California seeks input on revised high-speed rail plan

The California High-Speed Rail Authority (CHSRA) yesterday issued a revised draft 2020 business plan to complete construction of high-speed rail service in the Central Valley.

The authority is seeking public comment on the document, which presents a path forward for completing the project and highlights the project's progress to get high-speed trains running in California as soon as possible, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, CHSRA officials said in a press release.

The plan affirms the policy recommendation to the authority's board to develop an electrified Merced-Fresno-Bakersfield high-speed rail interim-service line in the Central Valley, while continuing to advance environmental reviews and current investments in local and regional infrastructure projects in Northern and Southern California, they said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in the CHSRA press release that state officials are "confident that our federal partners in the Biden administration share our vision for electrified rail — we look forward to working with them to get it done."

In 2019, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) under President Donald Trump canceled federal funding for the state's high-speed rail project after Newsom announced a scaled-back version of the project to focus on building train service in the Central Valley.

But, President Joe Biden and U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have expressed support for high-speed rail. Yesterday, Acting FRA Administrator Amit Bose said in a prepared statement that the U.S. Department of Administration "looks forward to partnering with California" on high-speed rail.

"America has the chance to lead the world once more through innovation in infrastructure — connecting our communities, creating good jobs, addressing climate change and ensuring equity," Bose said. "Passenger rail development, including world-class high-speed rail, can and must be a part of our strategy to accomplish these goals. ... California has taken the lead nationally to advance high-speed rail, starting an economically transformative project in the Central Valley and assuming the challenges that come with that leadership."

California's project originally called for a rail line to be built between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Over the years, the project has faced numerous delays, timeline extensions and cost increases. The latest revised plan outlines the following priorities:
• complete the 119-mile Central Valley construction segment and lay track pursuant to the state's federal-funding grant agreements with the FRA;
• expand the Central Valley segment to 171 miles of electrified high-speed rail, connecting Merced-Fresno-Bakersfield;
• begin testing electrified high-speed trains by 2026-2027 and put those trains in service by the decade's end;
• environmentally clear all segments of the Phase 1 system between San Francisco and LA;
• advance construction on "bookend" projects that the authority has committed funding to in the LA and Bay areas; and
• pursue additional funding to close the gaps and expand the service to the Bay Area and LA as soon as possible.