The California High-Speed Rail Authority has strongly rejected a proposal from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to end funding for the project, citing ongoing construction milestones and renewed investment plans as evidence of steady progress.
Project Progress and Completed Milestones
CEO of the institution Ian Choudri, FRA's assessment "misleading" Choudri argued that this assessment distorts the facts and misrepresents ongoing construction in Central Valley counties.
Choudri highlighted the significant progress made on the project:
69 miles of guideway ve 53 buildings (including viaducts in Fresno and Kings County) have been completed.
Currently in Madera, Fresno, Tulare and Kings counties 30 more buildings He added that it was built.
The authority also advanced work on a central rail yard and Full environmental permit for route between San Francisco and Los Angeles took.
These milestones reflect the long-term viability and stability of the project.
Plans to Close $7 Billion Financing Gap
Choudri responds to $7 billion funding gap Governor Newsom's Cap-and-Invest proposal, which would raise $2045 billion annually through 1 to support the project gave an example.
The agency also plans to issue a Request for Expression of Interest to demonstrate its readiness for future development phases and attract private investment.
A previous FRA monitoring report dated October 2024 found no significant compliance issues. Choudri questioned the rationale for the funding cut, noting that no significant project changes have occurred since then. He said the FRA’s changing stance is more likely a reflection of the facts than the facts. “political bias” and called for renewed federal-state cooperation on the high-speed programme, which has already created more than 15.300 construction jobs.
California High Speed Rail Authority, The 171-mile section between Merced and Bakersfield continues to monitor and is committed to providing regular updates on the project's progress.
