Nevada’s 2021 State Rail Plan

Nevada State Rail Plan

The 2021 Nevada State Rail Plan is unlike any other state transportation plan, advancing rail-enabled sustainable economic development for the state and the nation.  The plan consummates an eighteen-month immersion by OTNA and its for-profit affiliate Strategic Rail Finance into the constraints and opportunities of Nevada’s freight system.

Typically, a submitted rail plan is the end result. The Nevada plan is a future-facing, detailed blueprint for leveraging rail’s inherent benefits for businesses, communities, and the environment.

To create the plan, OTNA, SRF and the Nevada DOT:

• Facilitated in-depth dialogue between hundreds of shippers, stakeholders, and developers to catalog current and planned business developments and infrastructure opportunities
• Conducted a deep dive into truck movement data in and through the state to pinpoint new opportunities for rail growth and improved multi-modal integration, a rail plan first
• Initiated supply chain mapping for entire industries to reveal synergies for optimized operations and infrastructure
• Laid the groundwork for significant private sector capital to offset the shortfall in public sector funding of freight transportation

Public officials, private businesses, industrial developers, and stakeholders statewide are continuing the unprecedented collaboration of the past year to leverage the 2021 plan for a better Nevada.

Click the links below to peruse the plan.

2021 Nevada State Rail Plan | in full minus appendix (37 MB)

2021 Nevada Rail Plan | Executive Summary

2021 Nevada State Rail Plan | Individual Chapters, Appendix, & Links

THE NEW BLUEPRINT FOR RAIL-ENABLED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

There’s a gap between a state rail plan as required by the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration (FRA),

and a state rail plan that is commercially relevant. The former is a bureaucratic necessity. The latter is an executable plan when it includes a new set of principles and practices such as ongoing stakeholder interaction and stewardship.

The New Blueprint for  Rail-Enabled Economic Development introduces a desperately-needed breakthrough approach to moving a state’s freight transportation network toward increased economic opportunity, reduced carbon footprint, and improved quality of community life.

Read The New Blueprint For Rail-Enabled Economic Development (.pdf)

What Nevada's Stakeholders Are Saying

Now is the time to create this collective for moving forward, making Nevada a leading center for intelligent logistics and commerce, resulting in economic prosperity that benefits every Nevadan… I’m absolutely impressed with the mapping that you and your team have developed to provide insight into the existing freight infrastructure in Southern Nevada. This is great information that we need to educate the economic development community in our region so that they can speak about this when communicating with prospects looking for rail access.

Perry Ursem

Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance

First, we agree strongly with the stated purpose of the Rail Plan, to support “Nevada’s commitment to creating a balanced transportation system that moves goods and people sustainably.” Next, we appreciate the detailed description of and proposals for ways to meet this goal, including addressing legal and ownership challenges and the need to identify funding both private and public. We also recognize the extensive outreach to user groups, businesses, communities, and other organizations throughout the state. We think this unprecedented (in our experience) outreach makes it a better plan, and identifies a constituency that may help implement the ambitious goals.

Anne Macquarie

Sierra Club Toiyabe Chapter Transportation Team

Read the Sierra Club Chapter’s full letter here.

Appreciate the opportunity to collaborate with you. Your work is very important to Nevada and we recognize your important contributions to our economic recovery. Freight rail is a critical part of the recovery plan and I look forward to working with you in the near future.

Joe Campos

Blockchains L.L.C.