California High Speed Rail Authority sends stimulus applications to governor for approval

Yesterday, the California High Speed Rail Authority's board unanimously approved an application for more than $4.5 billion in federal stimulus dollars to help fund engineering, design and construction on the state's 800-mile high-speed rail system. The application will be submitted under the Federal Railroad Administration's Track 2 program for high-speed stimulus funds.

The application has been sent to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for final approval. The governor is expected to sign off on the application and submit it to the FRA by the Oct. 2 deadline. California will match any federal commitment with state bond funds, which were approved by voters in November 2008.

The California High Speed Rail Authority has proposed requesting:

• $2 billion for the Los Angeles-to-Anaheim segment, including high-speed train facilities at Los Angeles Union Station, Norwalk Station and the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center, as well as right-of-way acquisition, grade separations, utility relocation, environmental mitigation, earthwork, guideway structures, tunneling and trackwork;

• $1.28 billion for the San Jose-to-San Francisco segment, including station improvements, grade separations, electrification and positive train control in an upgraded, shared alignment with Caltrain;

• $466 million for the Fresno-to-Merced segment, including right-of-way acquisition, grade separations, utility relocation, environmental mitigation, earthwork, guideway structures and track; and

• $819.5 million for the Bakersfield-to-Fresno section, including right-of-way acquisition, grade separations, utility relocation, environmental mitigation, earthwork, guideway structures, track relocation and new track.