California High Speed Rail Projects Receiving $6 Billion
Sonora, CA — The State of California has been notified by the Biden Administration that a combined $6 billion will benefit a pair of high-speed rail efforts in the state.
Governor Gavin Newsom is praising the announcement, noting that $3 billion is going to the construction of the California High Speed Rail project in the Central Valley, with an end goal of connecting the train between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
Newsom says, “California is delivering on the first 220-mph, electric high-speed rail project in the nation. This show of support from the Biden-Harris Administration is a vote of confidence in today’s vision and comes at a critical turning point, providing the project new momentum.”
The project has slowed in recent years, but the Governor sent a letter to President Biden in October requesting funding to help finish the initial segment as part of the state’s clean energy initiatives.
The initial bonds for the project were approved by voters in 2008 and the first segment is now anticipated to cost around $35 billion.
In addition, $3 billion is going to a Brightline project that will connect Los Angeles to Las Vegas, with 80% of the project’s construction taking place in California.
The funding is part of $66 billion approved for rail from the 2021 $1 trillion federal infrastructure package. $22 billion was allocated to Amtrak and $36 billion went to competitive grant proposals.
