Overview
- Gov. Gavin Newsom marked the completion of the Southern Railhead Facility near Wasco, calling it a key step toward beginning track installation.
- The 150-acre site has freight track in place and will function as a logistics hub to deliver, store and deploy materials needed to electrify and operate the system.
- Active work is concentrated on a roughly 119-mile Merced–Bakersfield stretch, with public reporting placing its target completion between 2030 and 2033.
- Project metrics reported by the state include 80 miles of guideway built, 58 structures completed and 21 active construction sites, with additional miles in design.
- Coverage cites sharply higher lifetime cost estimates now reported between $89 billion and $135 billion, alongside $13.8 billion spent to date and a $1 billion-per-year funding stream through 2045, as critics also highlight proposals that could limit inspector-general disclosures.