California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO Ian Choudri said he applauded state leaders agreeing to commit $1 billion to the state’s high-speed rail project.
Choudri said the agreement to reauthorize the Cap-and-Invest program would ensure the program would receive funding through 2045 is the largest guaranteed infusion of funding for the state’s high-speed rail program to date. The agreement demonstrates the state is choosing to invest in the future, he said.
“Today’s agreement has made a big, bold statement about California’s future—one that will create jobs, cut pollution, and connect and transform communities across the state,” he said. “This funding agreement resolves all identified funding gaps for the Early Operating Segment in the Central Valley and opens the door for meaningful public-private engagement with the program. As we move forward, I am greatly encouraged by commitments to continue productive discussions with the Administration and the Legislature to put in place statutory and regulatory enhancements that accelerate construction and give greater certainty on time and schedule for segment delivery.”
Choudri said the state must also work toward securing other long-term funding that can bring the project to the state’s population centers.
Work on the project continues, he said, with 171 miles currently under design and construction from Merced to Bakersfield. Nearly 70 miles of guideway are complete, along with 58 fully completed structures. Another 29 structures are underway across Madera, Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties. More than 460 of the nearly 500-mile stretch from San Francisco to Los Angelese have cleared environmental reviews and are construction ready.
The project has generated more than 15,800 jobs, most of which were filled by Central Valley residents. Officials estimate that up to 1,700 workers report to high-speed rail construction sites each day.