, and is pouring billions more into high-speed rail projects worldwide.
Fortunately, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which includes $66 billion in funds for passenger rail, is the best opportunity yet to begin to catch up with the rest of the world.
A funding infusion of $8 billion would help California complete a 171-mile operating line in the state’s Central Valley while spreading the burden a bit more — 65% for California and 35% for the federal government. Another $3.75 billion would allow Brightline to raise enough private capital to complete a $10 billion, 218-mile high-speed line linking Las Vegas and Southern California.
In addition to being remembered for modernizing the Northeast Corridor, the President could be remembered for laying the foundations of a West Coast super-megaregion connected by state-of-the-art high-speed rail. Fully funding these key high-speed rail projects and modernizing the Northeast Corridor is how we ignite our nation’s second great rail revolution – a goal laid out by Biden on the campaign trail.
As we’ve learned over the years, the federal government can’t expect transformative results with piecemeal funding for major infrastructure projects like high-speed rail. To launch America’s 21st century rail revolution, we must go big.Want to submit a guest commentary or reaction to an article we wrote? You can find our
In October of 2019, Executive Order, N-19-19 Newsom redirected gas tax money to fund railway systems. We in California know we pay the highest gas prices in the nation. Most of which are taxes. He took up to $5 billion generated annually by a 2017 law that increased the gas tax
Good decisions
No the feds dont. The whole HSR project needs to be cancelled.
How do we get special earmarks for California from the Senate?
Trains are relics of the past. Who wants to go from LA to SF on a train that takes 10 hours, when they can fly in 1.5 hours?
It could be that even high-speed rail advocates knew how bad the plan created by the Democrat-controlled California Legislature was. It was nothing like the plan approved by voters & the Legislature never put their plan back before the voters. Classic bait-and-switch.
And, for the hard of hearing in the back of the state, how’s the $4b to CA going so far, do we have a high speed train yet?