CHSRA apply for over $1 billion in federal funds for high-speed rail project

Credit: hsr.ca.gov

The California High-Speed Rail Authority has submitted two applications totalling nearly $1.3 billion in federal grant funding for the nation’s first high-speed rail project. The applications are the first major push for a continued federal partnership under the newly enacted Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, signed by President Biden in November 2021.

“With the state’s continued commitment and the Biden Administration’s leadership and support, we are confident we will deliver a project the country will be proud of,” said Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, said. “California is the home of innovation, and we are committed to advancing this very innovative project to improve our economy, advance clean mobility and expand economic opportunity for all.”

More than 40 letters of support from up and down the state of California accompanied the Authority’s grant applications, including letters from United States Senators Dianne Feinstein and Alex Padilla, members of the Legislature, mayors, and other elected officials, along with national and state-wide business, transportation and labour leaders.

The Authority’s two applications include funding for:

• constructing the second track for the initial operating segment between Merced and Bakersfield, beginning with the two tracks on the first 119 miles currently being built in the Central Valley
• Advancing design work for the extensions to Merced and Bakersfield
• Station development in Fresno and Kings/Tulare
• Purchasing six fully electric train sets capable of speeds in excess of 200mph
• Advancing the next phase of design for two segments into the Bay Area (Merced to San Jose and San Jose to San Francisco) and into Southern California (Bakersfield to Palmdale and Burbank to Los Angeles).

If awarded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, these grants will help California accelerate progress toward the opening of the nation’s first 220mph, electrified high-speed train system. They will also advance design on crucial segments in both Northern and Southern California that cleared the environmental process in the past year.