The California High-Speed Rail Authority has strongly rejected the Federal Railroad Administration’s funding termination proposal, citing construction milestones and renewed investment plans as evidence of steady progress. This is reported by the railway transport news portal Railway Supply.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has strongly rejected the Federal Railroad Administration’s funding termination proposal, citing construction milestones and renewed investment plans as evidence of steady progress
Photo: California High Speed Rail Authority

California High-Speed Rail Project Marks Key Milestones

The Authority’s CEO Ian Choudri criticized the FRA’s assessment as misleading, arguing it distorts facts and misrepresents ongoing construction efforts across Central Valley counties.

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He highlighted the completion of 69 miles of guideway and 53 structures, including viaducts in Fresno and Kings County. Another 30 structures are currently being built across Madera, Fresno, Tulare, and Kings counties.

The Authority has also advanced work on a central railyard and achieved full environmental clearance for the route between San Francisco and Los Angeles. These milestones reflect the project’s long-term viability.

California High-Speed Rail Plans to Close $7 Billion Gap

In response to the $7 billion funding gap, Choudri cited Governor Newsom’s Cap-and-Invest proposal, which may raise $1 billion annually through 2045 to support the project.

The Authority also intends to release a Request for Expressions of Interest to attract private investment, signaling its readiness for future development phases.

A previous FRA monitoring report from October 2024 found no major compliance issues. Choudri noted that no significant project changes have occurred since, questioning the justification for cutting funds.

He attributed the FRA’s shift to political bias rather than facts and called for renewed federal-state cooperation on the high-speed program that has already created over 15,300 construction jobs.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority continues to oversee the 171-mile segment between Merced and Bakersfield and remains committed to providing updates on its progress.

Source: railway-news.com

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