul in Las Vegas
Buttigieg called the project a “win-win” for transit riders and vehicular commuters, saying it would not only bring faster and more reliable buses, but ease congestion by taking more cars off the road. It is slated to be completed in 2026.
Considered a “vital corridor for the Las Vegas Valley,” the project will upgrade 12.5 miles of the Maryland Parkway between the Las Vegas Medical District and South Strip Transfer Terminal off Gillespie Street and Sunset Road. It will consist of 42 bus shelters with 24-hour service, seven days a week, in addition to curbside bus lanes on each side of the road, improved pedestrian and bicycle facilities and more greenery.
KSNV News: RTC hosts ceremonial groundbreaking for Maryland Parkway Bus Rapid Transit Project
U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg visited Las Vegas to break ground on a new transit project. On Monday afternoon, he joined Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) leaders to kick off the Maryland Parkway Bus Rapid Transit Project.
Fox 5 Las Vegas: $378M project for busy Maryland Parkway expected to finish late 2026
United States Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Nevada congressional representatives, county and city leaders all joined for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Maryland Parkway Bus Rapid Transit line.
The $378 million RTC project will change two lanes on Maryland Parkway into bus or bike lanes only. It will also add covers to 50 bus stops and widen sidewalks.
Las Vegas Review Journal: More I-15 travel options needed in wake of fire fiasco, Buttigieg says
“Look, any kind of disruption, the best thing is preventing it from happening in the first place. But it also helps reduce the congestion that is being put in these roads to begin with,” he said. “When you have different alternatives, like we’re introducing with these different investments that are taking place, as well as investing in I-15 itself, that’s going to mean a better future for people to get where they need to be.”
One alternative would be Brightline West’s high speed rail project and its planned $12 billion project to connect Las Vegas and Los Angeles via passenger rail. Brightline broke ground on the project in April, with plans to have the system completed and running in time for the 2028 L.A. Olympic Games.
KTVN 2 News: Sec. Pete Buttigieg delivers remarks in downtown Reno
The Arlington Avenue Bridge project aims to replace a set of century-old bridges across the Truckee River at Wingfield Park in downtown Reno. The project consists of several goals, including enhancing community access to the Truckee River and Wingfield Park for walkers and bikers. It also aims to improve the Truckee River’s hydraulic capacity, allowing more water to flow freely during flood events.
“We’re laying the groundwork for a better future based on a twin philosophy. First, a philosophy that says the ideas aren’t going to all come from Washington. As a matter of fact, out of the 60 thousand projects we’re funding, zero of those were designed in DOT headquarters; the ideas aren’t going to come from Washington, but more of the funding should.” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
KUNR News: Radio: Secretary Buttigieg discusses replacing bridges, high-speed rail, multimodal transportation
KRXI News: Pete Buttigieg speaks at annual Lake Tahoe Summit, announces transportation projects
It was recently announced that $24 million will go toward road and trail safety improvement along State Route 28. That funding comes from a federal grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation… “When I go through the data showing that transportation is the biggest source of carbon pollution and emissions in our economy, I take that as a challenge to make transportation the biggest part of the solution,” Buttigieg said. Buttigieg added that electric buses, increased trails for walking and biking and other local projects are part of that solution. He also said the new project will create local jobs.
This Is Reno: Video: Secretary Buttigieg, Senators Cortez Masto and Rosen break ground on Arlington Avenue Bridge replacement project
Traffic Technology Today: VIDEO: Pete Buttigieg breaks ground for new Las Vegas bus rapid transit (BRT)
KTVN 2 News: Video: Pete Buttigieg comes to Reno to celebrate bridge replacement
KKOH AM: DOT Secretary In Reno to Mark The Start of a New Bridge Project Downtown
The Secretary was joined by Nevada US Senators Catherine Cortez-Masto and Jacky Rosen, who is running for re-election this year. Also at the Wingfield Park ceremony were Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson, serving as RTC Chairman.
“The Reno community gave a lot of input to ensure leaders were taking this opportunity to not just rebuild the Arlington Avenue Bridges, but to make them even better-and the Biden-Harris Administration listened,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “These new bridges are about safety, they’re about quality of life for residents, and they’re about people’s livelihoods, and this Administration is thrilled that this work is getting started.”
The Nevada Independent: Lake Tahoe Summit: Transportation, trail projects aim to help with overcrowding
The project targets removing illegally parked vehicles on the sides of Hwy. 28 and traffic congestion between Incline Village and Spooner Summit by enhancing parking, connectivity and public transportation…”Trails are not ornamental. They are fundamental to a good and safe transportation system,” he said. “When the right trail and transit infrastructure exist, people have alternatives to single-occupancy vehicles.”
Sierra Sun: Transportation secretary gives an ‘optimistic outlook’ on the fight against climate change
As the keynote speaker at the 28th annual Lake Tahoe Summit on Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg spoke about what the Biden-Harris Administration has done to invest in transit, trails, and technology.
“This job in 3 1/2 years has now taken me to every state in the union,” Buttigieg said. “I’ve seen some remarkable places, but I have never been to a place like Lake Tahoe. This is an incredible and beautiful place.”
The Nevada Independent: Buttigieg kicks off Nevada visit by highlighting major Las Vegas transit project
The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the RTC $149 million to improve public transit access along a 12.5 mile stretch of Maryland Parkway from the South Transit Terminal to the Medical District, an area that is home to some 63,000 residents.
This funding, secured via the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will transform 7 miles of the parkway’s bus line – reducing the number of lanes from three to two with a dedicated shared bus-bike lanes, while creating 42 transit shelters, widening sidewalks and improving lighting. The expanded bus service plans to run 24/7 and will include 15 hydrogen fuel cell electric buses funded via another federal grant.
Mass Transit Magazine: RTC of Southern Nevada breaks ground on Maryland Parkway BRT project
“Thanks to President Biden, Vice President Harris and this Congressional delegation, we passed historic infrastructure funding that includes the biggest investment in public transit in U.S. history,” said U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We’re using that funding package to improve roads in Las Vegas, we’ve started work on America’s first high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and southern California and today, we begin construction on a new rapid bus route that will give residents a faster, more reliable, more comfortable trip between the airport, UNLV, downtown Las Vegas and the Medical District.”
Nevada Current: Buttigieg marks groundbreaking on Maryland Parkway transit project
On Monday, Buttigieg joined the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) and members of Nevada’s congressional delegation – including U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, U.S. Reps. Dina Titus, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford – at the Boulevard Mall to mark the beginning of construction.
The project will expand transit service, reduce wait times for transit riders on Maryland Parkway, enhance transit shelters, and create wider sidewalks and pedestrian crossings.
StreetInsider: U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg joins Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada, Nevada federal delegation for ceremonial groundbreaking of Maryland Parkway Bus Rapid Trans
U. S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg headlined a ceremonial groundbreaking hosted by the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) for the Maryland Parkway Bus Rapid Transit project at the Boulevard Mall, 3528 S. Maryland Parkway. Secretary Buttigieg was joined by RTC leadership and members of Nevada’s federal delegation, including U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto, U.S. Representatives Dina Titus, Susie Lee and Steven Horsford, to mark the beginning of construction on the $378 million project that will improve safety and enhance functionality along a 12.5-mile stretch of one of the most important corridors in Southern Nevada.