Overview
- The Federal Railroad Administration cut roughly $4 billion in July, citing missed deadlines and the absence of a viable plan for the Central Valley segment.
- The rail authority says it will proceed without federal dollars, relying on $1 billion per year from California’s cap-and-trade program through 2045.
- On Dec. 19, the authority issued an RFQ to select a private co-development partner by summer 2026 to help finance the project and monetize stations and right-of-way.
- Approved by voters in 2008 at $33 billion, the project’s costs have climbed to about $36.8 billion for a 171-mile Central Valley segment and up to $128 billion for the full line.
- President Donald Trump and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy have called the effort mismanaged and unlikely to be completed, while the authority says moving forward without Washington enables the use of global best practices.