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2h ago

California High-Speed Rail Sets Phased Build Plan as Lawmakers Seek $1 Billion Annually

Lawmakers propose using cap-and-trade revenue to replace withdrawn federal funds.

An aerial image shows construction workers building the Hanford Viaduct over Highway 198 and past agricultural fields as part of the California High Speed Rail (CAHSR) transit project in Hanford, California, on February 12, 2025.
Metrolink commuter rail train at Santa Ana railway station near Los Angeles, United States, November 6, 2022.
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Overview

  • California’s rail authority released a supplemental plan outlining three options: Merced–Bakersfield service targeted for 2032, an extension to Gilroy by early 2038, and a larger build reaching Palmdale with Los Angeles connections by roughly 2038–2039.
  • The 171-mile Merced–Bakersfield segment is estimated at $36.75 billion and is projected to require operating subsidies, with forecast revenue falling short of operating and maintenance costs.
  • An extension to Gilroy carries an estimated $54.4 billion cost by 2038, while a broader option to Palmdale and connections into Los Angeles is pegged at about $87.1 billion with a potential future link to Brightline West.
  • After the Transportation Department rescinded roughly $4 billion in grants in July, the High-Speed Rail Authority filed suit seeking to restore the federal funds.
  • State legislators led by Sen. Dave Cortese are urging a $1 billion per year commitment from cap-and-trade revenue as construction continues on 119 miles in the Central Valley, with roughly $13 billion spent and total program costs now estimated well above $100 billion.