California’s $90B high-speed rail: Where the project stands now

California’s $90B high-speed rail: Where the project stands now California’s high-speed rail project is moving forward despite mounting costs and delays. Initially approved by voters in 2008 at $45 billion, the project’s price tag has more than doubled to $90 billion, with completion of the San Francisco-to-Los Angeles line now projected for 2038. A 119-mile segment between Bakersfield and Merced is expected to begin service in 2032 at a cost of $36 billion. Supporters, including Senator Dave Cortese, argue the project will make California a leader in clean transportation, while critics, like Senator Tony Strickland, say the money should go toward public safety and other priorities. Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed $1 billion annually from the state’s cap-and-invest program through 2045, while private investors await the state’s financial commitment. #California #HighSpeedRail #Infrastructure #GavinNewsom #PublicTransit #CleanEnergy #Bakersfield #Merced #CaliforniaPolitics #TransitFuture