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California Gov. Jerry Brown continues to back the state’s proposed high-speed rail project. During his Jan. 18 State of the State address, he briefly discussed the project and controversy surrounding it.

“If you believe that California will continue to grow, as I do, and that millions more people will be living in our state, this is a wise investment,” he said. “Building new runways and expanding our airports and highways is the only alternative. That is not cheaper and will face even more political opposition.”

When Brown previously served as California governor 30 years ago, he signed legislation to study the high-speed rail concept. His support for the project hasn’t swayed in the years since, and Brown doesn’t seem phased by the growing criticism.

“Critics of the high-speed rail project abound, as they often do when something of this magnitude is proposed,” he said, adding that other major projects such as the Central Valley water project, interstate highway system Bay Area Rapid Transit and Panama Canal had plenty of nay-sayers, as well.

“The critics were wrong then and they’re wrong now,” he said.